Florida State football is in a weird spot where the fan base shows a lack of interest in what is happening within the program. To be honest, seven wins in two years will do that to a Seminoles squad that is starving for success.
The fan base knows what Florida State is capable of. This is the place that the legendary Bobby Bowden built, and it should be treated as such. The Seminoles had a great start to the 2025 campaign with the win over Alabama in the opener, but they stumbled down the finish line as they lost seven of their last nine games.
This caused fans to wonder if head coach Mike Norvell would even be employed after the disaster that took place. However, the administration decided to retain him for the 2026 season, which caused frustration from a variety of individuals.
Norvell is trying to get back on track this offseason with several acquisitions via the recruiting ranks and the transfer portal to improve the roster. However, fans get so lost in the new pickups and forget about the returnees that made it back on the roster. As a result, here are a couple of second-year players that Florida State will be relying on in 2026.
DL Mandrell and Darryll Desir
This is a no-brainer with the first selection, as defensive linemen Mandrell and Darryll Desir were incredible for the Seminoles' defense in 2025 (especially Mandrell). Darryll Desir has a real chance to make a difference. The dynamic duo did elect to enter the transfer portal in what looked like NIL leveraging/negotiations. Nonetheless, Florida State got the issue handled, and they are back on the team. They will have to carry the load for a defensive line group that is largely unproven.
DT Kevin Wynn
Florida State's top signee in the 2025 recruiting class, defensive tackle Kevin Wynn, dealt with an injury during his freshman campaign, which caused him to only play in four games before redshirting. Just like the Desir Twins, he also joined the transfer portal club. However, the Seminoles were able to bring him back into the mix. The concerning part is that they haven't mentioned much at all about Wynn and how he is performing in camp. Hopefully, it just means that he will ramp up his efforts during the summer.
RB Ousmane Kromah
This is one of my favorite gets in the Seminoles' 2025 class with running back Ousmane Kromah. The former four-star prospect had to be lured away from other SEC schools such as Georgia and Auburn. Kromah made appearances, but the coaching staff decided to play "musical chairs" with the running backs. Texas transfer Tre Wisner was thought to be the penciled-in starter, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Kromah in that spot, with how much the coaches and his teammates raved about him.
WR Jayvan Boggs
Florida State had the big update of the talented Duce Robinson returning for his senior year. The Seminoles' fan base looks to be lucky with pass catchers as they also have Micahi Danzy and Jayvan Boggs, as well as Devin Carter and Jasen Lopez. Robinson mentioned last year that sophomore wide receiver Jayvan Boggs had a bright future. Boggs suffered numerous injuries that kept him from making a difference as a true freshman. The Cocoa standout missed most of the spring, but he is looking to bounce back this summer.
OL Chavez Thompson
I remember the days when the fan base laughed at the coaching staff for taking three-star offensive lineman Chavez Thompson away from FIU. However, the coaching staff is preparing Thompson to play center after their former offensive lineman, Luke Petitbon, graduated. The battle between Chavez Thompson and Bradyn Joiner will be fascinating, but Thompson has been there the longest.
Honorable Mention: WR TaeShaun Gelsey
This is a 6'4" and 215-pound wide receiver, Tae'Shaun Gelsey, who could cause fear in opposing defenses. Head coach Mike Norvell will be responsible for calling plays in 2026, and the frame could be useful in the red zone, which was something that they struggled with last year. The Jacksonville native has had some bright spot moments.
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