MOULTRIE – The Florida State University football program has gained a reputation in recent years of producing some of the top place-kickers in the country, including three who performed in the National Football League in the 2018 season.

Colquitt County’s Ryan Fitzgerald has an opportunity to become a part of that tradition.

The Packers’ All-America and record-setting kicker committed to Florida State during an official visit to Tallahassee on Sunday.

Fitzgerald said that when Seminoles coach Willie Taggert offered him a scholarship, he was obviously pleased and looked at his parents who were sitting with him.

“They had the same look on their faces,” he said. “I said, ‘I’m committed.’”

Fitzgerald said he has grown up watching Florida State football and is well-aware both of the program’s years of football success and its penchant for producing outstanding kickers.

Last season, former Seminoles Sebastian Janikowski kicked for the Seattle Seahawks after 18 seasons with the Raiders; Graham Gano was with the Carolina Panthers; and Dustin Hopkins was the kicker for the Washington Redskins.

Florida State will have returning senior Ricky Aguayo expected to handle the place-kicking duties next fall, but Fitzgerald said he will compete for the job from the get-go.

“In the worst-case scenario, I’ll be red-shirted and have a year to get stronger,” he said.

Fitzgerald, who set several state records last season, had received offers from Kansas, Baylor, Houston, Boise State, Central Florida, South Alabama, Air Force, Florida Atlantic, but opted to take the scholarship from an ACC program that plays its games less than 80 miles from Moultrie.

It will be an easy trip for Chad and Sandy Fitzgerald to see their son in garnet-and-gold perform on Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst has consistently called Fitzgerald the best high school kicker in the country.

Fitzgerald’s statistics certainly bear out Propst’s assessment.

Last season, with Kaleb Spradley doing the snapping and Tucker Pitts serving as the holder, Fitzgerald led the nation with 22 field goals and 133 points.

He was named a first-team All-State selection by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Recruit Georgia and USA Today.

He also was a first-team high school All-American according to MaxPreps, Kohl’s Kicking and USA Today and received the prestigious Chris Sailer Award as the nation’s top high school kicker.

As the Packers three-year starting kicker, Fitzgerald set five state records, including most field goals made in a game, 5; most field goals made in a season, 22; most field goals made in a career, 51; most field goals over 50 yards in a season, six; and most field goals over 50 yards in a career, eight.

He holds all of Colquitt County’s kicking records. In his career, he converted 171-of-173 extra-point attempts; 51-of-68 field goal attempts; and scored 324 points.

He also put 94 kickoffs into the end zone last season and averaged 40.9 yards per punt.

Fitzgerald says he plans to use the time between now and when he reports to the Florida State football team to get stronger, more consistent and more accurate.

“Then I want to help the team any way I can,” he said.

He added that among the congratulatory messages he has received this week was one from former Packer and Seminole Cameron Erving, currently the starting left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs.