Florida State is currently sitting as the thirteenth-best recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, according to 247Sports Composite. The Seminoles' fan base want to see the class creep into the top-ten for the first time in the Mike Norvell era.
The program wants to compete for conference and national championships, and the only way to accomplish that is to continue stacking talent on the roster and developing them to reach that level of sustainable success.
The Seminoles finished with a 5-7 record on the year, in what looked promising to begin the season after beating Alabama in the opener. However, individuals put high expectations after the result, and they didn't live up to it.
With that said, the coaching staff is having to lick its wounds and go back to the drawing board. With the Early Signing Period on Wednesday, it is a fast turnaround for schools to get their ducks in a row. The Seminoles had a productive 2025 class that had several members who played significant snaps.
Florida State is hoping for much of the same in 2026. While I did discuss three prospects who I believe could be Day 1 contributors, there is work to be done to round out the class. The first part of business is keeping the commitments in the fold.
Then addressing the trenches on the offensive and defensive lines. Assistant coach Terrance Knighton has had six defensive linemen pledge to the Seminoles, but they could always use more talent in the room. One name to monitor is four-star defensive end Jaemin Pinckney from Dorchester, South Carolina (South Florida commit).
With Alex Golesh heading to the Auburn Tigers, this could be a perfect opportunity to flip his services to another school in the Sunshine State. The Seminoles aren't alone in this recruitment, as they have West Virginia, who could be viewed as the leader since he visited this past weekend.
However, Florida State recently offered last month, and the administration has emphasized more of a commitment to help head football coach Mike Norvell be more successful on the gridiron. Pinckney would be a great get for the Seminoles.