Spring football season for FSU is over and, with Mike Norvell going to mostly closed practices, the information coming out of Tallahassee has been limited. There's plenty of speculation about who is going to start at quarterback and what the run defense will look like.
Some of those things we won't get answered until August, but there were other noteworthy tidbits that we can run with and one of those is the young players that are emerging. FSU brought in a class of over 30 players during this past recruiting cycle. Many of those true freshmen practiced this spring and a few may have put themselves in position to make some noise in the fall.
Here are three true freshmen that will likely find themselves taking major snaps in the upcoming season:
WR Devin Carter
For what it's worth, I think both Carter and Jasen Lopez will both see plenty of time this fall and could surpass Jayvan Boggs on the depth chart. That's less of an indictment on Boggs and more of a belief that the shiftiness and ability of the two freshmen to get yards after the catch will make them a much more valuable part of the pass game. Carter has No. 1/No. 2 receiver upside and that showed itself this spring.
How Devin Carter, Jasen Lopez affect FSU’s WR depth already as freshmen https://t.co/YVvss2Wfa1
— Tallahassee Democrat (@TDOnline) April 12, 2026
DL Franklin Whitley
There are high hopes for Whitley and fellow freshman Earnest Rankins. Whitley is the one that appears to have taken the bull by the horns so far and, truth be told, FSU really needs this four-star recruit to jump off early. The defensive line has some question marks outside Mandrell Desir, so Whitley's emergence is a very positive step.
WR Jasen Lopez
I already mentioned Lopez above and while I think he's a step behind Carter as a wide receiver, Lopez could be a major piece of the return game. If he can simply field a punt, that would put him above most of the players that have been back there for the past several years.