Spending wisely in the NIL era and Florida State have not exactly gone hand-in-hand, and more problems continue to present themselves as time goes on. One of the most notable players to receive a raise this off-season was defensive lineman Mandrell Desir, along with his brother Darryll, but the duo has been directly at the front of a major issue for the Seminoles.
Desir first found himself in hot water this season after a dribble crossover move resulted in him being thrown to the ground by an SMU offensive lineman. Fans were quick to call out the fail and ask why a move that so obviously would not work is accepted by the Florida State staff. Defensive coordinator Tony White defended Desir after the move, stating it is part of what makes him who he is as a player, but now White has a bigger problem that involves a severe lack of production.
Florida State needs to give more players more chances along the defensive line after a terrible three-game stretch
The first three games of the 2026 season have not exactly been thrilling to watch as a fan, but there is certainly still enough talent on the roster to win games. That is precisely what makes blowout losses and awful defensive performances that give the team no chance to come back that much more painful. Florida State does not necessarily have a talent issue, but the program certainly has an accountability issue.
The Desir twins have recorded eight tackles, no sacks, and very limited pressures through three games. The duo is quickly becoming more of a problem the longer the issue goes unaddressed, particularly with expensive depth not seeing the field nearly as much with the twins around. Players like Jordan Sanders and Kevin Wynn are barely seeing the field, while the Desir twins struggle to produce and still hold onto significant roles.
Florida State is paying roughly $1.5 million for the pair, and the results simply have not been there this season. The Seminoles' staff could continue to try to solve the situation as they have been, but then comes the problem surrounding how the staff has addressed the situation.
White understood after the Alabama defeat that his defense had simply been far too ineffective against three very different opponents. Instead of giving opportunities to depth players, White has been playing Mandrell Desir in particular into the ground. The Desir twins combined for 62 snaps in Week 3, while high-paid members of the line like Rylan Kennedy, Wynn, and Sanders played a total of 45 snaps against Alabama.
The lack of production from the twins has not necessarily been a result of a lack of playing time, but rather just a lack of success. Darryll has been dealing with some injuries that have held him back, while Mandrell has just not been the same player he was in 2025.
Hindsight is always going to be 20/20, and paying both of the Desir twins big money to return was realistically not a bad decision at the time. Mandrell recorded 30 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season for Florida State and quickly became a significant part of the defense.
The issue, however, is that Florida State needs to win, and the staff cannot afford to wait around any longer for improvement. The duo had two pressures through the first two games, despite Mandrell recording 24 pressures last season. A change is needed now more than ever, but the chances of Florida State keeping an expensive investment off the field without a proven replacement are very slim.
Running back Tre Wisner was a big portal spend for Florida State this past off-season, and Wisner is only now getting a real chance at seeing the field because of the injury to Samuel Singleton Jr. The Seminoles might be taking a similar approach with the defensive line despite multiple big pay days, and unless Mandrell physically cannot play, he will likely continue to receive the bulk of the snaps.
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