Florida State landed a legacy commitment Saturday night when class of 2026 athlete Jonah Winston, the brother of former Seminoles Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, announced his pledge shortly after the program completed its Week 1 31-17 upset over No. 8 Alabama.
Winston, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect from Birmingham, Alabama, is a three-star recruit in the current cycle. He lands as the 22nd overall commit in Florida State's 2026 class.
He plays quarterback and wide receiver at Hoover High School in Birmingham and projects as a pass catcher at the FBS level. He caught 38 passes for 542 yards and three touchdowns as a junior last fall, adding another five scores on the ground.
Jameis Winston cemented his place in Seminoles history across three seasons on campus from 2012 to 2014. Winston was a consensus All-American in the 2013 season, when he led Florida State to a national title win over Auburn and became the program's third Heisman Trophy winner. Winston was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft and is entering his 11th NFL season this fall with the New York Giants.
Florida State entered Saturday ranked No. 13 in ESPN's class rankings for the 2026 cycle. That group includes 12 ESPN 300 commits, headlined by top-50 defenders Izayia Williams (No. 39 overall) and Chauncey Kennon (No. 48). Winston marks the latest addition to a talented pass-catching class led by four-star tight end Xavier Tiller (No. 84) and wide receivers Devin Carter (No. 130) and Brandon Bennett (No. 207).
On the heels of a 2-10 finish in 2024, coach Mike Norvell and the Seminoles opened 2025 with a resounding win against Alabama on Saturday afternoon. Florida State is set to host East Texas A&M in Week 2 (noon ET, ACC Network) before an open date in Week 3.
