FSU football: Malcolm Ray plans to enter transfer portal

FSU football has had several players enter the transfer portal since it opened last week. Another player plans to add his name to the list.

Reserve defensive tackle Malcolm Ray announced his plans via his social media account on X Monday evening. Ray is a former three-star recruit from South Florida in the 2019 recruiting class.

He committed to Willie Taggart’s staff in December 2018 and stayed in the class when Mike Norvell became the head coach in December 2019.

Ray has been a valuable piece of the interior defensive line over the past three years. He’s played as a reserve, but also had seven starts to his credit between 2021 and 2022.

He totaled 59 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and six QB hurries. If Joshua Farmer and Darrell Jackson plan to return for the 2024 season, coupled with young guys like Daniel Lyons and Keith Sampson also in the mix. FSU will likely bring in at least one defensive tackle from the transfer portal.

It would likely keep Ray as a rotational/depth piece, and I can understand Ray wanting to see if he can earn a starting spot somewhere with one year of eligibility left. Ray apologizing to FSU fans speaks to the culture this team has built, and Ray is a player that has seen the entire program transform under Mike Norvell.

Ray was on the 2020 FSU team that went 3-6 and the 2021 team that started 0-4. Ray had offers from Louisville, Kentucky, South Florida, and Boston College coming out of high school. I would’t be surprised to see him stay in-state, but hopefully, he’ll find a home that suits his needs with one year remaining.

Ray is a hardworker by all accounts and made some solid plays for the Noles this year. Here’s to wishing Malcolm Ray nothing but the best and appreciating all he gave Nole Nation.