Defense wins championships! FSU football secures talented LB in the 2026 class

HOT LIKE GREASE ON THE RECRUITING TRAIL

Florida State sits around the top 30 in the 2026 recruiting rankings (according to the 247Sports Composite). This is not the standard for the Seminoles' fan base, as the program wants to compete for conference and national championships.

Recruiting has been an up-and-down roller coaster ride for the Seminoles as they look to find the right fit for the program that struggled in 2024 with a 2-10 record.

Florida State got some good news as Class of 2026 three-star linebacker Noah LaVallee (younger brother of current linebacker Caleb LaVallee) from Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia. LaVallee recorded 124 tackles (eight for loss) and one sack during the 2024 season.

SMART GET FOR THE COACHING STAFF

This is a smart acquisition for the coaching staff because Class of 2026 four-star linebacker commit Karon Maycock is making his final decision next month, and those choices typically don't go in the Seminoles' favor.

Plus, LaVallee is a prospect that the coaching staff has been involved with for a while. The talented linebacker prospect also already knows the ropes at Florida State since his older brother plays with the Seminoles.

I always talk about expanding the recruiting target board to give yourself more options, and the coaching staff did just that. I like the take here, even though I know that Seminole fans will focus solely on his three-star ranking. I believe that LaVallee will be a high three-star prospect when the December Signing Period rolls around.

I do not expect the Georgia native to be the first or second-best rated linebacker prospect in the cycle. The Seminoles have their sights set on acquiring five-star Xavier Griffin from Gainesville, Georgia, which would be a massive get to pair along with LaVallee down the road.

Hats off to linebackers coach John Papuchis. He is doing a solid job with recruiting for the 2026 cycle.