In the midst of the transfer portal and the chaos that comes with it, high school recruiting is quietly continuing as high school prospects have a short window to visit programs before the holidays.

Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County running back Jae Lamar was one of the first 2026 prospects that Florida State has hosted on an unofficial visit since the quiet period opened up. The Rivals100 RB and four-star prospect took in a few games at Doak during the season, but got a more in-depth look at the program last week.

"It was great. I got a chance to view the facilities. I had not got a chance to view the facility. They showed me around a lot of places. The coaches absolutely love me here. I feel like it's a great fit for me — not only because of the football team but because of how they treat their players and recruits," Lamar said.

Florida State was one of the first programs to offer Lamar back in August right as the season began. Running backs coach David Johnson watched some of Lamar's sophomore film and almost instantly offered him. Since then, Lamar has visited Tallahassee a few times for gameday visits.

"Coach YAC said after third play (he saw), he offered me," Lamar explained. "He said he loves how I read the inside zone, great contact balance, my speed, making guys miss, breaking tackles — he was just impressed with the way I run the ball."

Lamar will have an opportunity to be very active on the field at Florida State. The Seminoles already heavily featured their running backs in multiple different formations in the offense and that's a trend that should continue under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

"I had actually heard about him," Lamar said on Malzahn. "I heard that he can do a lot of things and change around a program on the offensive side of the ball. When I got to meet him, I felt like he could do everything that people are saying he could do because being around someone — you can feel when they are for it and when they are not for it. I feel like he is for it and he's great at what he does."

"Being a running back of course you're going to want the ball," he continued. "I feel like Coach Malzahn, he does run the ball a lot. They do a lot of things here at FSU including the running back. Bringing the running back in motion on the perimeter and stuff like that. I like stuff like that and I feel like I could be a part of that one day."

Lamar's mother also accompanied him on the visit and Lamar noted that she "absolutely loved it here."

The four-star's recruitment has gone national this fall, with big-time offers beginning to flood in for the Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County prospect. Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee were programs he mentioned as heavily pursuing him early in the 2026 cycle.

Lamar currently intends to take as many visits as he can during the new year and spring so he can tour and begin to narrow down the right place for him. One of those visits includes yet another trip back to Tallahassee for a "to be determined" junior day visit in January.

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