Florida State football had a difficult 2025 season, which included a 5-7 record. The Seminoles defeated Alabama in the opener, but lost seven of their final nine games to put a sour taste in the mouths of the fan base.
Head coach Mike Norvell is searching for answers, as some college football analysts have him firmly on the hot seat. This is to be expected after the Seminoles finished with a 7-17 record over the past two seasons.
Quarterback has been a major topic of discussion this offseason, as Ashton Daniels and Kevin Sperry have been battling for the starting gig throughout spring practices. JUCO option Malachi Marshall may also get involved when he enrolls on campus this summer.
However, the signal-caller shouldn't be the only talking point, as the squad has numerous questions that need to be answered, such as how the defensive line will fare during the 2026 season.
Florida State JUCO defensive end Jalen Anderson could play a big role in the Seminoles' defensive plans in 2026
Florida State didn't have the greatest transfer portal pickups last offseason, as Deamontae Diggs (injured), Jayson Jenkins (inconsistent), Deante McCray (inconsistent), and James Williams (inconsistent) were non-factors.
The Seminoles only brought in defensive linemen such as Texas State's Jordan Sanders (who missed the whole spring) and Texas A&M's Rylan Kennedy via the transfer portal. They grabbed eight high school prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
This means that some of those high schoolers will have to grow up quickly. Sophomore defensive linemen Mandrell and Darryll Desir took the necessary steps last year, but that shouldn't be the expectation.
JUCO defensive end Jalen Anderson is someone that the coaching staff really likes. He was regarded as the fifth-best prospect in the 247Sports JUCO rankings. Anderson was discussed by head coach Mike Norvell in Saturday's scrimmage, where he had a game-winning sack.
These timely sacks will be important for Anderson to have against the likes of SMU, Alabama, Louisville, Miami, Clemson, and Florida. He had a productive 2025 campaign at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi, where he recorded 41 tackles (11.5 for loss) and seven sacks (according to his Seminoles.com roster page).
The defensive linemen that I see playing a ton of snaps this season will be Mandrell Desir, Darryll Desir, Daniel Lyons, Kevin Wynn, Jordan Sanders, Rylan Kennedy, and Jalen Anderson. More names will emerge as the season progresses for the Seminoles, and I cannot wait to see them shine.
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