Four-star commit discusses what it means to be at Florida State

“If there’s one thing I can say about FSU football that stood out and continues to stick out is, the fight the program that was once a winning program has to rebuild,” Rankins told Chad Simmons of Rivals. “It’s a story to be told. The staff is a brotherhood, just as well as the player core also made them a great pick for me.”

Florida State had an incredible 2023 season led by quarterback Jordan Travis, who was a Heisman Trophy contender. The Seminoles went 13-0 and would have been a College Football Playoff team had Travis not suffered a catastrophic leg injury he suffered in Week 11 against North Alabama.

The 'Noles were left out of the CFP and then lost to Georgia in the Orange Bowl. That set off a chain reaction that saw the Seminoles start the 2024 season at 0-3 with losses to Georgia Tech, Boston College and Memphis while ultimately finishing 2-10.

Norvell and FSU are now trying to get back off the mat after being knocked down hard, and getting a player like Rankins aboard is great way to build some momentum for the future.

Speaking of Norvell, he was a major reason Rankins committed to the Seminoles.

“Coach Norvell is a high-energy guy,” he said. “I have seen and witnessed it when I was in Tallahassee on my official visit. Every morning he greeted me with over-ecstatic energy, and it carried from 6 in the morning to 6 at night.”

Rankings is ranked as the No. 14 defensive lineman in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. 

He clearly believes FSU can bounce back, and he'll be expected to be a big part of the future for the Seminoles. He's the highest-ranked recruit in a class that's ranked No. 10 nationally.