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🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
January recruiting didn’t end quietly — and neither did Florida State’s momentum.
From priority 2027 targets reinforcing relationships to elite national prospects walking through Tallahassee, this edition is about positioning: who FSU is pushing hardest for, where ground is being gained, and which recruitments are quietly accelerating before spring.
Here’s what’s inside:
🧲 Recruiting Boards in Motion 🧲
FSU presses hard with blue-chip linebackers and receivers, keeps elite commits engaged, and reopens doors with national prospects — all while laying the groundwork for a critical spring stretch.
🧱 Facilities + Relationships = Leverage 🧱
The new football-only facility isn’t just eye candy. For longtime targets like Asher Ghioto and first-time visitors alike, it’s changing how recruits experience FSU day-to-day.
🏀 Results on the Court, Lessons on the Road 🏀
Women’s basketball continues to lean on Sole Williams’ production, but road consistency remains the hurdle as ACC play grinds on.
🧭 Junior Day Fallout 🧭
One final Junior Day before the dead period helped clarify priorities, create separation with top targets, and set the tone for spring visits — with wide receiver, edge, and running back boards especially active.
This edition isn’t about commitments yet.
It’s about who’s leaning, who’s listening, and who FSU is making sure doesn’t forget them.
Let’s get into it.
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🧲🏈 FSU Pressing on 4⭐ LB Mikahi Allen 🏈🧲
A priority target — and a visit that reinforced the vision.
Florida State continued to press on one of its top 2027 defensive targets as linebackers coach Ernie Sims visited Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep to check in on four-star linebacker Mikahi Allen, who followed that up with a Junior Day visit to Tallahassee.
🔥 What Stood Out
Met with Mike Norvell, DC Tony White, and Ernie Sims
Impressed by the program’s history, new facilities, and long-term vision
Sims’ presence and legacy resonated strongly
💪 Player Snapshot
6’1”, 220 lbs
Top247 prospect
No. 15 LB nationally (247Sports)
Nearly 30 offers
📍 Recruiting Context
Game visits: Miami, South Carolina
Summer stops: Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Illinois
Other schools in the mix: Penn State, Tennessee, Rutgers
No official visit scheduled yet
No Crystal Ball predictions at this time
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU is firmly in the relationship-building phase here — and the staff is clearly treating Allen like a priority. Getting him on campus, then following up in-person at school, keeps the Seminoles squarely in the hunt as the 2027 board begins to take shape.
👉 Read more here for Allen’s full comments, visit context, and where FSU stands in his national recruitment.
📍🧲 FSU Closing the Gap with 4⭐ Godby WR Jamarin Simmons 🧲📍
Proximity matters — and persistence is paying off.
Four-star wide receiver Jamarin Simmons (Tallahassee Godby) made the short trip to campus for Florida State’s final Junior Day and made it clear the Seminoles are very much in this race.
“I’m going to keep coming [to FSU] until I pick the day I want to commit,” Simmons said after the visit.
🔥 What FSU Emphasized
Met with Mike Norvell, WR coach Tim Harris Jr., and recruiting coordinator Devin Rispress
Clear message: FSU sees Simmons as a program fit and priority
Strong focus on relationship-building and long-term vision
📊 Player Snapshot
Rivals ranking: No. 122 overall
No. 22 WR nationally
No. 13 player in Florida
5’10” dynamic playmaker with national interest
📍 Recruiting Landscape
Current leader: Clemson
FSU now firmly No. 2
Other schools to watch: Florida, Miami, Tennessee
Clemson HC Dabo Swinney and Mike Norvell both visited Godby on Friday
Simmons plans to return to FSU either in spring or before his senior season
🧠 Why It Matters
This one is about proximity, persistence, and patience. FSU isn’t trying to flip the board overnight — it’s trying to win the relationship over time. With Simmons living minutes from campus and continuing to return, the door remains very much open.
👉 Read more here for Simmons’ full comments, visit details, and how FSU is positioning itself to close the gap with Clemson.
🏀📉 Noles Fall at Clemson Despite Big Day from Sole Williams 📉🏀
A strong start couldn’t withstand sustained pressure.
Florida State women’s basketball dropped a 77–58 road decision to Clemson on Sunday at Littlejohn Coliseum, slipping to 7–15 overall and 2–8 in ACC play.
🔥 Standouts
Sole Williams led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting
Tatum Greene added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds
📊 Game Flow
FSU trailed just 21–15 after one quarter behind Williams’ early burst
Clemson opened separation in the second quarter, taking a 42–27 lead into halftime
The Tigers maintained control through the second half, never letting the margin shrink
🧠 Why It Matters
Williams continues to be a reliable offensive engine, but depth scoring and sustained defensive stops remain the swing factors as FSU navigates a difficult ACC slate.
👉 Read more here for full game details, quarter-by-quarter breakdowns, and what the Noles need to clean up before the next road test.
⏭️ Up next: at NC State, Thursday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
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🧱👀 FSU Gets a Look at Elite OT Kelsey Adams 👀🧱
A Georgia commit — but not a closed door.
Florida State hosted one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects on Saturday, welcoming four-star offensive tackle Kelsey Adams to campus for its final Junior Day of the cycle.
🔥 Why This Visit Matters
Adams is a Top-60 national prospect in the 2027 class
Ranked No. 7 OT nationally and No. 5 player in Georgia
First visit to FSU in multiple years — relationship reset opportunity
🤝 Relationship Building
Spent extended time with OL coach Herb Hand, reconnecting after minimal prior contact
Strong rapport already exists with Mike Norvell, who remains Adams’ primary point of contact
Adams described Norvell as a “man of his word” and “family guy”
🔁 Recruitment Status
Committed to Georgia since September
Still taking visits: “I’m committed, but I’m still open”
LSU also pushing after a recent Junior Day visit
FSU expected to get Adams back in the spring for a practice visit
🧠 Why It Matters
Getting an elite offensive tackle on campus — even one committed elsewhere — signals confidence and credibility. Flips at this level don’t happen overnight, but access precedes opportunity, and FSU is firmly in the conversation.
🧱🔥 Asher Ghioto Keeps FSU at the Center 🔥🧱
Facilities flash, relationships last.
Four-star defensive lineman Asher Ghioto returned to Tallahassee on Saturday for another Junior Day visit — his ~12th trip to FSU — and once again left reaffirming Florida State’s place near the very top of his board.
🔥 Why This Visit Mattered
First extended look at FSU’s new football-only facility
Ghioto called it “stupid” — citing the space, recovery areas, and VR tech
Noted a 60% increase in daily player presence since it opened
Compared it favorably to the Moore Athletic Center, calling this version far more inviting
🤝 Staff Continuity = Real Trust
This recruitment is built on years, not months.
Nick Williams has recruited Ghioto since 7th grade (Syracuse → FSU)
Herb Hand gave him his first-ever offer (UCF)
Florida State was his third offer, and now all three relationships are united in Tallahassee
On Williams:
“He keeps it real… he’ll tell you the hard truth. He teaches football and life.”
🧠 Role & Fit
FSU views Ghioto similarly to Mandrell Desir — a versatile lineman who can slide along the front
Staff values his flexibility and football IQ as much as his frame
⏳ Timeline to Watch
Ranked No. 27 overall and No. 3 DL in the 2028 class (247Sports)
Actively considering reclassifying to 2027, with a decision expected in late May
If he reclasses, official visits would follow immediately (late May–June)
🧠 Why It Matters
FSU doesn’t need to introduce itself here — it just keeps reinforcing why it belongs. Facilities are now matching long-standing relationships, and no matter which class Ghioto ends up in, Florida State is firmly positioned for an official visit and a serious late push.
👉 Read more here for full quotes, facility insight, and why this recruitment could accelerate quickly this spring.
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🧭📋 Junior Day Intel: Where FSU Helped Itself — and What to Watch Next 📋🧭
One final push before February’s dead period, and several boards moved.
Florida State wrapped up January with its final Junior Day, hosting dozens of prospects across multiple classes. The goal was simple: clarify priorities, strengthen relationships, and create momentum heading into a quieter stretch. Here’s what stood out.
🔥 FSU Surges With Priority WR Jabari Watkins
The Seminoles made it clear that four-star WR Jabari Watkins is a centerpiece target.
Watkins exited the visit naming FSU as his new leader, after previously favoring Auburn and Georgia
Emphasis on priority treatment and fit resonated
Recruitment remains fluid, but FSU is now firmly in the driver’s seat
🧲 Commit Jemari Foreman Still Listening — But Solid
Safety Jemari Foreman remains committed, but interest is heating up.
Enjoyed the new football-only facility
Acknowledged active pursuit from Miami, Florida, Oklahoma, Auburn, and Pitt
Still publicly solid with FSU, but one to monitor closely
🧱 Edge Target Elijah Cox Enters the Picture
A newer offer, but real traction forming quickly.
6’5”, 230-pound edge rusher from Atlanta
Strong early connection with Nick Williams and Terrance Knighton
Ole Miss and Missouri are established players, but FSU is pushing into contention
🏃♂️ Under-the-Radar RB Gary Walker Gains Steam
One of the quieter but more intriguing developments.
Georgia state champion with 1,600+ yards and 20 TDs
Treated like a priority by Kam Martin and Mike Norvell
FSU sits “very high,” alongside Penn State and Clemson
🧠 Underclassmen Worth Filing Away
FSU also made progress with younger prospects:
2028 QB Jackson Stecher — sixth visit, strong bond with Austin Tucker
2028 OT Kweli Fielder — FSU firmly in top five, spring return planned
2028 CB Dale Perry — recent offer, immediate campus visit
2028 DB Dominic Butler — Texas prospect with growing ties to staff
And that’s a wrap!
January didn’t bring many commitments — but it brought clarity.
Boards sharpened. Relationships deepened. And spring is now the real battleground.
We’ll keep tracking who’s leaning, who’s listening, and who FSU is quietly positioning to close on next.
Talk soon,
— Chief 🏹
P.S. If you enjoyed this edition, forward it to a fellow Nole and tell them to subscribe — spring recruiting is where things really get interesting.
