After flirting with a top-10 recruiting class once again in 2024, the Florida State Seminoles are looking to break through into elite status nationally for the classes of 2025 and ’26.
The Seminoles are only ranked 13th overall for the Class of 2025 right now. but that group’s average star rating is actually ranked No. 4 nationally. And FSU currently has the No. 1 overall class in the country for ’26.
After seeing Florida State win 13 games last season and have 10 players selected in the NFL Draft last month, On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong believes FSU’s high school recruiting is only going to improve from there.
“I think top prospects view Florida State as a place they can compete at the highest level, play in the biggest games and then also hear their names called in the NFL Draft,” Wiltfong said during a roundtable discussion Tuesday with Warchant’s Michael Langston and Matt LaSerre. “You look at this past draft … they can show that they can develop guys from the portal on the field. …
“This is a program that is going to play championship-level football with a passionate fan base and a tradition-rich program. So I think Florida State’s brand on the recruiting trail is very healthy.”
Even before Florida State started enjoying success on the field under head coach Mike Norvell, Wiltfong said, recruits often gave the Seminoles high praise when they took visits to Tallahassee.
Now that the wins have come as well — FSU is 23-4 over the past two seasons — Wiltfong believes the high school recruiting is going to kick up another notch.
“When they come on campus, they feel at home,” Wiltfong said. “That starts with Coach Mike Norvell. His personality, and the way that he carries himself. Prospects like being around him and like being around this coaching staff. But it still comes down to what kind of football are you playing on Saturdays, how are you developing your players. And this is a coaching staff that is full of guys that have a lot of experience, have coached some great players over the years, have won a lot of ball games. And so you combine that all together, and Florida State is a very inviting place right now for top prospects.”
During the roundtable discussion with Warchant, Wiltfong rattled off a number of high-profile prospects that Florida State has a great chance of landing. But no position looks better right now than the offensive line, where the Seminoles are in the mix for numerous four- and five-star recruits.
“They already got Solomon Thomas in the fold, that’s as big as it gets on the interior of the offensive line,” Wiltfong said of the five-star Jacksonville product. “I have an On3 RPM [pick] in favor of Florida State for Josh Petty, another one of the most coveted interior offensive line prospects in the country. His sister is going to attend school at Florida State. They’re very close, he likes the offense … the trajectory of the program, the relationship with Alex Atkins and his track record at the position and him being the offensive coordinator, all that is exciting.
“There are a lot of schools involved with Josh Petty, though, so Florida State is gonna have their work cut out for them to get him in the fold. But he had a really good visit in the spring. Gonna get him back for a summer official visit, and I like the way it’s lining up. They’ve just gotta bring it home. Ziyare Addison and Peyton Joseph are two in-state offensive lineman that I think they are the team to beat for right now. I have the RPM in favor of the ‘Noles for Peyton Joseph. He likes the brotherhood of the program in addition to the coaching staff.”
In the case of each of those players, Wiltfong said another factor working in Florida State’s favor is how the current players and recent alumni talk up the program when recruits come around.
“That’s another thing that sells your program — having guys on the roster that love being Seminoles, playing for this coaching staff,” the veteran recruiting analyst said. “Recruits feel that when they are on campus.”
Watch Part 1 of the Wiltfong roundtable right here:
Warchant intern Greg Barry contributed to this report.
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