Edgewater RB commits to FSU
Baxter rushed for 307 rushing yards, 5 TDs last season
Cedric “C.J.” Baxter might not have played much last season for Class 7A runner-up Edgewater, but expectations are so high for the 2023 running back that he has already committed to Florida State.
“That’s been my dream ever since I can remember since I was little,” said Baxter, who committed to the Seminoles on Wednesday afternoon. “I’m extremely excited. I’ve just been walking back and forth for the last hour. My Twitter is definitely blowing up right now.
“I had a talk with coach [Edgewater head coach Cameron] Duke and I had a talk with my family, and, for one, it’s my dream school, but that’s not the only reason why. [FSU head coach Mike] Norvell’s coaching staff, they’re gonna flip things around there and I have confidence in them that they’re going to build a new team at Florida State and he told me he wanted me to be the first commitment for FSU in the Class of 2023.”
FSU’s latest commitment has been highly touted since before his freshman year at Edgewater, but he had to wait his turn this past season while watching senior Isaiah Connelly take the majority of the snaps. He did get 34 carries for 307 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran back kickoffs in the playoffs.
“My biggest thing, coming from Little League and then transferring to high school and playing varsity as a freshman and sitting behind Isaiah, at first at the beginning of the season, I was frustrated,” Baxter said. “Because I was so used to, like, when you’re in Little League, you’re used to having all of the spotlight and you don’t come out of the games or anything.
“So I was frustrated at first, but then I realized that me taking mental reps actually helps a lot.”
So Baxter finally realized all he had to do was wait his turn and the Edgewater spotlight would eventually be on him. COVID-19 has put things on hold, but he’s ready to bust out.
“It feels good because I know that when I do get on the field and can show what I do, people are going to like me even more,” he said.