Despite a 1,000-yard season and elite contested-catch metrics, Florida State’s star playmaker was snubbed by PFF. Discover why this All-American defines the Seminoles' high-stakes redemption campaign.
Over the summer, Pro Football Focus (PFF) put out its annual list of the Top 50 College Football Players ahead of the 2026 season.
One player was omitted from inclusion on that list, one who is the leader of his team on the field and in the locker room, Florida State receiver Duce Robinson.
Make no mistake, how Robinson’s season goes, so goes the Seminoles.
Among the receivers on this coveted list, Robinson was and is, at the very least, comparable to three receivers from at least a production standpoint. This was pointed out in an earlier article on Noles Roundtable.
This is where PFF got it wrong.
According to PFF, these rankings “identify the nation's 50 best players using PFF grades, advanced data and future projection rather than traditional statistics alone.”
That grading and advanced data is not accessible to most unless they want to spend money on a “premium” subscription. The list of the 50 best players in college football is based on proven performance and future projection.
According to the July PFF rankings article by Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick, “from established stars to emerging breakout candidates, these are the players PFF believes are most likely to define the 2026 college season.”
If neither the fans nor media believe that Robinson’s play will not define the Seminoles season, and impact whether coach Mike Norvell continues his coaching career, then they have not been paying attention.
At 6-foot-6, 223 pounds, Robinson is one of the best possession receivers in the college game. He posted the first 1000-yard receiving season for the Seminoles since Tamarrion Arnold in 2019.
Last season, Robinson caught 56 passes for 1,081 yards, six touchdowns, and averaged 19.30 yards per catch. As a result, Robinson earned first-team All-ACC honors at the conclusion of last season.
Robinson made 18 contested catches last season, which tied him for third nationally and is the most of all returning receivers in the ACC.
All that for a Florida State team that finished 5-7 last season and has lost 17 of their last 24 games.
Robinson is most certainly an established star in college football, averaging over 17 yards per catch in his college career. Last season, he had a “breakout” year as he increased his receiving yards by 685 yards over his 2024 production.
Posting a 1000-yard season last season for the first time in seven years has resulted in a heaping helping of preseason accolades going into this season:
- All-ACC First-Team (both Phil Steele and ACC media)
- Second-team All-American (Sporting News)
- Maxwell Award Watch List
These accolades certainly reflect Robinson’s proven performance and his potential impact on this critical season for Florida State. As a result, Robinson does meet the PFF criteria for inclusion on this list, and deserves to be among the Top 50 Players in College Football going into this season.
Robinson’s omission was egregious on the part of PFF.
