Florida State signed the No. 17 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, a group built primarily around the defensive side of the ball with blue-chip additions such as Chauncey Kennon, Franklin Whitley, Izayia Williams, Earnest Rankins, Jalen Anderson, and Jaemin Pinckney.
Head coach Mike Norvell has never been shy about giving freshmen a chance to prove themselves in the third phase of the game, and while #Tribe26 was built around defensive talent, many of those newcomers may begin their careers on special teams before carving out larger roles within the program.
From a roster perspective, here are three players who could force their way into the rotation.
Kevin Wynn - X.com
Defensive tackle is such a rotational position that it wouldn't be surprising to see Wynn getting more reps during his redshirt freshman season. He suffered an undisclosed preseason injury early on but showed promise during the four games that he played in 2025.
He was a four-star lineman out of Greensboro, Georgia, and at 6'2'', 326 pounds, he will likely get into the mix in some capacity if healthy.
The Seminoles added veteran transfers last cycle, but they still need young players to emerge for the future. Wynn can begin carving out a role without carrying the burden of being "the guy" in 2026 with a high upside.
Devin Carter - Instagram.com
Despite a heavily loaded wide receiver room, both Devin Carter and Jasen Lopez impressed enough in spring camp for Norvell to publicly state that they are "going to play."
"Devin and Jasen, they're going to play," Norvell said. "They would have to almost regress from where it is right now. And I'm not saying, 'Oh, hey, they're going to be first line', I think it'll be that, but from what you see in a short period of time, they definitely belong in what we're asking them to do, what that looks like."
Lopez is a former four-star recruit out of Miami, Florida, and a standout dual-sport athlete, while Carter is a legacy player who had 670 receiving yards and five touchdowns his senior season at Douglas County.
While I don't expect either freshman to open the season near the top of the depth chart, I could see both on the field when Florida State has a comfortable lead, as they compete for the No. 3 or No. 4 spot in the receiver rotation.
During his junior season, Lopez recorded 87 receptions for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding two rushing scores. He also made an impact in the return game, taking a punt back for a touchdown, ending his high school career with eight on special teams, which should get him on the field early.
Chauncey Kennon - Instagram.com
The defensive back room is hard for any true freshman to break into and succeed; however, there are question marks surrounding the Seminole secondary, and it wouldn't surprise me if Kennon made it into the mix in certain packages.
As a former four-star recruit out of Sarasota, Florida, I'd imagine they incorporate him much like they did Charles Lester III in 2024. They're similarly sized players with similar skill sets. The talent says, "play him," while the position says, "be patient."
Lester III played in 10 games as a reserve DB and on special teams and is expected to take on a larger role this season.
It is not a direct comparison, and Florida State brought on a new cornerbacks coach, Blue Adams, who may have different ideas about his direction of development.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as 3 FSU Football Freshmen Who Could Force Their Way Into the Rotation .
