Florida State’s season has already produced enough turbulence on the field, and now that unease has spilled into recruiting.
On Tuesday, three-star tight end Connor Winn backed off his 2027 commitment to the Seminoles and announced on X that he is reopening his recruitment. Winn thanked Florida State’s staff in the message, writing: "First off I just want to thank Coach Norvell, Coach Thomsen, and the FSU staff for the hospitality over the last year. With that being said I’m going to open up my recruitment," Winn wrote.
For a program trying to steady itself at 2-2 heading into Week 5 and an ACC matchup with Virginia, losing a pledged prospect is hardly the kind of momentum Florida State wants to be dealing with. The Seminoles are still building for the future, but this move is another reminder that keeping recruits locked in has become a challenge.
The timing also lands against a messy backdrop in Tallahassee. Head coach Mike Norvell entered the season with pressure hanging over him, and Florida State has not done much through four games to quiet it.
The defense has been inconsistent to the point of disappearing at times, while the offense - especially the passing game - has struggled to find a rhythm. In the team’s two biggest games so far, it came up short in both.
The program’s instability has not been limited to the sideline. Earlier in the month, Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford after he had been in the job since 2021. The school clearly wanted a shift in energy, and the Seminoles are now carrying two straight losing seasons with no clear sense yet of how this one will end.
Winn’s decision may have reflected that bigger picture. A Jacksonville native, he had the home-state advantage in Florida State’s favor, but according to 247Sports he also held offers from Rutgers, Maryland, Syracuse, and UCF. Instead of sticking with the Seminoles, he chose to keep his options open.
Florida State currently has 15 hard commits in the 2027 class, though that number is far from secure. Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson remains committed, but Auburn, Miami, and Florida are still involved, according to Zach Blostein of 247Sports.
None of this closes the book on Florida State’s recruiting class, but Winn’s exit - paired with the uncertainty around Johnson - does underline the problem. The Seminoles are asking recruits to buy into a program that, right now, is still trying to prove it has its footing.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Just Raised New Questions About FSUs Missing Players
After Florida States win over Central Arkansas, Mike Norvell did not leave much doubt that the Seminoles are juggling more than just the usual injury concerns as they turn toward Virginia. He said some players were held out for accountability reasons, while others are dealing with injuries that could shape who is available this weekend, a reminder that the final stretch of September is already bringing roster management into focus.
The encouraging part for Florida State is that Norvell expects the team to be close to full strength, but the real picture will not come into view until the official availability report drops Wednesday. For a Seminoles team trying to keep momentum after the win, the next question is not just who is healthy, but which absences were about discipline, and whether those situations linger into a conference matchup that will demand a cleaner full-strength effort. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Has A Troubling Ashlynd Barker Problem
Florida States secondary has been leaning on Ashlynd Barker in a way that says as much about the Seminoles depth chart as it does about the safety himself. Safeties coach Evan Cooper confirmed Barker has been playing with a broken bone in his forearm, and the fact that he has stayed on the field speaks to both his toughness and the strain FSU has been under in the back end.
The bigger issue is what it says about the choices Florida State has had to make under Mike Norvell. With injuries piling up in the secondary and not enough proven options behind him, Barkers situation has become a flashing warning light for a roster that has too little margin for error. It is the kind of setup that can keep helping in the short term while raising bigger questions about how sustainable it really is. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Gets A Crucial Chance To Answer Last Years Collapse
Florida State heads into Week 5 at 2-2, and the margin for error is already feeling thin around Tallahassee. After a rocky start and plenty of scrutiny on Mike Norvells future, the Seminoles now get a chance against Virginia to steady the season and show they can still move themselves back into the ACC race.
Virginia comes in with only one loss, which only sharpens the challenge for Florida State. For a team that has dealt with concerns about player development and portal activity, this is more than just another conference game - it is a chance to answer the disappointment of last years collapse with something a little more convincing. [Read more 🡒]