With Memorial Day weekend approaching and ACC Media Days just around the corner, the  Florida State Seminoles are entering a critical stretch of the off-season as the program tries to build momentum by strengthening its 2027 recruiting class. Meanwhile, as other programs continue to stack commitments and in-state rivals flourish, Florida State is searching for momentum with its 2027 recruiting class.

The Seminoles haven’t committed since April 4, when 3-star athlete Dayon Copper committed to the program. That marks 42 days without any additions to the 2027 class. Making matters worse, it’s not just high school misses hurting the program. The Seminoles missed on a late transfer portal target, had official visits cancelled, and commits looking to head somewhere else.

Despite the disappointing stretch the program has been on, FSU head coach Mike Norvell remains confident and optimistic about the remainder of the 2026 calendar and what lies ahead.

"I expect this year to be the best year of my life,” Norvell said during the ACC annual spring meetings in Amelia Island, FL. “There are times you get knocked down, I've been there, then you get back up and get better.”

Coming off just three conference wins over the past two seasons, and the worst recruiting stretches in recent memory, it appears Norvell may make Florida State fans wait a little longer before delivering meaningful progress on the field and in the program’s overall direction.

April and May have been about recruiting challenges for Florida State, and some have questioned if the program has what it needs to be successful. 

"Well, every year is important, and going into it,” FSU athletic director Micheal Alford said at the spring meeting. “We've given the program the resources with the new facilities, financially, invested in the coaching staff, invested in the front office. So go out and evaluate players and get the best players that Florida State can go get."

Alford said Norvell has the resources to bring in talent, yet the results don’t seem to match that statement, with the class currently ranked 33rd by On3 and 45th by 247Sports. The recent 42-day stretch tells a different story than what Alford is suggesting.

It becomes even clearer when it is compared to what Jon Sumrall is doing at Florida on the recruiting trail. And he is doing it after admitting Florida’s shortcomings with Name, Image, and Likeness. Yet the Gators still hold the No. 7 recruiting class according to On3 and No. 4 in the 247Sports rankings.

Unless the issue isn’t about resources, but rather the uncertainty surrounding the program. When top college football analysts like Adam Rittenberg, Pete Thamel, Josh Pate, and Blake Toppmeyer have placed Norvell on the hot seat over the last eight months, it makes recruiting ever more difficult. It’s hard to convince top prospects that a bright future awaits in Tallahassee when there’s a strong possibility many of the people making the pitch may not be there when the season ends.

Rittenberg placed Norvell at the top of ESPN’s “hot seat” rankings for the second straight year, while Toppmeyer wrote in USA Today that "Hot-seat Mike Norvell talks like a coach on his way to a Florida State firing.”

The good news, however, is that in this new era of college football, commitments mean very little. With just over six months remaining until Early Signing Day, there is still plenty of time for Norvell to change the narrative. Especially if Norvell can land a few key targets this summer and open the season with marquee wins over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

April saw Florida State secure its most recent commitment, but the story was the Seminoles missing out on a number of top targets. Quarterbacks Andre Adams and Israel Abrams committed to the Colorado Buffaloes  and in-state rival Miami Hurricanes, respectively. Interior offensive lineman Jon Sasssie chose Penn State Nittany Lions, while wide receiver AJ Roberts elected to join James Franklin at Virginia Tech. By the end of April, Florida State had missed on six of its top recruiting targets.

Despite the disappointment, May brought hope. With several commitment announcements set for the month, giving the Seminoles the opportunity to bounce back.

Unfortunately for anyone associated with the program, May has only continued the negative trend downwards. Even with just over two weeks remaining in the month, Florida State has already missed out on several targets.

Running back Ty Keys committed to Miami, marking it the second time in just a few weeks the Hurricanes beat out their in-state rival for a major target. On the same day, quarterback Champ Monds announced he would head to South Bend and commit to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, giving the Seminoles two recruiting losses before May was even one day old.

May 15, running back Brayden Tyson was their latest miss after he chose the South Carolina Gamecocks.  While April saw one, and despite being in the running for several top prospects, Florida State has yet to earn a single commitment during the month of May.

Four Official Visits Put Pressure on Florida State to Hold Its Top Commit

Florida State Seminoles football has just six commitments so for in the 2027 class, and with pressure continuing to mount, another story line to watch is Makhi Williams.

Williams, a safety from Ruskin, is ranked No. 107 overall nationally and No. 10 at his position, making him the Seminoles’ highest-rated commit. Williams has been committed to Florida State since March 26, 2025, but with uncertainty surrounding Norvell and what direction the program is heading, he has decided to keep his recruitment open.

“Me and Florida State are still locked in, but I’m going to keep my recruitment open and keep my options open right now.” Makhi Williams told Zach Blostein of Noles247. “I still want to see Norvell there. I’ve been staying committed to him and the program.”

Williams currently has official visits scheduled with the Wisconsin Badgers on May 29, at Florida State on June 5, the Nebraska Cornhuskers on June 12, and the LSU Tigers on June 19. The Seminoles not landing Williams’ final official visit could be an bad sign for the program.

With no recruiting wins on the trail, the pressure start to mount quickly for  Norvell to generate some positive momentum before fall camp arrives. With ACC Media Days approaching and official visits about to move into full swing, Florida State’s recruiting efforts will remain one of the program’s biggest story lines over the next few months.

Whether Florida State Seminoles football can turn its summer visits into commitments remains to be seen, but it could play a major role in shaping expectations for the 2026 season. If  Norvell can guide Florida State into the top 15 nationally in recruiting and create the perception that the program is moving in the right direction, it could buy him a little more leeway when it comes to win-and-loss in 2026.

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