Florida State stocked up on receivers and landed the state’s top cornerback, Chauncey Kennon, in a 2026 signing class that is viewed as among the top 15 in the nation by 247Sports and Rivals/On3.
The Seminoles landed a large group of receivers — four-star Efrem White from Vero Beach as well as three-stars Brandon Bennett and Jonah Winston — on the first day of the Early Signing Period. Jonah’s big brother is Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston.
Kennon, a standout at Sarasota Booker, continues a recent run of success for FSU coaches, who have been able to build a pipeline of in-state defensive backs and route them to Tallahassee. It’s a group that also includes Ja’Bril Rawls (Pensacola, 2023), Charles Lester III (Sarasota, 2024) and Zae Thomas (Plantation, 2025).
Quarterback Jaden O’Neal, a California native who played his senior season in Oklahoma, committed to FSU on June 22 and signed. He passed for 2,622 yards and 29 touchdowns in 10 games.
Fab 5
Kennon: Viewed as the No. 3 corner in the nation by 247Sports, Kennon had 48 tackles and two interceptions in his past two seasons. Kennon will play in the state semifinals on Dec. 5. He has a good chance to contribute early for FSU in 2026.
White: The 6-foot-1, 155-pound Vero Beach native will no doubt need to add weight. But White committed to FSU on Dec. 12, 2023, and stuck with Norvell and the staff through two losing seasons. White is viewed as one of the top 35 players in Florida in the 2026 class.
Izayia Williams, Tavares: One of the wildest recruitments of this cycle, Williams was committed to Louisville, Syracuse, FSU, Florida, Ole Miss and then FSU again on Aug. 15. Williams is one of the top 10 linebackers in the 2026 cycle, and he could find his way into an FSU depth chart that sorely needs help in the middle of the defense.
Corbyn Fordham, Jacksonville Bolles: The 6-foot-3, 215-pound tight end has been productive in three seasons with a combined 86 catches for 868 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s the son of an FSU alum, Todd Fordham, who began his nine-year NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1997.
Amari Thomas, Blountstown: Thomas had an impressive 1,799 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior, plus he added three receiving touchdowns (on just seven catches). The 5-foot-10, 187-pound Thomas was committed to FSU, flipped to South Carolina and landed back in the class on Nov. 20.
The rest
DE Jalen Anderson, Pearl River C.C. (Poplarville, Miss.)
S Tre Bell III, Barbara Goleman (Hialeah)
WR Brandon Bennett, American Heritage (Plantation)
DE Chris Carbin, Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.)
DL Wihtley Cadeau, Booker T. Washington (Atlanta)
CB Jordan Crutchfield, Vero Beach
DL Judah Daniels, Fort Myers
TE Corbyn Fordham, Boles (Jacksonville)
DL Luke Francis, Coral Gables
G-C Jakobe Green, Gadsden County (Havana, Fla.)
LB Daylen Green, Gadsden County (Havana, Fla.)
OT Nikau Hepi, NFL Academy
DL Damaad Lewis, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)
LB Karon Maycock, Central (Miami)
QB Jaden O’Neal, Mustang (Okla.)
RB Amari Thomas, Blountstown
TE Xavier Tiller, Lanston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)
WR Efrem White, Vero Beach
DL Franklin Whitley, Greenville (S.C.)
WR Jonah Winston, Hoover (Ala.)
WR Darryon Williams, Plant (Tampa)
LB Noah LaVallee, Walton (Marietta, Ga.)
G-C Michael Ionata, Calvary Christian (Clearwater)
G-C Steven Pickard, IMG Academy (Bradenton)
One that got away
FSU landed its commitments on signing day. But one of the big-name prospects who decommitted on Nov. 6 was five-star defensive back Jay Timmons, who flipped to Ohio State. Timmons is the son of FSU alum and Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins star Lawrence Timmons (who played in the NFL from 2007-17).
