4-star DL Earnest Rankins commits to Florida State

Decatur (Ga.) Cedar Grove four-star defensive lineman Earnest Rankins has committed to Florida State, he told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Wednesday afternoon.

He chose the Seminoles over Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State and others.

“If there’s one thing I can say about FSU football that stood out and continues to stick out is, the fight the program that was once a winning program has to rebuild,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “It’s a story to be told. The staff is a brotherhood just as well as the player core also made them a great pick for me.”

Rivals ranks the 6-foot-4, 260-pounder as the nation’s No. 47 overall prospect. Rankins is the No. 113 recruit and 10 DL in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

It’s another Peach State win on the recruiting trail for head coach Mike Norvell and FSU. The Noles got Rankins back to Tallahassee for an official visit last month.

“Coach Norvell is an high energy guy,” he added. “I have seen and witnessed it when I was in Tallahassee on my official visit. Every morning he greeted my with over ecstatic energy and it carried from 6 in the morning to 6 at night.”

Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton helped lead the ACC program’s charge for the blue-chipper.

“It was an eye opening visit for sure,” Rankins told Warchant after his OV. “It was great I got to see how the team, players work. Florida State is very high energy and I like that.”

“We sat in the film study for like an hour and he showed me in the tape work that I can be a strong player,” he added of Knighton. “Showed me things with extension in film. It was an extension of my get off. I’m versatile so I can do 1-to-5 on the defensive line.”

The FSU 2026 class now features five D-line commitments. June brought pledges from Lithonia (Ga.) four-star Tico Crittendon, Irvine (Calif.) Crean Lutheran three-star James Carrington, Atlanta Booker T Washington three-star Wihtlley Cadeau and Miami Coral Gables Senior three-star Luke Francis.