Mike Norvell expresses excitement over adding Jeremiah Wilson to Florida State

Mike Norvell believes the addition of transfer cornerback Jeremiah Wilson will have a big impact on the Florida State secondary this coming season. Wilson is the lone transfer that the Seminoles brought in at the position, and Norvell couldn’t stop piling the praise on as he recapped the spring season.

Wilson was the No. 2 cornerback in this cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking after spending the 2024 season at Houston. He played the first two seasons of his college career at Syracuse, where he was recruited by first-year FSU defensive coordinator Tony White.

Norvell explained that it was that connection combined with the obvious talent that Wilson has that made him an immediate target for the Seminoles in the portal. Although Wilson didn’t compete with FSU in the spring as he signed in April, those relationships give Norvell confidence it’s the right fit.

“I’m excited about that group,” the coach said. “I think we’ve got some really talented guys at the corner position. There’s versatility in where they can line up and what they can do. Obviously a lot of competition. Jeremiah, it was twofold. When he announced he was going in the portal, we really got a chance to study and go through all things of what he was able to do this last year. Coach White was involved in his recruiting process when he went to Syracuse, so there was a familiarity of the young man.

“But even just in seeing his growth and when he went in the portal, he had something that we knew we wanted to pursue. Getting him here on campus, you get a chance to be around him in person and just his energy, the work ethic that he has, the desire to come in and be able to pour all that he has into this team. He’s loved Florida State his entire life and now getting a chance to end his collegiate career here as a Florida State Seminole.”

Wilson played high school football in Kissimme, Florida, at Osceola High School, where he was a three-star recruit. So this marks a return to his home state and a chance to play for a team that he grew up around.

Wilson finished with a career-best four interceptions this past season at Houston, which also ranked second on the team. He started the final eight games for the Cougars and added 24 total tackles along with four passes defended.

Norvell pointed to that production, as well as what Wilson accomplished with Syracuse, where he started five out of 22 career games. More than that, though, familiarity continued to be a theme. The coach also mentioned that Wilson knows and has trained with fellow cornerback Cai Bates, who played at Edgewater High School in Orlando. That has allowed for even more chemistry developing right away in the room.

“A guy that’s been highly productive. He is a football guy and he’s very active around the ball,” Norvell said of Wilson. “Throws his body around. Plays with high energy. Really has a relentless kind of mindset in the game and he’s been a great playmaker. So we’re looking forward to what he brings to the corner position and I think it was the right fit and had the relationship that Cai Bates and him have been training for years.

“Being able to kind of hear even Cai’s perspective on him, coach White, guys that had been around him. He was the right guy for our cornerback room to be able to come in and we’re excited what that will do for that room and seeing those guys continue to elevate.”