FSU Recruiting Roundtable: On3 expert Steve Wiltfong joins Warchant to discuss Seminoles' new push

There’s been a lot of talk about what it would take for FSU Football to get back to bringing in annual top-10 recruiting classes.

And that was one of the goals of head coach Mike Norvell went he overhauled his coaching staff this winter, bringing in six new assistant coaches. That group includes new coordinators Gus Malzahn and Tony White, along with receivers coach Tim Harris Jr, offensive line coach Herb Hand, defensive line coach Terrance Knighton and safeties coach Evan Cooper.

There’s already been some buzz building with this new FSU staff from January visits, but will that equal a top-10 class this year for the Seminoles?

On3 national analyst Steve Wiltfong addresses that mission and how FSU is trending in recruiting during this roundtable video discussion with Warchant’s Michael Langston and Matt LaSerre.

“I don’t know if they can get a top-10 ten class this season, but they are certainly going to try,” Wiltfong said. “But I think it’s going to be a lot of wait-and-see approach with a lot of these top guys. I think if Florida State is able to have a strong season, particularly at the end of the year, this is a coaching staff that does a great job with meaningful relationships. When guys get on campus, they have a great experience. They feel at home. They will win some of these battles in the spring and then some. But if they have a great season, they will be [rack up].”

That on-field performance will be incredibly important for FSU in this recruiting cycle because the Seminoles are coming off a dreadful 2-10 season.

But Wiltfong said he was impressed by how Norvell and the Seminoles closed with their 2025 signings class. Despite the horrific season, FSU pushed back into the top 10 by flipping several elite recruits, including blue-chip running back Ousmane Kromah.

“Good players kept visiting them [last year], and to my point, we saw FSU close for some major recruitments,” Wiltfong said. “The Seminoles got their NIL in order, [recruits] have seen Florida State be one of the top teams in the conference and in the country under Mike Norvell. They just needed the season to end last year. Once it did, you instantly saw a breath of fresh air.

“They finished with a top-20 class, they flipped Ousmane Kromah, kept Kevin Wynn in the class, Tylon Lee is a special talent, five-star. Good end to the cycle, and shows you what they can do.”

Norvell’s reputation obviously took a hit in 2024, but Wiltfong said his track record before that was very attractive to recruits. And when you add in the Seminoles’ new pieces, he believes there is reason for optimism.

“When you look to the years prior, they had 13 wins, 10 wins, and that’s what you are pointing towards to recruits and saying last year was an aberration,” the veteran recruiting analyst said. “Our starting quarterback went down. It was just a throwaway season, and we made some changes on the coaching staff. Got some excitement, went out and hired one of the best defensive coordinators in the country, and added some terrific position coaches. If they win eight games, that’s plus-six from the year before, and it starts to put you back in the trajectory that we are back in the playoff hunt.

“We have seen Tommy Castellanos flash in his high school and college career. So there’s a lot riding on that portal pickup. I think they got some electric playmakers out of the portal. This is a team that has a chance to be a prolific offense.”

Wiltfong also shared his thoughts on FSU’s top QB options and where the Seminoles stand for some top targets in the fold for the 2026 class.

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Watch the entire FSU Recruiting Roundtable right here:

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