Florida State Seminoles Football Checks In On Blue-Chip Defender
The Florida State Seminoles have plenty of work on the table entering the summer.
#Tribe27 is dwindling as the class has fallen outside of the top 40 in the recruiting class rankings. As things stand, head coach Mike Norvell is on pace to sign his lowest-ranked class in the entirety of his tenure with the Seminoles.
That's an unacceptable reality with Norvell gearing up for his seventh season in Tallahassee.
READ MORE: FSU Football Reveals Kickoff Time For Two Crucial Home Games
Florida State will have a chance to rewrite the narrative throughout the next three months. The Seminoles are slated to host key targets for official visits in May and June, followed by a plethora of commitments before the 2026 campaign kicks off in August.
Ahead of the action, the coaching staff is showing a presence across the country.
FSU Football Visits Four-Star LB Frederrick Ford
On Monday, Florida State EDGEs coach Nick Williams was in Mississippi to spend time with one of the program's primary focuses in the trenches.
Williams was able to watch four-star linebacker Frederrick Ford go through a spring practice. It's an important part of the evaluation process, and now the Seminoles have checked off another box.
Ford has held an offer from Florida State since March. Last month, he named the program to his top 5 alongside Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and LSU.
Really appreciate @CoachNickWill for coming to the Delta to my practice today. @FSUFootball@Coach_Norvell@Rivals@247Sports@youareathlete@DemetricDWarren@GWC_Sports@TheDeltaSports@TheUCReport@TheOpening@On3@ChadSimmons_@TomLoy247@PrepRedzoneMS@LloydWolfe2010… pic.twitter.com/TDp1I9K0Nj
- Frederrick Ford 4 (@ford_prodigy) May 12, 2026
The blue-chip prospect is scheduled to officially visit Florida State from June 5-7. The Seminoles believe he can play off the EDGE at the next level, and his frame makes him an ideal fit at the JACK linebacker spot.
During his junior season at Greenwood High School, Ford totaled 60 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, eight pass deflections, and three interceptions.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound linebacker is regarded as the No. 268 overall prospect, the No. 21 LB, and the No. 10 recruit in Mississippi in the 2027 class according to the 247Sports Composite Ratings.
Information On Florida State's 2027 Class
Florida State holds six verbal commitments in #Tribe27, which ranks No. 28 in the country.
Who Is Committed To FSU In The 2027 Class?
Three-Star TE Connor Winn
Three-Star DE Anthony Cavallaro
Four-Star LB Gregory Batson
Four-Star DB Mekhi Williams
Three-Star DB Jemari Foreman
Three-Star DB DaYon Cooper
Who Does Florida State Have At Linebacker For The 2026 Season?
Omar Graham Jr., Redshirt Senior
Mikai Gbayor, Redshirt Senior
AJ Cottrill, Redshirt Senior
Blake Nichelson, Senior
Caleb LaVallee, Redshirt Junior
Brandon Torrest, Redshirt Junior
Chris Jones, Junior
Chris Thomas, Junior
Ethan Pritchard, Redshirt Freshman
Izayia Williams, Freshman
Karon Mayock, Freshman
Daylen Green, Freshman
Noah LaVallee, Freshman
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as Florida State Seminoles Football Checks In On Blue-Chip Defender.
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 9:00 AM.