Florida State coaches continue to work, adding talent to the roster from the transfer portal. This time, the new FSU general manager, John Garrett, likely had a hand in the newest acquisition.
FSU added a commitment from Duke freshman safety Ma’Khi Jones late Tuesday morning. Garrett had a hand in Garrett’s commitment and signing with Duke in the last recruiting cycle. Jones played over 300 snaps as a true freshman, obtaining respectable grades in the Duke secondary.
He’s on the smaller side for a safety at 5’10” and 190 pounds. However, he was solid against the run and didn’t miss many tackles. As expected, he struggled in coverage somewhat, but it’s possible that he will improve as he gains experience.
UPDATE: BOOM! Duke defensive back transfer Ma’Khi Jones has committed to Florida State.🍢 #GoNoles #fsufootball #fsutransferportal #noles pic.twitter.com/gS2zJIZFzM
— Norvell Central (@CentralNorvell) January 13, 2026
Can Ma'Khi Jones turn into a real contributor at FSU over the next couple of years?
He’s the second transfer safety in the recruiting class, as FSU lost Earl Little Jr. to Ohio State and Edwin Joseph to Ole Miss. Ironically, Jones had nearly as much production as a freshman, compared to Edwin Joseph, who has been in college for three years and ranked much higher out of high school.
Jones is the 14th transfer portal player committed to FSU. They still have needs at linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle. They have some guys set to visit when the dead period ends.
Their success or lack thereof over the next few days will determine the outlook for the program going into spring practice. The transfer portal window has been largely underwhelming for FSU thus far, as they have settled for players from lesser known programs at several positions.