TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Bobby Bowden was so happy about his 2002 recruiting class Wednesday that he let it slip he plans to coach at least another five years at Florida State.

``It's one of the most exciting recruiting years I've been through,'' said Bowden, 72. ``I'm as proud of this group as any we've brought in here.''

A good class became even better Wednesday night when highly touted running back Lorenzo Booker of Oxnard, Calif., announced he was going with his lifelong favorite team. Booker, who ran for 3,103 yards and 49 touchdowns last season, also considered attending Notre Dame, Southern Cal and Washington.

Bowden is eager to bounce back from the school's poorest season in 15 years. With freshman quarterback Chris Rix in a lineup made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores, the Seminoles finished No. 15 last year with an 8-4 record.

Recruiting coordinator John Lilly said Bowden and next year's schedule, which includes nine bowl teams plus Notre Dame, were key sales points with recruits.

``These guys who are 17 years old now, and if they've been watching college football, Florida State has been in the hunt every year,'' Lilly said.

One of the signees, Kamerion Wimbley of Wichita, Kan., said he'd been a Florida State fan since he began watching games on television as an 8-year-old.

The Seminoles signed 11 players on offense and 10 on defense, led by 6-4, 195-pound Pat Watkins of Tallahassee Lincoln, regarded as perhaps the top safety in the country.

``He's got size, speed, he can tackle, makes plays,'' defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews said. ``If he can learn our system, and I think he will, he has a chance to play in that first ballgame.''

The addition of four wide receivers gives Bowden at least eight scholarship receivers and the opportunity to return to his ``Kentucky Derby'' offense where he can use keep four fresh wideouts on the field at once.

``This class is loaded with playmakers - guys who once they get their hands on the ball can do a lot with it,'' Bowden said.

One player Florida State coaches classified as an ``athlete'' is Florida's Mr. Football in 2002, 180-pound Leon Washington.

Washington, one of four players from Jacksonville to sign with Florida State, rushed for 2,437 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior and made 88 tackles and three interceptions playing defense.

The new receivers are Dishon Platt of Punta Gorda, Chris Davis from St. Petersburg, Chauncey Stovall of Vero Beach and Lorne Sam of Buford, Ga., younger brother of Seminole receiver P.K. Sam.

The Seminoles stayed close to home, signing 13 players from Florida and four from Georgia, including ``athlete'' Darrell Burston of Starr's Mill High School in Fayetteville, who will likely be used at linebacker.

In addition to the wide receivers, the Seminoles signed four running backs and a quarterback, Wyatt Sexton, son of Florida State's running backs coach Billy Sexton.

Two players, Wimbley and linebacker Nate Hardage of Albany, Ga., are already enrolled at Florida State. Hardage is a junior college transfer while Wimbley finished high school a semester early.