Phil Steele’s Good and Bad Review of Florida State

After going 7-17 overall and winning just three conference games the last two seasons under head coach Mike Norvell, the only direction for the Florida State football program to go is up.

College football analyst Phil Steele thinks Norvell has brought in enough talent to turn things around in 2026. As a result, the Seminoles have landed on Steele’s prestigious list of most improved teams heading into the 2026 season.

Florida State comes in as the No. 8 most improved team, according to Steele. When you look at the roster, it is easy to see why. Norvell has initiated a talent infusion on both sides of the ball.

On offense, Norvell has brought in former Auburn and Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels and former Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner. Daniels has been blessed as the QB1 starter by Norvell after a good showing in spring practice.

Keep an eye on junior college transfer Malachi Marshall. Marshall threw for over 2,700 yards and 33 touchdowns against only eight interceptions (on 319 pass attempts). By contrast, Daniels has thrown 22 interceptions over the last three seasons, including two in four games played with Auburn in 2025. Because of this, Steele ranks the Seminoles quarterback corps as the 10th-best in the ACC.

Wisner rushed for 597 yards and three touchdowns for the Longhorns last season, which led the team. He will be running with a group that is the third-best in the ACC, according to Steele.

One offensive unit that Steele is high on for Florida State is the receiving corps, and specifically Duce Robinson. Steele ranks the Seminoles receivers as the No. 6 group overall in the country (No. 3 in the ACC), consisting of Robinson and Micahi Danzy. You can also add freshman Devin Carter into the group as well.

Steele named Robinson to his preseason first-team All-American team and first-team All-ACC. Robinson was a 1,000-yard receiver last season and was the leading receiver for the Seminoles in 2025.

On defense, linebacker Chris Jones and defensive back Ja’bril Rawls caught Steele’s attention, as he named both players to his second-team All-ACC team. Jones provided some serious production last season at Southern Miss, recording 135 stops and averaged 10 tackles per game, good enough for No. 7 nationally.

Rawls likes to be around the action and is a ball hawk. He posted 40 tackles, one interception, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery and return.

Daniels will have to cut down on the mistakes and make ball security a high priority at the most important position on the field. He will have the weapons around him, and Norvell must draw up plays to take advantage of those weapons and allow them to make plays in space.

Those offensive weapons have the talent to put Florida State in position to win football games, despite the gauntlet of a schedule that includes Steele’s top three teams in the ACC: Miami, SMU and Clemson, lying in wait. Add in Alabama and arch-rival Florida and the Seminoles will be tested all season long.

Overall, Steele ranks the Seminoles as the ninth-best team in the ACC, his third-best conference in the country, behind the Big Ten and the SEC. What is the one thing that can douse the flames of failure and mediocrity within a football program? Winning.

Win games and Norvell could avoid that high-priced pink slip. Win not, and Norvell’s power four coaching career is reduced to ashes as his coaching chair becomes the fuel for a conflagration that Norvell cannot survive.

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