Florida State is certainly in need of a boost in experience and production at wide receiver this offseason.
The Seminoles have already brought in one of the most highly-rated transfer wide receivers in this year's portal class in USC transfer Duce Robinson, but hosted another coveted portal receiver over the last few days.
Tennessee transfer Squirrel White wrapped up his first portal visit Saturday afternoon at FSU after spending the better part of 48 hours in town, arriving Thursday afternoon.
Safe to say White enjoyed his time on FSU's campus.
"The visit was amazing. I really liked Tallahassee. It's a place that I can feel like I can be a great fit for this offense," White said after his visit. "Coach (Norvell) does an amazing job here. All of the coaches here just welcomed me here. It really felt like home here."
Originally signing with Tennessee as a three-star prospect in the 2022 class out of Birmingham, Ala., White made an immediate impact for the Volunteers. As a true freshman in 2022, he was fifth on the Tennessee roster with 481 receiving yards along with two touchdown catches.
In 2023, White was UT's leading receiver with 803 receiving yards and two more touchdowns. In 2024, his production stepped back a bit with 381 receiving yards and two more touchdowns and he entered the portal after the season to spend his final year of eligibility elsewhere after amassing 1,665 yards and six touchdown catches in three seasons in Knoxville.
With his proven production, Rivals ranks White as the No. 74 overall prospect and No. 17 wide receiver in this year's transfer portal class.
"It's my last year so I'm looking for a place where I can have a shot, a chance to get to where I'm ultimately trying to go which is the NFL," White said.
At 5-foot-10, 167 pounds, White could be quite a candidate to replace Ja'Khi Douglas in the slot. White says FSU's coaching staff did a good job of selling him on playing time and the opportunity in front of him should he transfer to their team.
"The main thing is I would be the No. 2 (wide receiver) here, meaning I would be getting a lot of touches," White said. "That's something I was big on. That's the reason I mainly got into the portal. Feeling like I could be utilized with that and be able to get the ball in my hands."
White didn't share details of their talk, but said he had a great sit-down conversation with FSU head coach Mike Norvell to close out his visit.
"One thing that stood out to me is how it's a family here," White said. "Everyone around here is just so genuine and so real. That's something I'm big on and heavy about."
While on his visit, White got to talk with Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos, who would be his quarterback should he join the Seminoles. He also got to talk to Robinson, who sold him on the possibility of working together in FSU's rebuilt receiver unit.
"He's a great guy, great quarterback. Obviously came from Boston College, I know what he can do with the ball," White said of Castellanos. "He's a playmaker. Able to extend plays."
In a funny case of schedules aligning, a pair of familiar faces to White were visiting FSU at the same time he was.
White, Tennessee defensive line transfer Jayson Jenkins and Memphis linebacker transfer Elijah Herring all signed with Tennessee as 2022 recruits out of high school. While Herring moved on to Memphis after two seasons at UT, each of them visited FSU and could theoretically reunite in Tallahassee in 2025.
"It was nice seeing those guys come here. You've got Elijah Herring, he's a great linebacker and he'd be a great fit for this team. You've got Jayson Jenkins, a d-lineman, he's a great fit, he's a dog," White said. "Being able to reconnect with those guys was amazing. I'm sure if we come here, we'll be able to hang out each and every day, we'll be comfortable around each other. It would be great."
While the January portal visit window is coming to an end in the next few days, White plans to maximize that time with a few other visits elsewhere. He said while leaving his FSU visit that he is heading straight to Chapel Hill for a North Carolina visit Saturday and that he's visiting Oregon on Monday.
White didn't share a timeline for his decision but it would have to come within the next few days in order to get enrolled in classes at his new school for the spring semester.
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