Led by first-team standout Duce Robinson, seven Seminoles earned preseason honors as Florida State prepares to leverage elite defensive talent and explosive playmakers for a 2026 resurgence.
Seven of Florida State’s own have received preseason recognition from Athlon Sports for their All-ACC teams. Wide receiver Duce Robinson continues to stack up the accolades and leads this Seminole contingent with a nod for the first team.
The second team is represented by defensive lineman Mandrell Desir, linebacker Chris Jones and defensive back Ja’bril Rawls. Rounding out the selections are running back Ousmane Kromah, wide receiver/all-purpose Macahi Danzy, and defensive lineman Daniel Lyons, who were all named to the fourth team.
The Duce is wild
Robinson leads the returning receiver corps for the Seminoles. Last season, Robinson was a 1,000-yard receiver who caught 56 passes and scored six touchdowns.
Robinson’s football talent has cast him in a positive spotlight of recognition from other analysts and publications, notably college football analyst Phil Steele. Steele thinks highly enough of Robinson’s potential for the 2026 season that he has named him to his preseason All-American and All-ACC teams.
Apparently, Athlon knows something that Pro Football Focus (PFF) does not and failed to see in Robinson, as evidence of his omission from PFF’s list of Top 50 College Football Players for 2026.
Defense wins championships
Desir, Jones, and Rawls will be expected to be leaders of the Seminoles' defense on the field. Their 2025 stats look like this:
- M. Desir: recorded 30 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and sacked the quarterback six times.
- C. Jones: posted 135 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks.; selected as a preseason second-team All-ACC performer by Steele.
- J. Rawls: Collected one interception, one fumble return, 40 tackles, and two tackles for loss. Rawls has been named second-team All-ACC by Steele.
The Seminoles will field some talented players on that side of the ball. Last season, Florida State was ranked among the top 50 in the FBS in total defense, pass defense, rushing defense, and scoring defense. Desir, Jones, and Rawls will look to improve on those numbers to put the Seminoles in a position to win some games in 2026.
The rest of the contingent
Danzy will use his track speed to his advantage to create plays in space. In 2025, Danzy averaged 21 yards per catch and gained 571 yards on 27 catches with three scores.
Danzy also scored three rushing touchdowns. The versatility displayed by Danzy as a receiver and all-purpose player should put pressure on opposing defenses. In the loss to Pitt, Danzy gained 133 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns.
Running back Ousmane Kromah returns in 2026 after he averaged five yards a carry and gained over 400 yards rushing. Kromah did not find the end zone last season and will need to change that as he will share the backfield with transfer running back Quintrevion Wisner (from Texas).
Lyons is one of the top five tacklers returning for the Seminoles. He tallied 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, four quarterback pressures, two sacks, and a forced fumble last season. Against Florida, Lyons posted a season-high six tackles against their in-state rivals.
The last two seasons have been uncharacteristic for the Seminoles, given their football history and tradition. The players listed above can help make sea changes on the field, in the locker room, and in the team’s mindset as they navigate their 2026 schedule in hopes of playing winning football again.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
