Florida State football fans had a list of needs in mind when the transfer window opened: Quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker. The quarterback and offensive line position groups look to be in progress, but the defensive line and linebacker is a bit slow to get going.
When thinking about the front seven, all fans could imagine is Florida running back Jadan Baugh rushing for 266 yards in the season finale. The worst news is that Baugh is expected to return to the Gators for the 2026 season, so the Seminoles will have their hands full.
The linebacker position has been Florida State's "problem child" for a bit of time now, as it feels like they have had a few pieces, but it hasn't been something that the program has excelled in developing.
This is a linebacker transfer that Florida State has to pay up for
We haven't seen much traction with linebackers, except for USC transfer Matai Tagoa'i visiting campus yesterday, which was a bit of a surprise.
USC LB transfer Matai Tagoa’i ( @MataiTagoai_ ) arrives at #FSU for a surprise visit pic.twitter.com/06n1omyXtT
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) January 6, 2026
Tagoa'i was not someone who was on many people's radars, but the fan base will gladly take more at the position with veteran transfers Elijah Herring and Stefon Thompson exceeding eligibility, and Justin Cryer announces his intention to enter the transfer portal (predicted to go to Houston).
However, massive news broke on Wednesday, as 247Sports' Matt Zenitz reported that standout Pittsburgh linebacker transfer Rasheem Biles is now set to visit Florida State.
Coveted Pitt linebacker transfer Rasheem Biles visited Colorado and is now set to visit Florida State, sources tell me an @chris_hummer.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 7, 2026
Was an All-ACC selection this season. He led the ACC with 17 tackles for loss. Also finished with 101 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two pick-sixes. pic.twitter.com/61suK9HJpW
Biles had a phenomenal 2025 season with the Panthers this year. While I realize that fans have expressed concern with Athletic Director Michael Alford stating that there was a cap to the NIL funding, this should be a transfer that Florida State should go all-in on.
Biles would elevate this defense to new heights. The Seminoles grabbed a cheaper option at quarterback with Ashton Daniels, to hopefully grab more pieces that could help Florida State have sustainable success.
If the Seminoles want to be serious contenders in 2026, they need to go grab Biles from the portal now.