Dabo Swinney has won multiple national championships during his tenure at Clemson, and has success that recruits and transfers can gravitate to. There was a time when Florida State led the ACC with former head coach Jimbo Fisher, and Swinney was an afterthought.
However, aside from Mike Norvell's 2023 campaign, which won the conference, the Tigers have had a commanding lead lately. It is disappointing to see as a Florida State football fan because they have to play Clemson every year.
Tallahassee standout Jamarin Simmons commits to Clemson over Florida State
The recruiting news got worse for Florida State on Wednesday afternoon, as four-star Jamarin Simmons from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida, committed to Clemson.
BREAKING: Four-Star WR Jamarin Simmons has Committed to Clemson, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 20, 2026
The 5’11 170 WR chose the Tigers over Florida, Florida State, Auburn, and Tennessee
“All In 🐅”https://t.co/uClubea7gf pic.twitter.com/ebVVZH4XUN
This was supposed to be a battle between Florida State and Clemson, but the Tigers led the recruitment. The Seminoles have gone 7-17 combined in the last two years. This isn't going to cut it for Florida State, which has championship expectations.
Simmons is from Tallahassee, and we have seen more and more prospects leave the state of Florida to go elsewhere. Obviously, Florida State doesn't strike out on everyone because they have a guy like wide receiver Micahi Danzy on their roster. However, the pass catcher was supposed to be very talented, and the Seminoles' offense could certainly use him.
I already wrote an article recently that highlighted Simmons was supposed to officially visit Florida State on the weekend of June 5th, but he cancelled that trip and was going to visit the arch-rival Florida Gators. That should have given fans an indicator of how the recruitment was trending.
The Seminoles still haven't grabbed a wide receiver in their 2027 recruiting class, and to make matters worse, four-star prospect Jabari Watkins (who previously named Florida State his top school) announced on social media that he would not be taking his official visit to the Seminoles anymore.
This left prospects such as four-star wide receivers Cam Wade and Sean Green for Florida State to pick up. Those are bad options at all, but the Seminoles are banking on the chance to land both of them. Assistant coach Tim Harris Jr. did a nice job recruiting the position in last year's cycle, but Florida State needs to continue stacking talent at the position.
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