North Carolina transfer WR Gavin Blackwell commits to Florida State

North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Gavin Blackwell has committed to transfer to the Florida State Seminoles, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He spent the four previous seasons with North Carolina and he has one season of eligibility remaining.

Blackwell played high school football at Sun Valley (NC), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 170 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Coming out of high school, Blackwell held several major offers. That included from Ohio State, LSU, Florida, and Penn State.

After taking a redshirt in his first season at North Carolina, Gavin Blackwell played in 30 games for the Tar Heels from 2022 through the 2024 season. During that time, he had 31 receptions for 448 yards and a touchdown. That’s 14.5 yards per reception. He also has experience on special teams.

The North Carolina Tar Heels made a change at head coach following the 2024 season, parting ways with Mack Brown. To replace him, North Carolina brought in legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick. However, following spring practice, Blackwell made the decision to exit the program rather than stay and play for Belichick.

Florida State, as a program, is going into its sixth season under head coach Mike Norvell. Under him, the program has found success, including an ACC Championship in 2023. However, the Seminoles struggled in 2024 by going 2-10. Unsurprisingly, that season came with some major changes in Tallahassee, including a change at offensive coordinator, which saw long-time head coach Gus Malzahn come in to run the offense.

Following the addition of Blackwell, Norvell released a statement praising him. In it, he shared what Blackwell brings to the Seminoles.

“I’m excited to welcome Gavin to the Nole family,” Norvell said. “He brings experience and versatility and has played in big games. He can stretch the field vertically with speed and has also proven to be a good route runner with the ability to separate from defenders. Gavin was productive early in his career before having to deal with injuries and setbacks throughout his journey. He will bring a veteran presence to our talented wide receivers room.”

The passing game was a major issue for Florida State in 2024. The Seminoles finished the season 116th out of 134 teams in passing offense, averaging just 180.3 yards per game. Their 11 passing touchdowns were tied for 123rd. That was in a season where the Seminoles were 131st in scoring offense, averaging 15.4 points per game.

Norvell has also been active in the Transfer Portal. Florida State currently has the 28th-ranked transfer class in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. That includes 31 players who have exited the program and another 21 who have entered the program. However, that doesn’t yet include Gavin Blackwell.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.