FSU football: Options at defensive end with Derrick McLendon departure
By Kelvin Hunt
Other Options
Gilber Edmond, Byron Turner Jr., and Dennis Briggs could be options. Edmond transferred from South Carolina and joined the program this spring.
He’s already asserted himself and will be a contributor at the defensive end position whether McLendon was on the team or not. I’ve said it several times, but Edmond played way too many snaps at South Carolina last season, which likely impacted his level of play.
I don’t see him playing over 600 snaps this season, so I think we’ll get a higher level of play. Byron Turner Jr. is a player who has battled injuries since arriving in Tallahassee.
He redshirted in 2021 and appeared in eight games last season. He only totaled three tackles but checks in at 6’3″ and 237 pounds and is someone the coaching staff likes quite a bit. McLendon’s exit allows him to get more reps and develop.
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The other name is Dennis Briggs Jr. He came to FSU as a defensive end and looked promising before an injury ended his 2021 campaign.
The coaching staff moved him to defensive tackle in 2022 out of necessity due to a lack of depth. The defensive tackle room is among the deepest units on the team, so it’s possible they could slide him back out to the end position if push comes to shove.
Briggs checks in at 6’4″ and 280 pounds and has the agility to play end at that size. I don’t see the coaching staff adding a player from the transfer portal because they still have to lose some guys to get down to the 85 scholarship limit.