FSU football: Northwestern LB transfer Justin Cryer commits to FSU

FSU football is back in the transfer portal once again acquiring quality talent.

This time it is for a position of need.

On Monday afternoon, Northwestern true freshman linebacker transfer Justin Cryer has committed to Florida State.

Cryer was a three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. During his senior season of high school, he recorded 95 total tackles, six sacks and 20 tackles for loss.

This was a prospect that the Seminoles were pursuing when Cryer was a high school prospect at the time. FSU was actually his first-ever offer on May 26, 2021.

The talented linebacker prospect came to Tallahassee for a Junior Day event on March 12, 2022. There was a thought that the Seminoles could have had the early advantage given that it was the only visit that he had taken.

However, the Northwestern Wildcats decided to offer him on March 2, 2022. Cryer then took his only official visit to the Wildcats on May 13, 2022 and committed to the program about a week and a half later.

The Seminoles ended up signing three linebackers to their 2023 recruiting class with four-star Blake Nichelson, three-star DeMarco Ward, and three-star Dylan Brown-Turner.

However, the linebacker depth has been tested, given that veterans Brendan Gant, Stephen Dix Jr., and Amari Gainer exited the program via the transfer portal. As a result, the Seminoles were looking for competent options at the position.

The coaching staff elected to move former tight end Brian Courtney to linebacker. The Seminoles still have the same dilemma: What do you do after redshirt seniors Tatum Bethune and Kalen DeLoach leave after this upcoming season?

While I’m not sure that you solved that dilemma with adding true freshman transfer Justin Cryer to the fold, it did allow linebackers coach Randy Shannon to have another capable body with a 6’1”, 230 pound frame that he can grow and develop over time.

Given everything that has transpired with the Wildcats in recent weeks, with the firing of head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, Cryer should be eligible to play immediately for the Seminoles.