Florida State offensive tackle pledge reveals official visit dates

Florida State offensive line coach Herb Hand landed his first prep recruit when 2026 offensive tackle Xavier Payne announced his commitment to the program in December. Payne is a nice starting point for #Tribe26 upfront considering the size he brings to the table at 6-foot-7.

Since pledging to the Seminoles, Payne has remained relatively open to being recruited by other programs. He's progressed to the point of scheduling official visits and he's expected to check out multiple programs outside of FSU.

According to Rivals's John Garcia, Payne has five trips set up for this summer; Penn State (May 16-18), Syracuse (June 6-8), Georgia (June 13-15), Florida State (June 20-22), and Arkansas (June 30). Payne will be in Tallahassee during what is turning into a big recruiting weekend for the Seminoles.

FSU typically hosts as many targets as possible in late June compared to earlier in the month.

6-foot-7 Orlando (Fla.) Jones OL & FSU commitment Xavier Payne (@NYPayne58) tells @Rivals he's set the following official visits:

Penn State May 16 🦁

Syracuse June 6 🍊

Georgia June 13 🐶

Florida State June 20 🍢

Arkansas June 30 🐗https://t.co/CmRmZYUPmx @Osceola_Rivals
— John Garcia, Jr. (@JohnGarcia_Jr) February 21, 2025

Payne started at left tackle during his junior season at Jones High School. He helped the Tigers make an appearance in the state championship game, coming up short 40-31 to American Heritage and FSU signee, Gregory Xavier Thomas. Payne brings tremendous size to the table and has a lot of potential. He was a prep teammate of Florida State quarterback Trever Jackson.

The Florida native has built a strong relationship with Hand and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn dating back to their time at UCF. He picked up an offer from the Knights and visited the program multiple times. A return trip to FSU in the spring is likely a priority as he hasn't been on campus since right before his commitment.

The 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman is regarded as the No. 637 overall prospect, the No. 49 OT, and the No. 89 recruit in Florida in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

Florida State holds seven verbal commitments in its 2026 class which ranks No. 11 in the country.

Who Is Committed To FSU In The 2026 Class?

Four-Star WR Efrem White

Four-Star WR Darryon Williams

Four-Star DB Darryl Bell III

Four-Star RB Amari Clemons

Four-Star DB Tedarius Hughes

Three-Star LB Karon Maycock

Three-Star OL Xavier Payne

Who Does Florida State Have At Offensive Line For The 2025 Season?

Redshirt Senior Luke Petitbon

Redshirt Senior Gunnar Hansen

Redshirt Senior Micah Pettus

Redshirt Senior Adrian Medley

Redshirt Senior Richie Leonard IV

Redshirt Senior TJ Ferguson

Redshirt Senior Jacob Rizy

Redshirt Junior Jaylen Early

Redshirt Sophomore Lucas Simmons

Redshirt Sophomore Andre' Otto

Redshirt Freshman Tye Hylton

Redshirt Freshman Jon Daniels

Redshirt Freshman Manasse Itete

Redshirt Freshman Jayden Todd

True Freshman Mario Nash Jr.

True Freshman Sean Poret

True Freshman Chastan Brown

True Freshman Sandman Thompson

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