Florida State’s defense has already earned a strong endorsement from the player who sees it every day.
Transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels said on Aug. 12 that the Seminoles have “no doubt” the best defensive line in the ACC, according to Noles247’s John Evans. That’s a big statement from a quarterback spending his offseason reps against that front, and Daniels made it clear he’s not just handing out empty praise.
The unit has plenty of pieces to back up the confidence. Sophomore Mandrell Desir led the edge group last season with 30 tackles, 7.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks.
His twin brother, Darryll Desir, also contributed up front with 23 tackles and a sack. Florida State also brought in Rylan Kennedy through the transfer portal, and he arrives with 40 total tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks over 37 games with the Aggies.
Kennedy should have a bigger role with the Seminoles, and the staff believes he can do more in Tallahassee than he did as a rotational piece elsewhere. Inside, Florida State also has Daniel Lyons, Kevin Wynn and Deante McCray available to work along the defensive front.
Daniels pointed to one trait in particular that stands out: speed. He said, “At the end of every practice, we put up the top five guys with the fastest speeds, and the Desir twins are on that almost every single day, which is unbelievable to see.
Seeing that on the screen every single day- guys who are 20-plus miles an hour- that's freaky... It's truthfully scary for a quarterback to sit there and look at that and know that you have that rushing at you every single day,” Daniels said.
That kind of daily exposure has given Daniels a front-row look at what Florida State hopes to unleash this season. Quarterbacks can’t be hit in practice, but pressure still matters, and a front that can disrupt plays, close space and clog the run game changes everything.
None of it will mean much unless the group delivers on Saturdays, but the pieces are there for Florida State to have a much better defensive front. The top programs usually win with dominant lines, and the Seminoles will need that kind of force if they want to make real noise in the ACC.
Miami and Clemson also have defensive fronts that belong in that conversation, so Daniels’ claim won’t go uncontested. Still, his comments say plenty about how Florida State’s newest quarterback views the group in front of him.
If the Seminoles can turn that practice speed and depth into production on game day, they’ll put themselves in position for a much better season in Tallahassee.
In Other News...
Florida State Has A New Quarterback Battle Fans Need To Watch
Fall camp has given Florida State a fresh subplot under center, and it involves a newcomer who arrived only in May. Junior transfer Malachi Marshall has drawn attention from Mike Norvell for the way he has thrown the ball and for how quickly he has absorbed the offense, making him one of the more interesting developments as the Seminoles sort through their quarterback room.
Behind presumed starter Ashton Daniels, the backup job is still very much up for grabs, and that has put Marshall in direct competition with sophomore Kevin Sperry. With the season getting closer and the depth chart still unsettled, Florida State has a legitimate battle to monitor in the weeks ahead, one that could reshape how the Seminoles feel about their quarterback insurance policy. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Suddenly Has A Secondary Problem Tony White Must Solve
Florida States secondary took another hit with Karson Hobbs going down in camp, forcing the Seminoles to rework a part of the defense that had already been under the microscope. Hobbs was expected to help stabilize the nickel spot, and his absence leaves defensive coordinator Tony White with one less experienced option as he tries to sort out how the back end fits together.
The immediate answer appears to be Duke transfer MaKhi Jones, who is now the presumptive starter at nickel. But the larger issue is what comes behind him, because the depth chart there is suddenly thin and the staff may have to shuffle personnel to keep the defense balanced. For White, it is the kind of adjustment that can ripple through the entire secondary before the season even gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Is Giving Sebastian Janikowski A Rare Program Honor
Florida State is preparing to put one of its most recognizable special-teams stars in a class of his own. The university announced that Sebastian Janikowski will have his No. 38 jersey retired during the Seminoles 2026 season opener against New Mexico State, adding a rare layer of distinction to a player who was already an All-American and a two-time Lou Groza Award winner during his run in Tallahassee from 1997 to 1999.
Janikowski went on to a long NFL career, most notably with the Raiders, but his Florida State legacy has never really faded in the building at Doak Campbell Stadium. He will be officially honored with an in-game recognition as part of the ceremony, a fitting stage for a program that does not hand out jersey retirements often and clearly views this as one of its special nods to a former standout. [Read more 🡒]