Florida State fall camp is over the halfway point with the Seminoles’ Week 0 opener against New Mexico State on August 29, suddenly right around the corner. Still, the depth chart for Mike Norvell’s seventh season in Tallahassee has yet to be completely settled.
Spring football and summer conditioning set the tone, but the preseason is when positional battles are settled and playing time is won. And these seven Seminoles have seemingly been trending in the right direction for a strong 2026 campaign.
The JuCo transfer from Iowa Western missed Florida State’s first of three scrimmages this fall camp, but after Scrimmage 2, Norvell raved about his “exciting” potential, and it began to sound as though he would claim the QB2 job over Kevin Sperry.
Considering FSU’s struggles to develop homegrown talent at the position, Marshall beating out Sperry would be stock down from Norvell and his staff, but if Marshall proves to be a shrewd portal pickup, he can help offset that some.
The three-star 2026 defensive back hasn’t been on many radars heading into his true freshman season, but this week, Norvell mentioned him as a player who looks like he belongs. Will that translate to meaningful playing time at safety? That remains to be seen, but the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Vero Beach native appears much closer to making an impact than anybody would have anticipated.
Notre Dame transfer Karson Hobbs figured to split time in the slot with Duke transfer Ma’Khi Jones, but this week, Hobbs suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the season. His injury raises a number of possibilities, ranging from Ashlynd Barker playing more near the line of scrimmage to Nehemiah Chandler sliding inside.
It may also open an opportunity for Knight, whom Norvell mentioned as a player pushing for playing time in Hobbs’ absence. The junior played just 24 snaps in two games last season, but may finally be coming into his own.
It’s not yet decided, but coming off last year’s season-ending injury, it appears that Jones, a rangy outside corner, is in poll position to start opposite Ja’Bril Rawls. Chandler and Charles Lester III are also in the mix for CB2 reps, but the early indications point to Jones separating himself.
Whoever wins the job will need to be excellent because Rawls will often deter quarterbacks from throwing in his direction.
The four-star true freshman has not played a meaningful snap of football since his junior year, but some players are just different, and he might be one of them. Landing Williams was a huge win for Norvell in the 2026 class, and though he missed Scrimmage 2 with a minor injury, Williams has shown why.
He’s a standout athlete at a position where defensive coordinator Tony White needs a difference-maker, and even if he doesn’t play a lot this season, he could become the centerpiece of FSU’s defense moving forward.
With Mike Norvell back on the headset, FSU appears poised to be a heavy 12- and 21-personnel team this season. Still, the competition between Jayvan Boggs and Jasen Lopez for slot receiver snaps has been an interesting subplot of camp.
Lopez took advantage of increased reps with Boggs limited to start camp, and even if the sophomore Boggs reclaims a starting role in the final weeks of camp, Lopez will likely be the primary punt returner. Regardless of the role, Lopez is going to be tough to keep off the field.
Florida State seemingly wasn’t entirely sold on Kromah, a 2025 four-star, after his 73-carry, 408-yard true freshman season. Norvell and general manager John Garrett went out and added Quintrevion Wisner from Texas during the transfer portal window, thrusting him into a backfield with Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. both returning.
With three capable backs, the offense appeared poised for a running back-by-committee approach, but every indication out of Tallahassee from players and coaches has been that Kromah is the clear RB1. He may even be the best player on an offense that returns All-ACC wide receiver Duce Robinson.
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