After a challenging 2024 season, the Florida State Seminoles have quietly engineered a remarkable turnaround. Recent recruiting results indicate that this FSU program is heading in a positive direction. This surge is no accident but rather the result of shrewd strategic moves by head coach Mike Norvell and his staff, whose keen ability to capitalize on attention and momentum has reignited excitement around the Seminoles.
The Seminoles’ recruiting fortunes this year are defined by an explosive two-month stretch. While the first five months of the year saw modest activity with just three recruits signed, June and July alone brought in a remarkable 14 new commitments. This flood of talent has lifted Florida State into the top 15 nationally for its 2026 recruiting class, a notable improvement over last year’s 19th-place finish despite what many considered a disappointing 2024 season performance.
One critical element behind Florida State’s recruiting upswing is their ability to leverage media attention generated by quarterback Thomas Castellanos. His bold June interview, (asserting that FSU could handle a Nick Saban-less Alabama) grabbed headlines and put the Seminoles back into the national conversation.
While it wasn’t noticed at the time, these kind of statements play a vital role in the art of persuasion. Persuasion is obviously a critical part of winning recruits. After all, coaches have to persuade top flight recruits to attend their schools. Drawing attention to the program is the first step in that process, as prospects are unlikely to consider a school they do not actively follow. Castellanos’ confident (to put it mildly) comments served as a catalyst, reinvigorating the Seminoles’ visibility and helping Norvell’s recruiters engage prospects at a moment of heightened interest.
While Norvell did not orchestrate the statements (at least, it doesn’t seem likely he did), his staff skillfully capitalized on this unexpected boost, turning interest and attention into commitments through subsequent outreach and visits.
The significance of remaining “in the news” cannot be overstated. Programs that fall out of the media zeitgeist often see recruiting dry up rapidly. Successful programs in the past, like Oregon under Chip Kelly, showed how consistent media presence can lead to sustained success. For example, those Ducks used flashy Nike uniforms to garner media headlines. Kelly and his staff turned that attention into commitments which led to wins. It was that middle step (turning attention to commitments) that is critical. And Norvell is doing a great job executing there.
In addition to high school commitments, Florida State has aggressively utilized the transfer portal to strengthen their roster for the 2025 season. Ranked among the top six programs nationally for transfers signed, the Seminoles brought in experienced players whose immediate impact could raise the team’s competitive level quickly.
This dual approach, targeting elite prospects for the future alongside proven transfers for the present, embodies a balanced, forward-thinking roster-building philosophy. If Florida State continues to sign top talent consistently and integrate transfers effectively, expectations for a return to national prominence are justified. With Mike Norvell’s vision guiding recruitment and player development, the Seminoles have quietly crafted one of the nation’s most compelling stories heading into the 2026 signing cycle.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the SMI College Football Show YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
