Florida State football headed into the offseason with issues in the secondary since defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. was dismissed. This made many of the players in the position group think twice about returning to the Seminoles.
The Seminoles had plenty of players who were frustrated by the move to fire him. It didn't seem like an easy decision because Surtain Sr. was thought to have a good relationship with the players and recruited at a high level.
However, Florida State started to have good news sprinkled in as Ja'Bril Rawls and Ashlynd Barker made their announcements that they would be returning to the Seminoles in 2026 (Earl Little Jr. is also rumored to be coming back, as well).
Overall, the secondary looks to be in good shape, but then Florida State decided to add another cornerback transfer in South Alabama's Nehemiah Chandler. The Jacksonville, Florida was considered one of the better man-to-man coverage cornerbacks in the country.
During the 2025 season for the Jaguars, Chandler recorded 31 tackles, 13 pass deflections, and two interceptions (according to ESPN Stats and Information).
The one concern that I have with it all is that Chandler excels in man-to-man coverage, while defensive coordinator Tony White's 3-3-5 scheme focuses on defensive backs to play in zone coverage often.
Could Chandler be versatile enough to understand the scheme that Coach White runs? I am sure that the defensive coordinator reviewed film with the defender to ensure that he can make it happen. However, we saw how defensive back Jeremiah Wilson came to Tallahassee as a primary man-to-man coverage cornerback and struggled in what Coach White was asking him to do.
Chandler is a talented transfer who is worth investing in since he will have three years of eligibility remaining. The secondary for the Seminoles could be a scary unit to monitor in 2026 if it pieces everything together correctly.