Where FSU football's decommitments ended up after flipping elsewhere

Florida State signed the largest prep/JUCO class of the Mike Norvell era on Wednesday. The Seminoles inked 32 prospects, including top-100 cornerback Chauncey Kennon, one of the top recruits in Florida.

While #Tribe26 is top-heavy in quantity, the group is lacking blue-chip talent. Part of that is due to FSU missing out on high-priority targets. The other half of the equation are the 11 recruits who decommitted from the Seminoles throughout the cycle.

Two of those prospects, four-star wide receiver Devin Carter and four-star linebacker Izayia Williams, made their way back to Florida State.

The other nine signed elsewhere. We'll take a look at where they landed below, ordered by the date of their respective decommitments from FSU.

Jaelen Waters, Four-Star Cornerback

Decommitment Date: May 30, 2024

Signed With: Miami

Waters committed to Florida State in the spring of 2024. He backed off that pledge a month later and went off the board to Florida over the summer. Waters moved on from the Gators earlier this year, landing with Miami a short time later. In an eventual recruitment, he was committed to all of the big-three programs in the Sunshine State.

Brady Smigiel, Four-Star Quarterback

Decommitment Date: January 26, 2025

Signed With: Michigan

Smigiel was primed to be Florida State's quarterback of the future, committing before the beginning of the 2024 season. However, the Seminoles changed up their offensive staff, bringing in Gus Malzahn to take over as the primary play-caller for Mike Norvell. That led Smigiel to hit the open market.

After taking a few visit, Smigiel committed to Michigan. He missed the majority of his senior season due to an ACL injury but is still considered a blue-chip prospect.

Xavier Payne, Three-Star Offensive Tackle

Decommitment Date: June 22, 2025

Signed With: Colorado

Payne was offensive line coach Herb Hand's first high school commitment after he arrived in Tallahassee. He began to take visits during the offseason, backing off his pledge after trips to Syracuse and Colorado. Payne decided to take his talents to Boulder. Not a major loss, but he would have been one of the only offensive tackle bodies in the class.

James Carrington, Three-Star Defensive Lineman

Decommitment Date: August 14, 2025

Signed With: Oklahoma

Carrington chose Florida State in June following an official visit. It was a confusing take at the time because he seemed maxed out as a prospect and was trending in the wrong direction in the rankings. Oklahoma secured him with a bigger NIL offer. The Seminoles were able to fill out the defensive trenches with plenty of other players.

Tedarius Hughes, Four-Star Safety

Decommitment Date: November 4, 2025

Signed With: Syracuse

Hughes was an early commitment, choosing FSU over Louisville and Syracuse before the 2024 season. He stuck with the Seminoles through a 2-10 campaign and the majority of this fall. However, Hughes flipped to Syracuse in early November, joining his high school teammate, five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell, with the Orange.

It was a tough loss as Hughes fit the mold of what the Seminoles are searching for in the defensive backfield. Plus, he chose to go out of state to play for a 3-9 program that lost its final eight games over FSU.

Tico Crittendon, Three-Star Defensive Lineman

Decommitment Date: November 5, 2025

Signed With: Mississippi State

Crittendon committed to Florida State over the summer. He hopped off the wagon when the struggles began to pile up. Crittendon took late official visits to Georgia Tech and Mississippi State. He signed with the Bulldogs during the Early Signing Period.

Jay Timmons, Four-Star Cornerback

Decommitment Date: November 6, 2025

Signed With: Ohio State

Arguably the biggest defeat of the recruiting cycle, Florida State flipped Timmons from Indiana over the summer shortly after offering him a scholarship. A Seminole legacy and the son of former FSU linebacker Lawrence Timmons, it was an offer Timmons always wanted.

Timmons skyrocketed in the rankings throughout his senior season, beginning to field interest from elite programs. A push from the defending national champions, along with Florida State's instability, was enough to keep him closer to his home state of Pennsylvania.

He would've been the second highest-ranked recruit to sign with FSU this December.

Da'Ron Parks, Three-Star Offensive Lineman

Decommitment Date: November 24, 2025

Signed With: North Carolina

Parks committed to Florida State over the summer, choosing the program over Ohio State and Kentucky. He backed off that pledge in late November. Parks signed with North Carolina on Wednesday.

Sean Johnson, Three-Star Cornerback

Decommitment Date: November 28, 2025

Signed With: Maryland

Florida State identified Johnson over the offseason, offering him a scholarship in January. He pledged to the Seminoles in April and said his recruitment was "100% locked down" after his summer official visit.

That clearly wasn't the case. Maryland ponied up a big push to keep Johnson closer to home. It's believed the Terrapins closed the deal with a generous financial package.

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