Florida State took a massive 34-player recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. The group included four edge rushers, but as of Friday, it’s down to three as Chris Carbin, who enrolled in January, has been dismissed from the team.
The only information on the dismissal came from an FSU athletic spokesperson who simply said, “He is no longer part of the program.” There has been no further reporting as to why Carbin was dismissed and no further statements from the program.
Chris Carbin’s dismissal helps to trim a bloated freshman class
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound EDGE was a three-star recruit in the class out of Powder Springs, Georgia. With the help of former defensive ends coach John Papuchis, Mike Norvell was able to flip him from a Georgia Tech commitment ahead of the December Early Signing Period.
However, since that decision, Papuchis has been let go, replaced by new EDGE coach Nick Williams, and the entire front office in Tallahassee has been overhauled. The front office is now led by general manager John Garrett, who came over from Duke and who notably did not offer Carbin in the 2026 cycle.
Carbin held offers from Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest in the ACC, among other Power 4 programs. So, the absence of an offer from Garrett and Manny Diaz at Duke could be notable. As is the turnover on the coaching staff, which may not have viewed Carbin as highly as the previous iteration of Norvell’s defensive staff did.
Even after taking four edge rushers last cycle and adding Rylan Kennedy in the transfer portal, Florida State, with the help of Williams, has three EDGEs committed in the 2027 cycle. Not only does that potential explain Carbin’s dismissal, though no details of the decision have been reported, but it also means that it's a loss the Seminoles are prepared to take.
Florida State has plenty of EDGE depth
Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense is a bit unconventional with three down defensive linemen. Mandrell Desir is expected to take much of the work at defensive end this year, and he has real interior versatility at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds. As does his twin brother, Darryl, at 6-foot-5, 259 pounds.
Kennedy will likely start at the JACK linebacker role, which is a primary stand-up pass-rusher for White. From the 2026 class alone, Jalen Anderson, Jaemin Pinckney, and Cam Brooks are all candidates to eventually earn playing time at JACK. While defensive line additions Franklin Whitley and Earnest Rankins are well built to play defensive end.
Carbin was slated for some scout team work as a freshman but not much else, so this loss will not have an impact on the 2026 defense, and with so much depth in the trenches, it’s a loss that FSU is well-equipped to handle.
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