Rutgers, Florida State leading pack for Port Charlotte QB Logan Flaherty

“Obviously people are going to look at the record in past years and think they’ve been mediocre, per say,” Flaherty said. “But I do research. Google is free, anyone can do research, so I go on there and research - and where (head coach Greg Schiano) had them in his first term there, I think that he’s set on building it back.”

Rutgers offensive coordinator and QB coach Kirk Ciarrocca is also key in Flaherty’s recruitment. Ciarrocca helped Scarlett Knight quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis get drafted by Washington in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft, and Flaherty says he sees the blueprint.

“If you look (Ciarrocca) up, he’s had great success with quarterback,” he said. “He had a quarterback drafted in the seventh round. ... So I look at that, and that’s something that interests me. And the other thing, you’re playing Big Ten football, you’re talking about playing the best football in the country.”

Why FSU football may have inside track on Logan Flaherty

While Rutgers has a pitch that resounds with Flaherty and may offer a better situation, he says it’s not easy to ignore a team like FSU after growing up as a fan.

“It’s hard to say no to a school that you grew up watching,” he said. “I’ve been a Florida State fan since I can remember. Both my parents graduated from there, we’re up there all the time even as fans … just as an in-state school, it’s hard to not give them an ear.”

Port Charlotte QB Logan Flaherty readies the offense in a scrimmage against Cardinal Mooney, May 7, 2026

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“Honestly, to play at a school like Florida State would be a dream come true,” he said. “But it has to be, at the end of the day, the best decision and process for me. I wouldn’t say it’s an end-all be-all to go to an in-state school and play there, but like I said it’s hard to turn your head away from them.”

The Pirates return a lot of senior talent after last year’s playoff run, and have a crop of young players that have seen high Division I offers start to roll in. The stage is set for what could be Port Charlotte’s best chance to win a title in recent memory, and Flaherty knows it.

“Every year we’ve gotten better,” he said. “Sophomore year was the best team in school history, junior year was the best team in school history, and I think personally this is going to be the best team in school history and that just adds fuel to the fire to go win it all.”

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Why FSU may be in lead position for Port Charlotte QB Logan Flaherty