Florida State’s running back room already has the look of a strength heading into 2026, and now the Seminoles are widening the net for the future, too.
New backs coach Kam Martin has walked into Tallahassee with a loaded group to work with. Quintrevion Wisner, Ousmane Kromah, and Samuel Singleton Jr. headline the backfield, giving Martin a strong foundation in his first season on campus.
That matters, especially for a coach who has built a reputation as a developer. Martin has produced a 1,000-plus-yard running back in four straight years, and Florida State clearly believes that track record translates.
He’s also already shown he can handle the recruiting side of the job at a high level. Earlier this summer, the Seminoles beat out Ohio State and LSU to land four-star running back Jayden Miles, a move that signaled Martin wasn’t going to shy away from the big boys on the trail.
Now Florida State is in the mix for another young back with serious production. Earlier this month, 2028 running back Marquece Sharpe Jr. announced that the Seminoles had entered his recruitment after a conversation with Martin.
Sharpe Jr. said:
“After a great conversation with coach @TeamKamMartin I am blessed to receive and offer from Florida state University!!! #agtg #GoNoles @LoudounSportsAC @CoachBJackson_ @CoachJackson26 @The1AndOnlyOB @DMV_Hype pic.twitter.com/8y1IcCJsXe”
The rising junior already has a long list of suitors. Miami, Nebraska, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Syracuse are among the schools that have offered him as well.
He’s also been busy on the road this offseason, taking visits to North Carolina, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Nebraska. Florida State could still look to get him on campus during the season, though there’s no rush with so much time left before he signs.
Sharpe Jr. backed up the attention with a big sophomore season at Woodbridge High School. He carried the ball 164 times for 1,073 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he added 33 catches for 630 yards and five more scores. He topped 100 rushing yards in six games, including a 20-carry, 147-yard performance in a 20-13 win over Forest Park High School on October 10.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound back is not yet ranked in the 2028 class.
Florida State has already offered 28 running backs in the 2028 cycle, and the Seminoles currently hold two verbal commitments in #Tribe28, which ranks No. 7 nationally.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Just Changed How Florida State Is Building Its Roster
Florida State is taking a different tack with its 2027 recruiting class, and Mike Norvell says the change is by design. The Seminoles already have 16 commitments in the cycle, a noticeably smaller group than in recent years, as the program adjusts to the NCAAs new five-for-five eligibility ruling and the ripple effects it has on roster planning.
Norvell framed the shift as part of a broader effort to build the roster more precisely, balancing recruiting with retention and the financial realities that come with it. In his view, this is less about chasing a bigger high school class and more about fitting the pieces together in a way that makes sense for what Florida State expects its roster to look like in the years ahead. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Just Landed The Recruiting Win Fans Have Been Waiting For
Florida State got a significant boost in its 2027 recruiting class with the commitment of four-star safety Ta'Shawn Poole, a top-100 national prospect who has been one of the more coveted defensive backs in the cycle. His pledge gives Mike Norvell and his staff a needed jolt on the trail, and it also nudges the Seminoles class from the mid-50s into the 40th spot in the 247Sports rankings.
Pooles decision matters beyond the number next to Florida States class, because it gives the Seminoles a high-end defensive piece to build around early in the cycle. For a program trying to keep momentum moving in the right direction, landing a player of Pooles caliber is the kind of recruiting win that can shape how the rest of the class is perceived, even as the bigger question now becomes how far Florida State can push this momentum from here. [Read more 🡒]