The Noles are making a strong push for 4-star LB target Elijah Barnes

FSU football has already made an impression on several highly-touted prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Seminoles have secured commitments from five-star OL Jonathan Daniels, four-star QB Tramell Jones Jr., four-star DE Javion Hilson, and four-star LB Ethan Pritchard.

However, this coaching staff is far from finished when it comes to acquiring talent in the class. As I alluded to in a previous article, fans should not be concerned about the lack of commitments in February. It is way too early to press the panic button for a Seminoles' football team that could once again be competing for College Football Playoff contention (if the committee does not leave them out this time).

Linebacker recruiting has always been a topic of discussion when it comes to the Florida State fanbase, even to those supporters who don't even follow recruiting. Linebackers coach Randy Shannon is off to a great start in the 2025 cycle with the pledge of four-star LB Ethan Pritchard from Seminole High School in Sanford (FL).

However, it would be recommended to grab one or two more prospects to feel fairly confident about the depth of the position. I already mentioned a talented Georgia native that the Seminoles were heavily involved with, but there is another name that could be emerging as a serious option.

The target is four-star Elijah Barnes from Skyline High School in Dallas (TX). While he has not visited Tallahassee since the summer, Barnes did inform On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman that Florida State was making a huge push to acquire his services.

While it is a strong competition with teams such as LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas, and Oregon, it is encouraging to see Florida State put their "hat into the ring" and be competitive for the talented linebacker prospect. It felt like at times in the past, the coaching staff did not want to spend time and resources on prospects that they thought would be difficult to obtain.

While I understand the notion, college football recruiting is a whirlwind and anything can happen down the stretch if a team is in the mix and makes a lasting impression.