31-TD Running Back Sets Commitment Date with FSU Football In Contention
The Florida State Seminoles went through an offseason transition at running back that involved both personnel and the coaching staff.
New position coach Kam Martin came to Tallahassee expecting to work alongside Gus Malzahn, as he did at UCF previously. Malzahn surprisingly retired earlier this year, but that doesn't change what Martin brings to the table with his energetic personality and proven development.
READ MORE: FSU Football QB Ashton Daniels Just Received a Brutal Ranking
Last month, Martin added his first commitment since being hired by the Seminoles, securing four-star running back Jayden Miles over Ohio State, LSU, Auburn, Kentucky, and Texas Tech.
Florida State could look to bring in another ball carrier, especially with the unit being somewhat thin entering the season, and beyond.
An option that the Seminoles have monitored in recent months will soon make an announcement.
Three-Star RB Committing This Month With FSU In Final Four
Three-star running back Asa Barnes was supposed to officially visit Florida State last month. That trip never transpired, but it appears he's still high on the Seminoles.
Barnes is planning to announce his commitment on July 29. Four teams remain in the hunt; FSU, Arkansas, Tennessee, and USC.
Considering that Barnes didn't make it to Tallahassee for his visit but did see Arkansas and Tennessee, it's hard to deny that the Volunteers and Razorbacks probably have the edge at this stage.
NEWS RB Asa Barnes will announce his commitment live on the Rivals YouTube channel on July 29
- Rivals (@Rivals) July 8, 2026
His finalists are Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida State and USC.
Read: https://t.co/MWyp57n7ripic.twitter.com/rioUZX5iEx
It also remains unclear whether Florida State is still pushing for a commitment from Barnes. The Seminoles were interested in three-star athlete Marquis Fennell but the South Georgia star chose Stanford instead.
Fennell provides more versatility than Barnes.
FSU was one of the first programs to offer Barnes a few years ago. Since then, there's obviously been a pretty big change with Martin sliding into David Johnson's place. Johnson is the running backs coach at Arkansas, which seems to be in a good spot to secure Barnes.
During his junior season at Westview High School, Barnes rushed 146 times for 1,208 yards and 25 touchdowns. He added 27 receptions for 567 yards and six more scores.
Barnes helped guide his squad to a 14-0 record and a state championship.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back is regarded as the No. 551 overall prospect, the No. 33 RB, and the No. 24 recruit in Tennessee in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite Ratings.
Information On Florida State's 2027 Class
Florida State holds 13 verbal commitments in #Tribe27, which ranks No. 59 in the country.
Who Is Committed To FSU In The 2027 Class?
Three-Star QB Logan Flaherty
Four-Star RB Jayden Miles
Four-Star WR Sean Green
Three-Star WR Majay Thompson
Three-Star TE Connor Winn
Four-Star DE Anthony Cavallaro
Three-Star DE Jaxon Holly
Four-Star DL Sam LeJeune
Three-Star DL Eric Vaulx Jr.
Four-Star LB Jernard Albright
Three-Star LB Olrick Johnson III
Three-Star LB CJ Ohuabunwa
Three-Star DB Jemari Foreman
Who Does Florida State Have At Running Back For The 2026 Season?
Tre Wisner, Senior
Samuel Singleton Jr., Redshirt Junior
Gemari Sands, Redshirt Junior
Zay Parks, Redshirt Sophomore
Ousmane Kromah, Sophomore
Amari Thomas, Freshman
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as 31-TD Running Back Sets Commitment Date with FSU Football In Contention.
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM.