Florida State dealt major blow with legacy blue-chip flipping to Ohio State

Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland cornerback Jay Timmons, the son of former Florida State All-American and NFL linebacker Lawrence Timmons, flipped his commitment from Florida State to Ohio State on Thursday. The big recruiting blow for Mike Norvell’s Seminoles could serve as a precursor for the program. 

Timmons, who is ranked by Rivals as the nation’s No. 2 cornerback and No. 29 overall prospect in the 2026 class, said the Buckeyes’ culture and ongoing development of defensive backs won him over. 

“I want to compete with the best,” he told On3. “The standard that I need to push me is at Ohio State.”

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound two-way standout took his official visit to Columbus for Ohio State’s win over Penn State, describing the atmosphere as unreal. “People don’t stop saying O-H-I-O,” Timmons added. “The people here are super loyal.”

The flip adds to Ohio State’s 2026 class, which now holds 23 commitments and sits just outside the top 10 nationally.

For Norvell and Florida State, losing a legacy recruit of Timmons’ raises questions about the program’s momentum in the midst of a subpar 2025 campaign. The Seminoles have battled to keep blue-chip defensive targets in the fold amid uncertainty about Norvell’s long-term future, and this miss, particularly one involving a Timmons family tie, shows the pressure is on in Tallahassee

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