FSU head coach Mike Norvell knew he needed to change things after the Noles finished the 2024 season 2-10. He fired his coordinators and other coaches and knew he needed to complete a massive roster overhaul.
Some players needed to exit the program immediately, while Norvell wanted to give others a chance to prove themselves in spring camp. After the dust settled, FSU had 29 scholarship players(and a popular walk-on QB) enter the transfer portal between December and last week.
It was mostly addition by subtraction since most of these players were not major contributors or had large NIL contracts, and the production didn't equate to the money spent. Here's where every player who entered the transfer portal landed(if at all):
- Deuce Spann (WR)-Pittsburgh
- Dante Anderson(DE)-FIU
- Byron Turner Jr. (DE)-Tulsa
- Jackson West (TE)-Western Kentucky
- Tomiwa Durojaiye (DL)-Illinois
- Omarion Cooper (DB)-Memphis
- Destyn Hill (WR)-LSU
- Lamont Green Jr. (DE)-FIU
- Julian Armella (OL)-UCLA
- Brian Courtney (TE)-Tennessee Tech
- Darion Williamson (WR)-Miami of Ohio
- Jerrale Powers (TE)-Stephen F. Austin
- DeMarco Ward (LB)-Memphis
- Luke Kromenhoek (QB)-Mississippi State
- Marvin Jones Jr. (DE)-Oklahoma
- Grady Kelly (DL)-Michigan State
- Shawn Murphy (LB)-South Carolina
- Patrick Payton (DE)-LSU
- Malik Benson (WR)-Oregon
- DD Holmes (DE)-Maryland
- Trevor Jackson (QB)-Arkansas
- Jaylen Early (OL)-Missouri
- Jordan Scott (WR)-Maryland
- Hykeem Williams (WR)-Colorado
- Jalen Brown (WR)-Remains in Portal
- TJ Ferguson (OL)-Syracuse
- D'Nas White (DL)-Remains in Portal
- Aaron Hester (DE)-Liberty
- Timir Hickman-Collins (LB)-Remains in Portal
Related Story: Who is FSU targeting in the Portal Right Now?
As the list shows, about half of these players went to smaller schools or remained in the portal. A few have had solid production in the past, and teams were desperate enough to believe they could find that production again, and others likely went off past relationships and where the player ranked coming out of high school.
There isn't a single player on this list that keeps me up at night that they left the program. A few likely had some potential but made a choice. Ultimately, I think the roster is better with these guys exiting, coupled with the experience and production of the guys coming from the portal.