FSU football transfer portal: Which positions should Seminoles target?
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Few things have been more synonymous in recent college football seasons than Florida State football and the transfer portal.
The Seminoles, under head coach Mike Norvell, have relied on the portal since he arrived in Tallahassee in 2019. The success rate has varied for the program, with the portal-heavy roster of 2023 reaching the heights of an undefeated regular season, but terrible lows in 2024 and 2025, going a combined 7-17.
Norvell brought in his largest prep class with 32 signees in the 2026 recruiting class. And while he had some hits in his 2025 class with the likes of Daryll and Mandrell Desir, Kevin Wynn and Shamar Arnoux, the Seminoles will need to use the portal again to strengthen positions.
Will quarterback be one of them? Almost certainly. But alongside that, both the offensive and defensive lines, linebackers and players in the secondary could be in play.
FSU has taken 10 or more transfers in each of Norvell’s seasons, and that trend will likely continue this year, though don’t expect the Seminoles to sign 23 portal players like the program did last offseason.
Despite 10 transfer portal entries so far, the Seminoles will likely have a chance at retaining a fair amount of their players from the 2025 season. So, where is FSU going to focus on the portal? Let’s take a look.
What quarterbacks are FSU football targeting? Are there any surprises?
The future of quarterback Tommy Castellanos remains a mystery, but with his appeal for an extra season of eligibility ongoing, the Seminoles have little time to waste waiting for a judge’s decision. The quarterback position has been a position of need for the program since the departure of Jordan Travis, with DJ Uiagalelei not living up to expectations behind a horrid offensive line, and Castellanos playing average to an above-average level at best.
Could FSU ride it out with Kevin Sperry or true freshman Jaden O’Neal, sure, but Norvell needs to win next year to save his job, so a proven portal quarterback makes sense.
Old Dominion signal caller Colton Joseph is well-liked within the program, and he has two years of eligibility left. He posted 2,624 yards, 21 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions, while adding 1,007 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. His dual-threat ability would fit the offense of Gus Malzahn, who is currently expected to return as offensive coordinator, and he gives FSU stability at the position for two years, should he be successful.
If the Seminoles want another one-year rental, Harvard graduate transfer Jaden Craig or Division II West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes could be potential options.
Craig threw for 2,869 yards for the Crimson, while adding 25 touchdowns. He is more of a pocket passer, so that could limit the interest from the Seminoles, who would prefer a dual-threat, but it’s a name to monitor.
Stokes threw for over 3,000 yards for West Florida, with 30 touchdowns, and he added 367 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was a four-star QB coming out of high school and committed to Florida, but after a viral video surfaced in which he used a racial slur during a song, he lost his scholarship and ended up at West Florida.
Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt and talented Notre Dame backup Kenny Minchey will be highly coveted, but with the Seminoles’ track record of not shelling out for a quarterback and recent struggles, they’ll likely be on the outside looking in with those two.
The Seminoles could strengthen the defensive, offensive front
FSU’s 2025 starting offensive line was one of the ACC’s best, and it was filled with veterans who are not coming back to the team. The starting line of Luke Petitbon, Richie Leonard IV, Adrian Medley, Micah Pettus and Gunnar Hansen are out of eligibility, and versatile backup Jacob Rizy is also out of eligibility.
So the Seminoles need reinforcements, and despite a crop of young talent on the offensive line, a few veterans in the portal could and should be expected. Players like Lucas Simmons, Jonathan Daniels, and Andre Otto are likely to compete for starting reps, but adding some veteran leaders into the room could pay dividends, like it did this year.
On the defensive side of the ball, Darrell Jackson Jr. is off to the NFL, and FSU needs help at the edge position.
The hire of Nick Williams from Syracuse could help develop talent actively on the roster, but getting a talented edge from he portal would help solidify the line, with the talented Desir twins and Wynn seemingly ready to take a more prominent role next season.
Don’t expect a ton of additions on the defensive line, but targeting a high-level edge rusher is on the cards.
A familiar linebacker in the portal, what other positions could FSU look at?
There are a few holes that the Seminoles could try to fill with portal additions, including in the linebacker room. While 4-star signee Izayia Williams is a big swing and a potential instant impact player if he heals well from his knee injury, additional support in that room should be sought after.
Enter Tavion Wallace, a 4-star recruit that FSU was heavily involved in before he committed to Arkansas. Wallace has entered the portal, and he could be a fit for the Seminoles, though Wallace will likely draw large interest, including from Florida.
Another name with more experience is North Carolina’s Khmori House, who has two years of experience under his belt. He recorded 78 total tackles, 2.5 for loss, a sack, one forced fumble, and an interception for the Tar Heels, and he could be an impact starter for FSU if he decides to stick in the ACC for his junior season.
A few other names include two local defensive backs.
Florida High grad and FIU transfer Jessiah McGrew, son of Sam McGrew, who played for FSU from 2002-2005, entered the portal after a standout freshman season with the Panthers. With Jeremiah Wilson out of eligibility, Earl Little Jr’s future in flux, and Edwin Joseph transferring out, defensive back depth is likely to be a target. Former Wakulla defensive back Nehemiah Chandler is transferring from South Alabama. Chandler had the most passes defended in the Sun Belt this season, and spent his freshman year at Georgia Tech.
FSU players expected to enter the portal
- DB Edwin Joseph, Dec. 10
- WR Willy Suarez, Dec. 10
- RB Jaylin Lucas, Dec. 10
- DT Jamorie Flagg, Dec. 10
- TE Luke Dougals, Dec. 10
- OT Mario Nash Jr., Dec. 9
- DT L A Jessie Harrold, Dec. 6
- DT Tyland Coleman, Dec. 9
- LB Jayden Parrish, Dec. 5
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football transfer portal targets, positions of need for 2026
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