The Transfer Portal window hasn’t been great for FSU, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel as coaches look to close on some key needs before the portal closes on January 16th. The interesting thing about all of the transfer portal entries is the narrative that formed around FSU over the past couple of years, during which they went 7-17.
The narrative was that FSU lacked talent, which is something we’ve preached against the entire time. A lack of talent isn’t the reason FSU lost games over the past two years. Did FSU have ELITE talent to compete for a national title? No, but the talent was good enough to win between 8 and 10 games in 2024 and 2025.
The level of interest in some of the FSU players supports that sentiment. FSU has retained several players who have been sought after by other schools, and is working to retain others. Several have signed with Power Four schools:
- Earl Little Jr.- Ohio State
- Edwin Joseph- Ole Miss
- Mario Nash- Mississippi State
- Jayson Jenkins- Mississippi State
- Amaree Williams- Mississippi State
- Ja’Elyne Matthews- Mississippi State
- Cai Bates- Wisconsin
- Lucas Simmons- Wisconsin
- Jaden Jones- Missouri
- Bruno Reus- Missouri
- Randy Pittman Jr.- SMU
- Elijah Moore- Syracuse
- James Williams- Oklahoma State
- KJ Sampson-Boston College
- Mac Chiumento-Texas
- Justin Cryer-Texas
- Lawayne McCoy-Louisville
- Shamar Arnoux-Auburn
The narrative FSU didn't have a good talent is nonsense when they had over a 50 percent blue-chip ratio (if you live and die by the rankings) on last year's roster.
That’s 18 players, and I recognize that some of these programs are as bad or worse than FSU right now. Some of these players have no production and these schools are taking a flyer based on high school rankings probably. However, at least half of these guys have played enough to suggest they can contribute at these places. Sadly, several players have yet to find a new home or have had to settle for a lower level of football.