Another New Commitment! 2026 South Florida DB Tedarius Hughes says he will be a 'Nole
The Florida State Seminoles added to their No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class on Thursday with a verbal pledge from three-star safety Tedarius Hughes, who chose the Seminoles over Syracuse and Louisville.
According to On3, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound recruit is a top-300 player nationally as well as the 21st-ranked prospect at his position.
“Florida State is my main consideration because Coach [Mike] Norvell is building a great program, and he shows that he cares for his players more than he can tell you,” Hughes told Warchant when confirming his commitment.
While On3 and other networks list Hughes as a three-star prospect, Florida State’s coaches clearly have him evaluated much higher. The Homestead product said Norvell and defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. were both elated when he told them of his decision.
“Coach Surtain and Norvell’s reaction was definitely mind-blowing!” Hughes said. “It feels great just to join along the other great recruits in my class and be a part of something special.”
Surtain, a former Pro Bowl cornerback who has experience coaching on the NFL, college and high school levels, has played a huge role in Hughes’ recruitment.
“My relationship with Coach Surtain is great,” the young safety said. “He’s a great defensive backs coach who played at the highest level, and I feel like I can be developed into a great defensive back — soaking in all of the knowledge he has and applying it to my game. I talk to Coach Surtain almost every day, just staying in touch, building our relationship more and more.”
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Hughes got to see Surtain coaching in person during his last visit to Florida State for Mike Norvell’s Elite Camp in June, and that only helped the Seminoles’ cause.
“He’s a very detailed coach, and with my size and length, I would be a great fit in the secondary,” Hughes said, adding that he loves Florida State’s head coach as well. “Coach Norvell is an amazing coach! He’s very energetic and sets a great standard at Florida State. He’s also a great person off the field who really cares for his players.”
Hughes said he likely will visit Florida State again at the end of July when the dead period ends.
Click here for more insight into Hughes’ commitment.
More on FSU’s 2026 Recruiting Class
For a deeper look into the Seminoles’ 2026 recruiting class player by player, check out their official On3 team commitment list. Also you can find out where Florida State stacks up against the top teams in the country with On3’s Industry Ranking page.
If you’re not yet a Warchant subscriber, be sure to start your membership today! You won’t want to miss out on any of the latest FSU football recruiting coverage as the class of 2026 — and beyond — comes together.
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