Florida State football has plenty of expectations during the 2026 season. The Seminoles have seven wins in the past two years, so the pressure is elevated for head coach Mike Norvell. When thinking about Norvell, 2022 and 2023 seem like a decade ago.
However, many within the fan base want Norvell to hit the road. Losses aren't something that the Florida State faithful are used to. This program wants to compete for championships year after year, such as when Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher were in Tallahassee.
The roster changes rapidly in college football with the integration of the transfer portal. High school recruiting seems to be taking a step back.
Defensive line depth looks like a gamble for Florida State
There have been plenty of individuals who have referred to Mike Norvell as one of the better users of the portal. However, this offseason called for Norvell to obtain more talent via the high school recruiting ranks, where they picked up nine prospects on the defensive line.
The squad had high expectations during the 2024 season, when former Nebraska defensive end transfer James Williams was expected to be a household name as he reunited with defensive coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, both of whom he played with at Nebraska.
Unfortunately, Williams didn't pan out at Florida State, as he transferred after one year. With all of the signees from the 2026 season, they also added Rylan Kennedy from Texas A&M and Jordan Sanders from Texas State. Unfortunately, Mike Norvell announced that Sanders would miss the entire spring.
Florida State recently had Texas State defensive tackle transfer Devarrick Woods on campus for a visit, who looks to be solid depth for the Seminoles. Woods is also visiting Florida and Kansas State, so the sweepstakes could be crowded for him.
Florida State once again attempts to find defensive line depth, as they host JUCO option Malachi Brown on campus.
FSU to host JUCO product Malachi Brown as quest for D-Line depth continueshttps://t.co/Q9G7dCCgFs
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) May 6, 2026
Brown is listed at 6'5" and 300-pound defender who had 36 tackles and seven tackles for loss last year. He wouldn't be a starter on the defensive line because Daniel Lyons, Kevin Wynn, and Mandrell Desir could be starters at defensive tackle. However, Brown could be a solid depth piece.
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