Florida State's defense had an up-and-down season in 2025. Fans can look at the opener against Alabama, where the unit played with their hair on fire, and then stumbled against a Florida team in the finale that had an offense that was limited.
Fans question this offseason whether defensive coordinator Tony White's 3-3-5 scheme will truly work at Florida State. The players on defense seem to be a step too slow or out of position. However, Coach White is hoping that his defense with another year under its belt could be successful.
I know that we at ChopChat have mentioned the linebacker position group being much improved from a year ago since they added pieces like transfer Chris Jones and Mikai Gbayor, as well as former four-star prospect Izayia Williams. However, there is another position group that could be on the rise.
Florida State defensive back Ashlynd is moving to the Rover position in 2026
The secondary received an upgrade this offseason by retaining the likes of cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls and safety Ashlynd Barker. Yes, I know that losing Earl Little Jr. to Ohio State stung a little bit, but the defensive back was a bit inconsistent at times.
With that said, Barker spoke to the media on Wednesday afternoon, where he mentioned that he has been practicing at the Rover position more than at boundary safety. Rover was a role that former defensive back Earl Little had during his time at Florida State. It can be seen as a mix between a strong safety and a linebacker.
Barker is a former JUCO prospect that the Seminoles picked up, and he has been a pivotal piece on the Seminoles' defense over the past three seasons. During the media session, he consistently talked about how he wants this defense and team overall to play as it did in 2023.
The defensive back is perfect for the Rover role, being a lanky 6'3" defensive back that shows off his multiple skill set. This is the year for the redshirt senior defender to emerge and make Florida State's defense one of the best in the conference.