FSU football recruiting: What postions are most important to address next?

4. Defensive End

FSU will most likely be losing redshirt junior Jared Verse after the 2023 season. The former Albany transfer had a phenomenal 2022 campaign registering 48 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks.

Even with Verse on the roster, the depth in the position room is a work in progress. FSU will have to rely on redshirt senior Dennis Briggs Jr. (hybrid defensive tackle), redshirt junior Gilber Edmond, redshirt sophomore Patrick Payton, and redshirt sophomore Byron Turner Jr. to be sizable contributors.

FSU knows what it has in Payton and Briggs Jr. Can you trust Edmond (transfer from South Carolina who was utilized as a reserve) and Turner Jr. (who dealt with injuries throughout his career in Tallahassee)?

Looking back at it now, it certainly stings losing Derrick McLendon II to the transfer portal (transferred to Colorado).

The Seminoles do not have a defensive end committed to their recruiting class. Three-star prospect Keishawn Mashburn elected to part ways with the program back in late March.

The defensive end prospects to monitor in this class are five-star Kamarion Franklin, four-star Booker Pickett Jr., four-star Dylan Stephenson, four-star LJ McCray, and four-star DD Holmes.

The only prospect that you can say is trending positively for the Seminoles is four-star Dylan Stephenson from Columbus High School in Miami. He recently got a crystal ball prediction in favor of Florida State.

FSU needs to continue to build their target board at the position and likely get at least two defensive-end prospects in this class.