Florida State continues its run of hot recruiting on the defensive line with the commitment of Tucker (Ga.) Southwest DeKalb defensive lineman Earnest Rankins.
Ranked as a composite four-star prospect, Rankins chose Florida State over Auburn and Georgia.
Rankins officially visited Florida State earlier in the month of June and it was his first visit to campus. The visit surged the Seminoles towards the top of his recruitment and eventually overtook Auburn as the favorite to land his services.
"It was very eye-opening," Rankins told the Osceola after his official visit. "I got to see how the team, players and coaches work together. I can say Florida State have very high energy.”
"I like them a lot,” he later added. “It's just something about the team. I've been around all the teams, a couple of times, the players and it's something that stands out."
Rankins is considered to be the No. 113 prospect nationally and the No. 10 defensive line prospect in the On3 composite rankings.
Rankins is the 21st commit of Mike Norvell’s 2026 recruiting class and joins a defensive line class that also includes three-star James Carrington, four-star Tico Crittendon Jr. and three-star Wihtlley Cadeau.
Florida State now occupies the No. 11 class on On3 and the No. 10 class on 247’s composite rankings.
