CLEMSON | Florida State's 2017 recruiting class is a resounding example that these rankings aren't always foolproof.

The Seminoles had watched Clemson win the national title, yes. But FSU was just a few months from pushing the Tigers to the edge in a wild game in Tallahassee.

It surely looked like Jimbo Fisher was reloading with the 2017 haul, which featured three of Rivals' Top 5 recruits in Marvin Wilson, Cam Akers and Josh Kaindoh.

FSU had nine Top 100 players in that class. Clemson had but three.

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Clemson is 41-3 since with another national championship. Florida State is 18-20 since with another head coach after the Willie Taggart mess.

So no, rankings aren't always predictive. But the recent recruiting trends in the ACC certainly seem to suggest Clemson is doing some, um, social distancing from the Seminoles and everyone else.

Since that 2017 class, Clemson has totaled 24 Rivals Top 100 players including the three commits for the 2021 class.