One of the fastest-rising prospects in the nation has officially signed with the Seminoles.
Franklin Whitley is a 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive lineman out of Greenville, South Carolina. 247Sports Composite considers him the 419th best player in the nation (46th best DL, 9th best in SC). 247 itself considers him a top-250 player. FSU was able to land Whitley over Tennessee, South Carolina, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia Tech, amongst others.
Whitley’s recruitment surged toward the end of the season, earning numerous offers from major programs. According to MaxPreps, he racked up 39 tackles (14 for loss), 14 QB hurries, four pass deflections, three sacks, and a forced fumble in his first season of football.
As an accomplished basketball player, he is able to translate his exceptional athleticism into his play along the line. Whitley has perhaps the highest ceiling of any #Tribe26 signee but will certainly need a lot of development with technical aspects of his game. It would be a welcome sight for a Florida State program in need of difference-makers, even if it takes a little longer.
From his official Florida State bio:
Four-star defensive lineman…rated No. 246 nationally by 247Sports…ranked as top-50 defensive lineman and top-15 player in South Carolina by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals…racked up 39 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble and four pass breakups in 2025…reached second round of 5A state playoffs in first season playing high school football after standout prep basketball career…averaged 9.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as junior as Greenville won state championship…MVP of state championship game vs. Goose Creek with 25 points and 14 rebounds…chose Florida State over offers from Clemson, South Carolina and Alabama, among others.
