The FSU Seminoles are looking to get back on track in 2026, and they will be counting on star wide receiver Duce Robinson to help them do so. He was one of three players that head coach Mike Norvell brought to the 2026 ACC Kickoff in Charlotte to preview the season.
Robinson, who received praise from Norvell and new starting quarterback Ashton Daniels, is the most proven player on the team and their leader. He had a breakout 2025 season, finishing with 56 receptions for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns, making the All-ACC First Team.
The FSU legacy explored the NFL draft after his strong season, but elected to come back to Tallahassee for a second season to try to boost his stock and get the Seminoles back to playing winning football.
He discussed FSU’s wide receiver, his NFL evaluation, and more on Wednesday. Here are his full comments from his time at the main stage.
You’re hosting a pickleball classic for the Special Olympics. What went into that decision and why is it important to you?
DUCE ROBINSON: I always felt a special kinship to the Special Olympics. Ever since high school, a lot of our managers had been a part of the Special Olympics. I just know how much sports means to them, you know what I mean? And seeing that, growing up around that, just made me really close to it.
Then I love pickle ball. I know a lot of people love pickle ball. It made sense. People would want to show up, compete a little bit, have some fun, while also being able to give to something bigger than themselves.
Through that, I want to give all the donations to the Special Olympics and hopefully bring some smiles to people’s faces.
Q. You had a chance to get evaluated by the NFL. What were maybe one or two things that you took away that you’re going to try to improve?
DUCE ROBINSON: Yeah, that’s a great question.
A couple things that they had said, they would love to see me improve my game upon, they would love to see that I can play a couple more positions, play all over the field.
A lot of times last year I would be outside in the boundary. This year they want to be able to see me all over the field, which is one of the great things about Coach Norvell and Coach Harris’ offense, is they put their play-makers in positions to win, no matter where it might be.
So I’m really looking forward to being a part of that offense.
Then to go along with that, just being able to run a little bit more of the route tree. Last year I was running a lot of the same routes, so just being able to show that I can be a complete receiver in myself, be successful at the next level, that’s one of the main reasons I came back.
Q. How have you seen Danzy and Boggs improve and develop?
DUCE ROBINSON: Those dudes, they have ceilings about as high as I’ve ever seen. Danzy is going into his second true year of being a receiver. He’s still figuring it out on the fly. I don’t think a lot of people realize that about last year.
Last year was his first year playing receiver, right? He had the year he had with that being the first time he’s ever done it before.
Seeing his route tree expand, seeing him clean up his footwork, seeing him clean up his releases, he’s going to be very, very dangerous.
Then Boggs, just being able to become a little bit more comfortable in the system, getting a year under his belt. Obviously he was able to play in some big games last year, have some big moments. But you’ve seen a lot of his maturity grow like up in his mind, the way he’s mentally processing the game, the way he’s carrying himself, the way he’s even leading, speaking up throughout the room, it’s been really impressive to watch.
So I’m really excited to see those two guys grow. I’m really excited to see our entire room, though. We have some young guys who have come in, started to kill it, especially throughout the spring. We have a couple more guys, couple more sophomores, guys who are going to be redshirt freshmen and sophomores, who are going to kill it.
Ultimately as a room, I think we have a very, very talented room. I’m really excited to see what they do when fall comes around.
Q. You’ve experienced different schools, then being at the same school with a different quarterback. The nature of change and how you’ve been able to adjust to all the change in your career.
DUCE ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, I think human life is about change, right? We get into a routine, then that routine gets broken. We have to adjust. We have to adapt. We have to make the best with what we have, right?
Like you said, this is going to be my fourth quarterback in four years. Ashton is among the best. Ashton has been absolutely fantastic with everything he’s done since the very first day he’s shown up. I knew Ashton way before. We had started to form a friendship. Ever since he’s shown up on campus, that dude has been every single thing you would want in a quarterback.
Obviously on the field he’s one of the most athletic guys we have on the team and his arm talent is through the roof. But then off the field, like his leadership ability, the way he connects with the guys, the way he carries himself, like the way he does absolutely everything, is exactly how you want your quarterback to be.
I’m super excited to see what he’s going to do. I’m really excited about the energy around the team. It just feels different. There’s a buzz, there’s an excitement, there’s just a buy-in throughout the guys. You can feel it. Every single day the guys are excited to come to work.
The closer we get to camp, to season, it just continues to grow and grow and grow. I personally can’t wait to see what that is going to look like when camp comes around, and ultimately what that is going to look like when season hits.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Everything FSU’s Duce Robinson said at ACC Kickoff
Reporting by JD McCarthy, FSU Wire / FSU Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By JD McCarthy, FSU Wire | USA TODAY Network
