The summer months are upon us, and that means official visit season has arrived. Recruiting strategy for high school prospects has shifted in the new age of NIL-funded recruiting. Major programs used to jockey for the final official visit slot to make a strong final impression, but now prep recruiting is being treated increasingly similar to transfer portal recruiting. Programs now want earlier cracks at their targets so they can present strong offers and try to shut down any future official visits.
Prospects report feeling highly pressured to commit early, but some still honor taking all of their official visits (which are now unlimited).
Following the final weekend in May, the first of the major visiting weekends for the 2026 cycle, FSU was able to land one commitment in defensive lineman Eric Vaulx Jr. and sits in good position for several other visitors.
The second weekend of official visitors is upon us, with the Seminoles hosting nine prospects on campus (the list has seen considerable attrition following a flurry of commitments last weekend, reinforcing the point in the first paragraph about pushing for early pledges). Three targets are rated as blue-chips, three are current FSU commits, and two-thirds are defensive prospects. Linebacker is the most heavily represented position with three, so Ernie Sims will be a busy man this weekend.
FSU recruiting: Visitors for the June 5th weekend
- 3-star QB Logan Flaherty (FSU commit): FSU gave the green light to Flaherty and he took advantage on May 19, committing to the Seminoles prior to summer official visit weekends in order to help recruit. While this will be his official visit, he’s planning on being a regular presence in future weekends to develop relationships with future visitors. While Flaherty won’t be able to flaunt the star power that higher-ranked QBs can, having your signal-caller commit present during OV weekends is a very helpful recruiting tool. It’s a good sign seeing a developing leader like Flaherty express his commitment and spend so much of his time on campus helping the staff.
- 3-star RB/WR Marquis Fennell: Fennell has been a priority for the staff for months. Though listed as a running back, he’s viewed as an offensive weapon that would translate very well to the Norvell offense and could line up in the slot as well. Fennell is from Valdosta, Georgia, and has already visited Colorado and Stanford with a Georgia Tech visit on deck after his time in Tallahassee. He has a scheduled announcement date of June 25, and Florida State needs to push for sealing the deal this weekend. This is a recruitment that FSU needs to win and Flaherty will no doubt be shadowing Fennell, as well as the next target below.
- 4-star WR Sean Green: Speaking of recruitments the staff has to win… Green is likely deciding between Georgia and FSU, with the Seminoles having put far more long term effort into this one. From Kingsland, GA, Green is a fluid athlete with good acceleration and a knack for finding openings in coverage. The blue-chip receiver hasn’t been shy that this weekend will come down to NIL numbers, as he has already seen enough of FSU to feel comfortable committing. If Green and FSU can agree on terms, this one should be a victory for Tim Harris and the good guys. If not, FSU may have to watch perhaps its most talented receiver left on the board stay home in Georgia. Make it happen, Seminoles.
- 3-star Edge TK Cunningham: What was once a beautiful edge rusher board for Nick Williams has thinned considerably with numerous top targets committing elsewhere or canceling visits. Cunningham remains and has become a bigger priority for the Seminoles defense. The 6’5, 230-pounder has blue-chip potential and still has remaining visits to Kentucky and Kansas State following this weekend. Purdue also hosted him for an official visit.
- 3-star DL Jason Lewis: Lewis loves FSU and with a meager defensive lineman board, FSU needs to love Lewis back. The 6’4, 260 pounder from Kissimmee, FL nearly committed to the Seminoles in the spring and is an attainable target this weekend. With a trip to Mississippi State in the rearview and visits scheduled to Syracuse (Fran Brown) and Kentucky ($EC money), Florida State will need to push for a commitment if it values Lewis enough to get him to cancel future visits. The defensive line unit could certainly use as much talent as is attainable, and Lewis is a fringe blue-chip prospect with some great positional versatility. He is attainable and perhaps the best in-state defensive lineman left on the board.
- 4-star LB Frederrick Ford: Ford is the highest-ranked visitor this weekend and will be a prime beneficiary of attention from Sims and Tony White. The 6’5, 190 pounder from Mississippi has some positional versatility and projects as a future multi-year starter. He has already visited Mississippi State and Ole Miss, so the fact that he is still scheduled to come to Tallahassee is certainly good news. The Seminoles value Ford quite a bit and will give it their best shot with visits to Tennessee and LSU looming. If this turns into a SEC bidding war, FSU will have to bow out.
- 4-star LB Gregory Batson (FSU commit): Batson clearly has a lot of love for the garnet and gold but has continued flirting with Mississippi State and has a visit scheduled for Starkville next weekend. This one is simple. If FSU is able to deepen its relationship with Batson enough this weekend, he’ll shut things down (to the extent that’s ever believable). If not, he’s likely not going to remain in the class. This is a prospect FSU needs to fight hard to keep.
- 3-star LB Olrick Johnson III: Johnson is still under the radar for recruiting services, ranked outside the top 1,100 national prospects. His offer list and production say otherwise. He’s coming to Tallahassee fresh off trips to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech, with future visits scheduled to Arkansas and NC State. The 6’1, 215 pound Kennessaw, GA product racked up 118 tackles and 12.5 sacks last season and could be a sneaky good addition to the linebacker room with early special teams potential.
- 3-star DB DaYon Cooper (FSU commit): Cooper is FSU’s shakiest current verbal commitment in my opinion. Florida State initially sold him on playing defensive back, but Cooper is being recruited as a wide receiver by Tennessee and Oklahoma State. This weekend should provide some clarity moving forward. If the Seminoles don’t like him at wide receiver, a parting of the ways is inevitable. I can see him as a slot receiver but I’m of the mindset that his brightest future is at CB.
