FSU football expands recruiting board with new offer

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated May 16, 2025 8:30 AM ET

Florida State made a ton of changes to the coaching staff this offseason. Few were more notable than the Seminoles hiring Terrance Knighton away from Nebraska to replace legendary defensive line coach Odell Haggins.

Knighton hit the ground running, playing a role in FSU retaining Darrell Jackson Jr., who had previously announced intentions to enter the NFL Draft. However, his recruiting has drawn criticism from the fanbase in recent weeks as the Seminoles have yet to add a defensive lineman to #Tribe26.

Florida State is looking to change the tides in the near future.

On Thursday, the Seminoles extended a scholarship offer to three-star defensive tackle Wihtlley Cadeau, who referenced Knighton when revealing the news on social media.

Cadeau is a rising senior out of the Peach State who has earned interest from Georgia, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Purdue, Georgia State, and UConn, among others, since the beginning of the year.

So far, he's set up official visits to the South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State.

Blessed to receive an offer from Florida state university @Coach_Knighton @LSMITH_BIGCOACH @BTWFOOTBALL1 pic.twitter.com/X09JbdxQhy
— wihtlley (@wihtlleycadeau) May 15, 2025

Cadeau is coming off a junior season where he totaled 39 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one sack. He recorded a season-high eight tackles in a 35-10 loss to New Manchester High School on August 15.

Though Cadeau is certainly a raw prospect, he's got intriguing potential. Plus, he's actually a somewhat attainable prospect for Florida State if the program can get him in for an official visit.

The 6-foot-5, 295-pound defensive lineman is regarded as the No. 470 overall prospect, the No. 54 DL, and the No. 56 recruit in Georgia in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

Florida State holds nine verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 23 in the country.