The construction of the 2026 FSU offensive line continued Tuesday with the commitment of Nate Pabst, a three-year starter at Bowling Green who worked his way to being a second team All-MAC performer for the Falcons in 2026.
Pabst joins interior lineman Braybn Joiner as Tuesday's commitments for FSU from the transfer porter. Joiner was the starting center for Purdue last season after starting his college career at Auburn.
BREAKING: Bowling Green transfer OL Nate Pabst has committed to Florida State, @Warchant reports🍢https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/oP9GJ4ijra
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 6, 2026
While Joiner is a younger player with starts under his belt that could give the Seminoles multiple years on the line, Pabst is more of what we saw with Herb Hand's line last year — a graduate transfer that has grown into a solid, if not spectacular, player on the line and will bring years of leadership into the room.
Where Pabst will play on the line is still unknown. He played both guard and tackle on the right side for Bowling Green, but he's probably a little too small (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and not athletic enough to be a tackle in the Power 4. But the fact that Pabst has experience of playing multiple positions and can start in one spot, while being available for another if the situation calls for it, is a major asset.
FSU will lose its entire starting five plus the top reserve off the offensive line from 2025. The Seminoles have also seen some attrition with younger prospects deciding to enter the transfer portal. Expect FSU to sign at least two and possibly three more offensive linemen out of the portal.
How long is the transfer portal window?
The transfer portal window opened on January 2 and will last through January 16. Unlike previous seasons there is no spring transfer window, so all business in the portal must be done over the next two weeks.
Pabst is the six player that has committed to the Seminoles from the transfer portal