Florida State’s fall camp is done, and while Mike Norvell still has a few decisions to iron out, the Week 0 picture is getting clearer by the day.
The Seminoles are only a week away from opening against New Mexico State, and with SMU waiting in Week 1, this roster has to be ready fast. There’s not much room for a slow build here. Norvell needs answers now, especially after his struggles in 2024 and 2025.
At quarterback, Ashton Daniels remains the guy. He was already tabbed as the starter in spring, and even Tommy Castellanos’s offseason lawsuits and eligibility battles never changed that.
The bigger question is behind him, where JuCo transfer Malachi Marshall appears to have moved ahead of Kevin Sperry in the race for QB2. If that hasn’t happened already, it feels close.
Florida State’s skill spots look more settled. Duce Robinson is the top wideout, Ousmane Kromah is set to handle the bulk of the carries, and Jasen Lopez has emerged as the likely starting slot receiver. Jayvan Boggs should still factor in there, though, so that looks more like a shared role than a hard line on a depth chart.
Up front, the offensive line is where the uncertainty lives. Herb Hand needs a group that can function as one unit, and that part is still being sorted out.
Xavier Chaplin is set at left tackle, Bradyn Welch-Joiner at center, and Chimdia Nwaiwu at right tackle in this projection. But Nate Pabst could start at either right guard or right tackle, and there’s still a real battle at left guard between Andre Otto and Paul Bowling.
Bowling is a true sophomore, and the lean here is that Florida State begins with him as a reserve while keeping him ready to plug in at either guard spot if needed. He was one of the better freshmen in the country at Troy last season, so he’s hard to imagine staying off the field for long in Tallahassee.
Defensively, Florida State spent plenty of its offseason resources trying to keep the best parts of a bad unit. Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir both entered the transfer portal, then came back after strong freshman seasons. Ja’Bril Rawls is back as a high-level corner, and Ashlynd Barker returns to replace Earl Little Jr., who transferred to Ohio State.
The rest of the defense is largely portal work. That was especially true at linebacker, where Norvell and general manager John Garrett rebuilt after last season’s issues. In this projection, Rylan Kennedy and Jalen Anderson are the JACKs, Chris Jones Jr. is the MIKE, and Mikai Gbayor is at WILL.
There’s still some uncertainty in that group. Kennedy and Anderson are both relative unknowns on the edge, with Kennedy coming from Texas A&M and Anderson arriving from the JuCo level.
Jones looked like a tackling machine at Southern Miss and appeared to stand out in camp. Gbayor, though, spent much of the preseason injured, so his hold on the job may not be firm yet.
In Other News...
Florida State Has A Comeback Story Fans Will Be Pulling For
Ethan Pritchards progress has become one of the more encouraging off-field storylines around Florida State as the linebacker continues recovering from a gunshot wound to the head he sustained last season. He has been taking steps with a walker, a sign of how far he has come in rehabilitation, and his work has already been recognized with a spot on the Comeback Player of the Year watch list.
Pritchard also received the Doc Fauls Rise Above Adversity Award, a fitting nod to the challenge in front of him and the determination it has taken to keep moving forward. He is still focused on regaining strength with the goal of returning to play for Florida State, and his journey has given Seminoles fans plenty of reason to keep rooting for him. [Read more 🡒]
FSU QB Commit Is Giving The 2027 Class Early Momentum
Florida States 2027 quarterback pledge, Logan Flaherty, keeps stacking up the kind of early-season moments that help a recruiting class feel real before it ever reaches campus. The three-star signal-caller led his high school team to a 62-26 win even without his top two wide receivers, showing the sort of versatility and playmaking that has already made him a name to watch in the cycle.
Flaherty did plenty of the damage himself, rushing for 242 yards and four touchdowns as his team stayed unbeaten. Ranked by 247Sports Composite Ratings as the No. 801 overall prospect and the No. 39 quarterback in the class, he is giving Florida State some early momentum in the 2027 group while continuing to flash the dual-threat ability that made his commitment stand out in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
FSUs New Offensive Line Hinge May Already Be Coming Into Focus
Florida States overhaul up front already has a veteran centerpiece in place. Xavier Chaplin arrives through the transfer portal as the kind of experienced left tackle the Seminoles needed while rebuilding their offensive line for the 2026 season, bringing a long track record of durability after starting 37 consecutive games at Auburn and Virginia Tech.
For a unit that has spent the offseason searching for stability, Chaplin is expected to anchor the left side and help set the tone for the rest of the front. Mike Norvell and Herb Hand have both sounded encouraged by the groups potential and the way it could come together, but the real test will be whether that promise turns into the kind of cohesion Florida State has been trying to build. [Read more 🡒]