As Florida State looks to make a resurgence this season, it must be an “all hands on deck” approach from Duce Robinson down to the long snapper to accomplish that goal. Make no mistake, there are some talented pieces on this roster who are constantly in the spotlight.
However, depth is a concern, and for FSU to perform consistently across the entire season, they will need some players to emerge as big-time contributors. Yes, this list could, and probably should, include about 20 to 30 players, but today, we’re focusing on a handful of guys who are under-the-radar players that I feel FSU “needs” to step up in a big way in 2026.
1) Kevin Wynn
The interior defensive line is one of my biggest concerns heading into this season. Darrell Jackson Jr. was a staple inside last year, and while he may not have frequently “popped” on the stat sheet, he played a crucial role in Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense, often soaking up double- and even triple-team blocks. Of all the departures from last year’s roster, Jackson, in my opinion, leaves some of the biggest shoes to fill. FSU has challenged redshirt senior Daniel Lyons to fill the void and has reported good things. But what if they switch to an even front and need a second defensive tackle on the field? What if Lyons needs a breather or has to miss time? That is where Kevin Wynn comes into play.
The 6-foot-2, 317-pound redshirt freshman needs to be a vital part of this defensive line in 2026. Despite slimming down almost 20 pounds heading into fall camp, Wynn is one of only two defensive linemen on the roster who clock in at over 300 pounds. We’ve also heard he has incredible “country strength” to go with his size. As a consensus four-star and top-10 interior defensive lineman coming out of high school, Wynn was one of FSU’s highest-rated prospects at the position in years. It was even reported that during the Navy All-American Bowl, Wynn had to be held out of practice because he was too disruptive. FSU needs that type of disruptive force in the heart of its defensive line this year.
Between battling injury and preserving his redshirt, Wynn only played 40 snaps last season. In White’s defense, it is very multiple up front, so different body types will be moved around, including on the interior. While they have other options, Wynn is one of only a handful of true “big-bodied” defensive tackles in their arsenal. Looking back at how Jackson and Lyons were used last year, FSU will need him to jump from playing 40 snaps to about 400. That’s a sizable increase for the promising young player. If he can serve that role, and do it well, that will alleviate a lot of the concern on the interior of the defensive line.
2) Ashlynd Barker
One of the most important positions in Tony White’s defense is the “rover” safety position. With Earl Little Jr. entering the draft, then reversing course and electing to transfer to Ohio State, FSU had tabbed Ashlynd Barker to fill the role. In that position, Little led the team in tackles by a wide margin last year. Now, yes, it does say something about the front two layers of your defense that a safety led in tackles, but that’s also just part of how the rover position works. It serves as a hybrid safety/linebacker who has the freedom to roam the field and often enter the box to provide run support.
Knowing what the position calls for, at 6-foot-3, 217 pounds, I think the redshirt senior is perfect for this role. He is one of those “tweener” players whose natural position is at safety, where he has played over 750 snaps, but with his size, he could just as easily serve as a linebacker. Barker mostly served in a rotational role until last year, when he started 9 games and gained almost 500 snaps of experience in Tony White’s defense, and performed well. He was second in tackles (48), tied for second in sacks (3.5), third in tackles for loss (5), and had solid PFF grades across the board. Barker having a big year at one of the most important positions in this defense would be a big boost for White’s unit in year two.
3) Deante McCray
A good defensive line is so crucial to me that I had to go back to the well once again for my third pick. Personally, I think McCray is one of the better defensive linemen on the team who doesn’t get talked about enough. He played almost 300 snaps last year after transferring in from Western Kentucky, and despite adjusting to a jump in competition, performed well. McCray was fifth overall in tackles for loss with 4.5 (second-most by a defensive lineman) and fourth in tackles by a defensive lineman (25) despite playing significantly fewer snaps than two of the top three ahead of him. He was also the second-highest-graded defensive lineman in run defense, which is something he excelled at during his time at Western Kentucky.
One nice aspect about McCray is his versatility. He played 100 snaps inside and 194 on the edge. The spotlight is mostly on the Twins after Mandrell Desir’s breakout freshman season, but his run defense wasn’t the greatest. Rylan Kennedy comes in from Texas A&M with a history primarily as a pass-rush specialist. FSU’s run defense struggled at times last season, and I think the 6-foot-4, 291-pound redshirt senior run-stopper could be a big part of leading the charge for a better season and providing versatility and depth across the line of scrimmage.
4) Mikai Gbayor/Caleb LaVallee/Izayia Williams
OK, I’m cheating a little at number four with a three-for-one pick, but here’s why. In Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense, linebacker is such an important position and serves as an extension of the defensive line. Last year was, well, not great. The talk of the offseason was the addition of Southern Miss transfer Chris Jones, who had 135 tackles last year. Then there are Omar Graham and Blake Nichelson, who both return for a “now-or-never” type of season. However, the reason I chose these three guys is that FSU needs more athleticism at the position, and frankly, there’s a reason they keep bringing in a handful of linebackers in search of an answer. Any of the three stepping up would be a big boost at a position that desperately needs it.
Mikai Gbayor has never played a snap in garnet and gold, but comes in with as much experience in Tony White’s system as anyone on the roster after 24 game appearances and 15 starts at Nebraska. Gbayor transferred to North Carolina last year, serving in a reserve role before reuniting with White in Tallahassee. He saw a big improvement in his game in 2024 when he earned a starting position at Nebraska, racking up 49 tackles, 6 TFL, and 3 PBUs. His solid 64.7 coverage grade would have been second-best on the team from a linebacker last year, and no FSU linebacker had more than 1 PBU.
Gbayor still managed 41 tackles last season at UNC with another solid 64.7 coverage grade. That’s only two fewer tackles than FSU’s top two linebackers, who tied at 43, despite Gbayor playing over 125 fewer snaps. There had to be a reason Tony White talked him into coming to Tallahassee for his final season.
Caleb LaVallee is another athletic linebacker who could be a contributor this season. He never played a snap in 2025 due to injury, but he was able to get a head start on learning the defense. He transferred in from UNC, where he was mostly a reserve. However, in his lone start in their bowl game in 2024, he had 9 total tackles, 1 TFL, and a stellar 76.0 PFF grade. He’s now a redshirt junior with a year of studying the system, is finally healthy, and received high remarks in the spring.
Then there is the talented freshman Izayia Williams, who is the x-factor of this group. He was a consensus four-star recruit and top-10 linebacker in last year’s class. Williams was coming off an ACL injury his senior season in high school, but appears to be back moving well and ready for fall camp. As a true freshman coming off an injury, he may need some time to earn his spot, but on paper, he’s the most talented player in the entire linebacker room.
5) Landen Thomas
I haven’t forgotten about the offense, but outside of the offensive line, it feels like we know more about what we’re getting from that side of the ball. However, there are a few that stand out. One of the questions on offense this season is who will step up as wide receiver three. Will it be Jayvan Boggs, Devin Carter, or Jasen Lopez? My guess is a rotation of all three. But what if there was another dynamic target that could help relieve the pressure on three young receivers to perform? Mike Norvell’s offense likes to feature the tight end position more than Gus Malzahn’s, so this is a great opportunity for the former five-star to finally live up to his billing.
After becoming a bright spot on a bad team in 2024, when he started the final seven games and caught 17 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, Thomas fell off the radar in 2025. He only played 114 snaps last year, bringing in 3 passes for 35 yards and two touchdowns, as Randy Pittman got the bulk of the work. After flirting with the portal this offseason, FSU was able to convince him to stay in Tallahassee. They did add ECU transfer Desirrio Riles, but Pittman and Amaree Williams are gone, opening the door for Thomas to have a rebound season. Mike Norvell’s tight end room put up around 500 yards in 2022 and 750 in 2023. If Thomas can take that step and become the player he was recruited to be, that would add a dangerous weapon to an already loaded skill-position group.
6) Chimdia Nwaiwu
Florida State is starting from scratch on the offensive line for a second year in a row. This time around, they do have a few homegrown guys in the mix, but will once again be heavily relying on the transfers. Xavier Chaplin is an experienced Power 4 starter and is already penciled in as a starting tackle. He’s a high-floor, potentially high-ceiling guy. The tackle spot opposite Chaplin, though, is more of a gamble. FSU added FCS transfer Chimdia Nwaiwu, who has size and two years of experience, but has never played a snap at the FBS level, let alone Power 4.
FSU has some options if things don’t work out with Nwaiwu. Bowling Green transfer Nate Pabst could slide out to tackle, where he started 11 games throughout his career, but he fits better at guard, where most of his experience has been. There’s Jonathan Daniels, who is also in the mix for the starting job, but has only played 82 snaps, most of which were in the cupcake games last year. If Nwaiwu could be a steady force at right tackle and allow FSU to keep its guards at guard and not have to force someone into action that may or may not be ready, that would be a big boost for the offensive line. I’m not even saying he needs to be All-ACC caliber, but not being a liability would be a good start.
Final Thoughts
FSU has a few known commodities on this year’s team who give them a real ceiling if things click. However, football is a sport that requires teams to be a well-oiled machine, and you are only as strong as your weakest links. For them to be able to take advantage of guys like Duce Robinson, Ousmane Kromah, and talent in the secondary, they will need guys like the ones on this list to step up and play a big role. Each year, teams across the country have players who “break out,” and these are a few under-the-radar options I’d like to see break out for the Noles in 2026, because it would really help them reach that ceiling. Stay tuned for the next segment in this series, where I’ll break down 6 x-factor players who could change FSU’s season. Thanks for reading, and Go Noles!