Chop Chat

Florida State is looking to add more recruits to the 2027 class, as they currently have 13 total players who have committed to the Seminoles. They have three four-star players slated to come in for the 2027 class, and next weekend, they have a chance to add another. Chad Simmons of Rivals confirmed that four-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole is down to Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida State. He's expected to make his decision on July 17, and his comments show the Seminoles have a real shot of landing him.

Florida State has yet to land an offensive lineman in its rather scant 2027 recruiting class. That could, and frankly needs to change on Saturday when four-star interior offensive lineman DaJohn Yaborough is set to announce his commitment at 6:00 p.m. ET. The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Arizona product, who began his high school career in Minnesota, is still mulling his options with Cal, Florida State, Mississippi State, and Washington all in the mix.

Florida State hasn’t had the most exciting 2027 recruiting cycle. With just 13 commits, Florida State ranks No. 59 in the country. It seems the program has forgone any hope of a large class, so it’s picking its spots and saving its money for a few blue-chip fights that general manager John Garrett truly wants to win.

The Florida State Seminoles are just a couple of weeks away from kicking off the 2026 season against New Mexico State. With that at the forefront of the mind, there is still some time to look down the line at the future of the program. With Mike Norvell's tenure in Tallahassee standing on shaky ground, it can create some uncertainty for recruiting classes. With the 2027 recruiting class having 13 commits, Florida State hopes the 2028 class can have better luck.

The Florida State Seminoles are keeping one eye on 2026 while also looking down the line as they seek to build this team for future success. Head coach Mike Norvell has had an up-and-down tenure in Tallahassee, but it appears his time will soon come to an end. After two underwhelming campaigns in back-to-back years, it seems like he could be gone sooner rather than later. Despite that being the belief among fans, he's acting as if he'll be the lead man for the future.

According to 247Sports, there are two four-star quarterbacks from Florida in the 2028 class: Jayden Wade, who is the No. 2 overall player in the country and destined to earn his five-star billing, and Neimann Lawrence, a top-100 player at No. 73 in the class. Both are committed, Wade to Georgia and Lawrence to Texas. So, if Florida State is going to land an in-state quarterback in the 2028 class, it needs to look further down the board to the next tier of QB.

The transfer portal is not officially open in college football, but a former Seminole is hitting the market nonetheless. Jalen Brown, who caught eight passes for 75 yards for Florida State in 2024, has entered the portal for the third time after spending 2025 at Arkansas. Brown was arrested on a charge of hindering apprehension after his 12-catch, 167-yard, two-touchdown campaign for the Razorbacks in 2025 and was subsequently dismissed from the team.

Mike Norvell needs these battles to break right to save his job in Tallahassee. Florida State Seminoles defensive back Quindarrius Jones (16) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Mike Norvell needs to submit his first winning season since 2023. Even that, though, may not be enough to save his job after posting a 7-17 record over the last two years. It could take an unexpected jump back to eight or nine wins to re-establish himself as a part of Florida State’s long-term plan.

There’s a good chance that the No. 1 player in the country in the 2028 class is from Florida. There are a few in-state contenders for it, but right now, five-star wide receiver Brysen Wright from Mandarin High School holds the distinction. Unlike Jeremiah Smith, the last top overall recruit to hail from Florida, who left for Ohio State, it seems there’s a decent chance he stays home.

Typically, for a coach on a set as red-hot as Mike Norvell’s, evaluating the program’s future recruiting classes is a frivolous endeavor. There’s little chance that Norvell is the head coach of Florida State by the time the current 2027 class gets to campus, not to mention 2028. However, things in Tallahassee are working a little bit differently this offseason.