Florida State Seminoles sat on their high horses in 2023 and didn’t take much time to fall just one year after. A season synonymous with a reckoning disaster, this is a perfect riches-to-rags story. They had the worst conference record since 1974, an offense that couldn’t compete with AAC teams, and a defense that fell like a stack of cards. This was a test Mike Norvell had failed miserably as he finished 2-10. The future looked bleak, and questions started pouring in. But the major question was: Can they bounce back from this disaster?

Well, it will depend on how you define bouncing back. If you want FSU to have a winning season in 2025, then it’s a decent expectation. But for those who want FSU to be like their 2023 season, it would certainly be a stretch. But we’re not here to dissect all that; it’s something that we will see in the 2025 season. What we can talk about is: their recruitment. That’s something which can show how are they planning to rectify their errors.

To be precise, they have done well in their 2025 class, at least by the standards of other ACC teams. Mike Norvell has landed 23 freshman players and a whopping 16 transfers; that alone tells you the intensity on which FSU is building. Players like Kevin Wynn (DL), Ousmane Kromah (RB), Tylon Lee (Edge), LaJesse Harrold (Edge), and Jayvan Boggs (WR) promise a lot as they all are rated above 90 on On3 with 4-star ratings. But, more than that, Norvell’s 2025 class is filled with immense talents (mostly blue chips) who have the ability to be those players on which the team can start its rebuild. Their incoming transfer, Duce Robinson (WR) from the Trojans, is their highlight and will be crucial going forward. All in all, they are all set for the 2025 season. But what about their long-term prospects?

In the 2026 class, Mike Norvell has done quite decently, landing 5 four four-star talents and three other decent prospects. However, recent news has just given Norvell a thing to worry about. That is their best 2026 commit. Efrem White, who committed to FSU in December 2023, is speculated to change camps (per On3). The 4 star athlete has now visits lined up from NC State, UCF, and most importantly, Penn State. He even said some positive things about the visits recently.

“I want to get the opportunity to bond with the coaches, see how the players act around the coaches, and see how they like living up there“. The statement given to On3 is also crucial since this was the first program to give the player his first offer. So, there will surely be some sentiments attached to it. Then comes his Penn State visit, to which he said, “Penn State has been high on my list, I’ve seen some practice film of them and some of their games. I like the way they play”. 

The visits are essential, too, since we have seen over the years players lured by different colleges after they have committed. I mean, who would have thought that Bryce Underwood would decommit from LSU, and boom! $12 million dollars came, and he joined Michigan. To be perfectly honest, Mike Norvell will need to protect his top commit at all costs. Just check the On3 probability rankings, and you will know. Currently, FSU just has a 1.3% chance to land him, which is quite concerning. Other colleges like Miami and Florida State are closing in, too. So, there would be uncertainty around for some time now.

Is Efrem White switching camps a sure thing?

Well, not necessarily, since he has been committed to FSU for almost 15 months now and has also consistently praised their new OC Gus Malzahn and receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. This is something that can act as a protective shield if any other school tempts him by making a better  NIL offer. He even said it in a recent statement.

“They’ve made me feel at home since day one. Ever since I met all the coaches, they’ve really made me feel like it was a great place for me and the place to go“. The player, in an interview recently, also focused on how he wants to play both ways as DB and WR. This is something he is looking to be a priority in coaches and offers. And who could fault him?

After seeing Travis Hunter winning the Heisman and touted to be the first pick in the draft. Anyone would be tempted to follow in the footsteps of the Colorado two-way star. White also has good stats to back him up as he had 25 receptions in his 2024 season for 349 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. He hails from Vero Beach High School, Florida. Which also could motivate him to stay at FSU due to its close proximity. The verdict?

Well, we saw FSU’s class of 2026 prospect Brady Smigiel decommitting earlier last month. He was also committed for almost a year and was probably attracted by better NIL offers from Georgia, Michigan, and South Carolina. Now it has to be seen where Efrem White finally lands. The question now is: Is FSU’s previous season’s performance swaying away prospects?