Florida State’s defensive line recruiting has started to take shape, even if the bigger picture on the trail has been uneven. Terrance Knighton and Nick Williams have quietly helped the Seminoles build a respectable group up front, with four commitments already in hand: four-star DL Sam LeJeune, four-star DE Anthony Cavallaro, three-star DE Jaxon Holly, and three-star DL Eric Vaulx Jr.
The Seminoles would still welcome another defensive lineman or two if the fit is right. One of their top targets, though, came off the board Saturday afternoon.
Four-star defensive lineman Karlos May made his decision and chose Ohio State over Florida State, Auburn, and Georgia. The Seminoles were still in the mix, but the Buckeyes and Bulldogs had been viewed as the teams to beat heading into the announcement.
Florida State did keep working on May throughout the process, and the relationship is still there. He visited Tallahassee twice this offseason, including an official visit last month, so this one may not be completely over if the Seminoles make a strong enough push later in the year.
Knighton has been the main force in this recruitment, and he has already shown he can close. Since arriving at Florida State, he has landed four-star defensive end LaJesse Harrold, four-star defensive lineman Tylon Lee, and four-star defensive end Jaemin Pinckney.
May brings a productive junior-year résumé from Ramsay High School. He finished with 43 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 2 interceptions, including one he took back for a touchdown. He also closed the season strong, posting 5 or more tackles in four straight games and finishing with a season-high 7 stops in a 14-7 loss to Jacksonville High School on November 7.
At 6-foot-3.5 and 305 pounds, May is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 135 overall prospect, the No. 15 defensive lineman, and the No. 85 recruit in Alabama in the 2027 class.
Florida State now has 16 verbal commitments in #Tribe27, which sits at No. 40 nationally.
In Other News...
Tom Herman Hire Says Something Bigger About Mike Norvell's Pressure
Florida States addition of Tom Herman is more than a familiar name landing on the staff. It is a clear sign Mike Norvell is looking for another voice around the program, one with head-coaching experience and a different perspective after Herman spent time around practice and the staff this summer. Herman arrives as an assistant to Norvell, bringing a rsum that includes previous stops at Houston, Texas and most recently Florida Atlantic in 2024.
The timing matters, too, because the Seminoles are about to be tested right away. They open with SMU on Labor Day night and then head to Alabama on Sept. 19, a stretch that can sharpen the focus on every move a coach makes. For Norvell, bringing in Herman adds support and experience, but it also underscores how much pressure is attached to this season before the first snap is even taken. [Read more 🡒]
Jimbo Fisher Just Reignited A Debate Florida State Fans Know Well
Jimbo Fisher has been out of the coaching grind long enough to settle into his role with the ACC Network, but the former Florida State head coach has not shut the door on a return. In an interview with The Athletic, Fisher said he still misses the parts of the job that once defined his days in Tallahassee and beyond, especially the relationships, recruiting, game-planning and competition that come with being in the middle of it all.
For Florida State fans, the bigger question is not whether Fisher still sounds like a coach, but where he might fit if the right opportunity ever surfaced. He said he would welcome another head-coaching chance, though he would also consider an offensive coordinator role in college or the NFL, leaving his future open-ended for now and keeping an old debate very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
One Florida State Freshman Is Turning 2026 Hype Into Real Pressure
Florida States offseason overhaul brought more than 60 new players into the program, and the bulk of that influx came from true freshmen. That kind of turnover always creates opportunity, but it also puts a spotlight on the newcomers who can handle the jump fastest. Among them, four-star wide receiver Jasen Lopez has quickly become one of the more intriguing names in the class, with enough buzz around him to suggest he is not just part of the long-term plan.
Lopez and fellow freshman Devin Carter are both in the mix to help right away, and the slot is one spot worth watching as preseason unfolds. Lopez has already drawn national attention as one of the ACCs top true freshmen to watch, and his path has been a little different than most after spending part of the spring tied up with the basketball team before settling in at receiver. His first chance to show what that looks like in a game setting is coming soon at Doak Campbell Stadium, where the pressure to turn promise into production will arrive almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]