4-star defensive end trims recruitment, FSU Football makes the cut

Florida State is in the running for one of the top defensive ends in the 2026 class.

On Tuesday, four-star EDGE Zavion Griffin-Haynes announced he was trimming his recruitment to 11 programs. The Seminoles made the cut alongside Miami, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, and North Carolina State.

Griffin-Haynes was on campus for a junior day visit in January. He's expected to return to Tallahassee in April where he could explore the possibility of locking in an official visit to Florida State. One thing working in the Seminoles' favor is that they've already offered Griffin-Haynes' brother, Jayden Griffin-Haynes. The two have expressed wanting to play together at the college level.

FSU director of recruiting strategy, DJ Daniels, spent ample time around Griffin-Haynes while he was on campus. Daniels is a rising star in the personnel department who is from Wilson, North Carolina.

NEWS: Four-Star EDGE Zavion Griffin-Haynes is down to 1️⃣1️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’6 235 EDGE from Rolesville, NC is ranked as a Top 3 EDGE in North Carolina (per On3)

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/gsAblcaqXj pic.twitter.com/1tZOzb3q3B
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 4, 2025

Griffin-Haynes was previously pledged to North Carolina before the program parted ways with Mack Brown. New head coach Bill Belichick has swiftly made him a priority as the Tar Heels try to get him back into their 2026 class.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound defensive end is regarded as the No. 222 overall prospect, the No. 19 EDGE, and the No. 14 recruit in North Carolina in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

Florida State holds seven verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 12 in the country. The Seminoles haven't landed a pledge from a defensive end yet.