Florida State football is now ten weeks away from kicking off against New Mexico State in the opener on Saturday, August 29th, in Doak Campbell Stadium. The fan base is cautiously optimistic after what has transpired in Tallahassee over the last couple of seasons.
The Seminoles have had six losing seasons in eight years, so the negativity is warranted. Plus, head coach Mike Norvell is firmly on the hot seat once again and is trying to prove doubters wrong. The over/under win total on FanDuel Sportsbook for Florida State is 6.5, so they don't necessarily see the Seminoles being super successful on the gridiron.
Florida State added plenty of new faces to its roster this offseason via the recruiting ranks and transfer portal. One of the bigger additions is former Stanford and Auburn quarterback transfer Ashton Daniels, who the coaching staff is hoping can continue his impressive two-game showing that he had against the likes of Vanderbilt and Alabama.
With that said, everyone seems to talk about the quarterback position because it is the most important on the field, but what about everyone else? In this article, I have highlighted the five most important players on the roster not named Ashton Daniels.
RB Ousmane Kromah
This is probably a projection more than anything, but the coaching staff seems to be high on the skill set of sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah this offseason. The Georgia native didn't do as much as the fan base thought after winning out his recruitment over the likes of the home-state Georgia Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers. By using Kromah effectively, this should take pressure off Ashton Daniels so that the downfield passing attack can be useful.
WR Devin Carter
Fans know what Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy are as wide receivers, plus Jayvan Boggs dealt with injuries last season, and we don't know how he will perform when healthy. It is understandable not to trust true freshman pass catchers, but Devin Carter is a legacy player whose father played for the Seminoles in the late 1980's and knows what it is like to wear the Garnet and Gold. The coaching staff has raved about him all offseason, and it is time for him to emerge as a playmaker in 2026.
DE Rylan Kennedy
Florida State has gone to the transfer portal once again for a defensive lineman. They have had success with former players such as Jermaine Johnson II, Jared Verse, and Braden Fiske. The coaching staff is hoping for a similar result with Texas A&M's Rylan Kennedy. He seems to be just scratching the surface with his potential, but Kennedy is a senior, so he will have to learn quickly. He has only recorded 3.5 sacks in three years with the Aggies. If Florida State's defense wants to be productive, Kennedy has to shine bright.
LB Chris Jones
The linebacker group has to be productive in 2026. The group from last year was an absolute disaster at times, as Florida's Jadan Baugh rushed for over 200 rushing yards in the season finale. The Seminoles went out and added Southern Miss linebacker transfer Chris Jones. He originally signed with Ole Miss in the offseason, but was able to get out of the agreement and sign with Florida State. Jones was worth the investment, as he recorded 133 tackles and 3.5 sacks with the Golden Eagles last year.
ROV Ashlynd Barker
Florida State had the luxury of having former defensive back Earl Little Jr. when they played Alabama in the opener. The Seminoles' defense played with intensity and passion, which led to the upset in Week 1. Earl Little Jr. was a big part of that, but he has since transferred to Ohio State. As a result, Ashlynd Barker is stepping up in his Rover position role in Tony White's defense this season. Barker had a solid 2025 campaign last season, where he recorded 48 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Explanation of selections
I tried not to select high-quality players that fans have already talked about that are obvious to the team's success, like wide receiver Duce Robinson, defensive lineman Mandrell Desir, and defensive back Ja'Bril Rawls.
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