Florida State flips blue-chip 2026 linebacker away from Ole Miss
Published:
On Friday, Florida State landed a commitment from a familiar name.
Tavares (Fla.) High linebacker Izayia Williams is rejoining the Seminoles’ 2026 recruiting class. Williams was briefly committed to the Noles from September 2024 until November 2024. After giving his verbal pledge to Florida and then Ole Miss in the 10 months since, he is back. Williams announced early Friday morning that he has flipped his commitment from the Rebels to the Seminoles.
Williams told Rivals’ John Garcia Jr. that he intends to shut his recruitment down ahead of January’s enrollment window.
One of the top linebackers in his class, Williams has had a difficult time finding home.
The 6-foot-1 backer initially committed to Louisville in November 2023. He left the Cardinals’ class the following January. In April 2024, he committed to Syracuse, but backed off that pledge in August. After a visit to Florida State in September 2024, Williams gave his verbal pledge to the Seminoles. He left Florida State’s class 2 months later.
He committed to Florida in early March. He then took a visit to Oxford in late April and flipped to Ole Miss a week later.
After giving Ole Miss his verbal commitment, Williams stuck with several of his previously scheduled official visits and continued to explore his options. He made trips to Georgia and Florida during the summer.
Williams is ranked as the third-best linebacker in his class and the eighth-best prospect from the state of Florida. He’s a 4-star recruit in the industry-generated 247 Composite and ranked as the 62nd overall recruit in the country.
The 6-foot-1 linebacker is a decorated athlete for Tavares. He’s a 2-time regional qualifier in the long jump. He qualified for regionals in the 100-meter and shot put as a sophomore. He had 7 tackles in the Under Armour All-America Game earlier this year. As a junior last fall, he made 125 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and an interception. He also recorded 423 rushing yards, 97 receiving yards, and 10 total touchdowns on offense.
Florida State is up to 22 known commitments for its 2026 class now. The group ranks 14th nationally. Ole Miss is left with 15 known pledges for a class that ranks 31st.
You can see Williams’s highlight tape below, via Hudl:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
