Shavar Manuel, 4-Star FSU DT Commit, Will Attend Junior College|FSU Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

Coveted defensive tackle prospect Shavar Manuel, who signed a national letter of intent with the Florida State Seminoles on Feb. 3, has reportedly opted to attend junior college instead of proceeding with his plan to play for the ACC powerhouse.

Citing a source in Manuel’s family, Josh Newberg of 247Sports reported the 4-star stud will enroll at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas.

“The same source says that Florida State has been working with him over the past few weeks in picking a JUCO to attend,” Newberg wrote. “Manuel will need to get his AA degree before becoming eligible.  The family believes he could be out of JUCO in a year-and-a-half.”

Manuel committed to the Florida Gators on Jan. 3, per 247Sports, but he reversed that decision a month later and latched on with the Seminoles.

He explained his decision in a conversation with Bleacher Report’s Stephen Nelson:

The Blake High School and IMG Academy product has been lauded as one of the nation’s top high school run-stuffers for some time. According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Manuel is the ninth-ranked defensive tackle and 67th-ranked player overall in the 2016 class. He’s also the 11th-ranked player in the state of Florida.

Since Newberg Manuel will ultimately make his way to Tallahassee, head coach Jimbo Fisher and Co. will merely need to exercise some patience before they can get their hands on the potential cornerstone.

All recruit information courtesy of 247Sports.