It turns out all is not lost on FSU head coach Mike Norvell after all. Amid a hefty offseason, the coach had to watch top targets slip away, seeing the 2026 class stall at just nine commitments, and feeling the pressure mount as elite programs surge ahead. The Seminoles had just missed out on prized safety Kaiden Hall, and five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson had just slammed the door shut. But as said, the windows are still open. And this one is 6’5” tall!
With a thin class, Mike Norvell’s game plan is clear. His bold move? Rolling out the red carpet for over two dozen recruits on official visits across two jam-packed weekends. And the best part? They are already hosting some big names, Daylen Green, whose record speaks volumes of his excellence. With 111 tackles, he led the Jaguares to a state championship appearance as a junior. But in between all these official visits, Norvell finally snatched this 6’5, 295lbs DL right from the Georgia Bulldogs’ arms. Who?
The FSU finally got Booker’s 3-star prospect, Wihtlley Cadeau’s commitment. Now, their 2026 class has 10 commits with a national rank of 19th. Let’s be real, getting a talent from a championship-winning team isn’t that straightforward, especially when your season ends with a 2-10 disaster. But for Cadeau, FSU’s coaching staff did the work. “I love the history behind Florida State,” Wihtlley said of this decision. “The coaching staff is great too. I have a lot of love for them. The environment and the players fit me too.”
On top of that, FSU got him just at the right time when he was just about to take visits to other teams. Missing out on a player like him, who’s the 81st-best defensive lineman of his class and also has a freakish frame, is something Mike Norvell couldn’t afford. That’s what Brian Smith is highlighting on Locked on Seminoles in the June 9 episode. “He had a visit set with Georgia State and Purdue, but I’m like, this kid could play for any program in the country. And you cannot—repeat, cannot—teach the frame he’s got. He’s got some athleticism; he’s got a lot of juice. When he takes off, he hits somebody, and you know it. This isn’t a big guy that just has natural size—he has the effort with it. I like this film a lot, and I’m glad that Florida State went after him,” Brian said.
Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell walks the sidelines during the third quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Now, what makes his commitment even more special for Mike Norvell’s team is that Wihtlley Cadeau is their first defensive line recruit. Plus, getting a player of his caliber is just another power move. “But getting that pure interior guy is a nice start.” And what fuels the excitement even more is how FSU’s DC Tony White might use his talent.
Will he use Cadeau at different defensive positions, including nose guard and two-technique on the line, or in other roles as well? As per Brian, it’s a mix of all. “They’re going to change their base around a little bit from here and there. I think he’s a guy that you can play some games with on the offensive line, and there just aren’t very many guys that have the natural width and size and athleticism that he does to play nose in a zero-tech.”
That’s sure a massive win for Mike Norvell’s team, but on the other side, their QB target just shut the door real tight on their face.
Mike Norvell’s recruitment move faces major blow
Florida State had high hopes with the summer visits as they were planning to flip five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson from Houston. Henderson, committed to Houston since May 2024, was a top target for Coach Mike Norvell. However, their hopes were dashed last week when Henderson told On3’s Hayes Fawcett he was “shutting down his recruitment,” canceling his June 9th visit to Tallahassee.
This is a significant blow, as Henderson ranked No. 16 overall and No. 4 quarterback nationally in On3’s rankings, and was the No. 2 prospect from Texas. FSU’s 2026 quarterback recruiting suffers another setback after missing out on Brady Smigiel.
Florida State University planned a lavish recruitment effort for three quarterback prospects this summer. However, with Henderson no longer a possibility, only Jaden O’Neal and Landon Duckworth remain. O’Neal is already committed to Oklahoma, leaving only Duckworth, who hasn’t even visited FSU. To complicate matters, South Carolina is aggressively pursuing Duckworth. Therefore, FSU must intensify its recruiting efforts.
With Henderson unavailable, Coach Norvell and his staff need to expand their search and focus on the remaining candidates. They’ve successfully landed late commitments before, like flipping Kevin Sperry from Oklahoma for the 2025 class. But their 2026 class is still left to get a QB commitment, and while the situation is challenging, FSU will aggressively pursue a top quarterback.
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