DD Holmes becomes sixth DE to enter portal as Seminoles reconfigure position group
After a 2-10 season, coaching changes and the introduction of a new defensive scheme, Florida State has now seen six of its nine defensive ends from 2024 enter the transfer portal. One other (Oregon State transfer Sione Lolohea) has exhausted his college eligibility, as the Seminoles completely reconfigure their depth chart at that position.
The latest departure for that group is freshman DD Holmes, a four-star signee in the 2024 class who saw limited action in one game this season. Holmes, who was listed at 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, entered the transfer portal on Sunday.
He joins former starters Patrick Payton, who has announced his transfer to LSU, and Marvin Jones Jr., as well as backups Byron Turner, Lamont Green and Dante Anderson, all of whom entered the portal earlier this month.
Tomiwa Durojaiye, who lined up at defensive end and defensive tackle during his one season at Florida State, has entered the portal as well.
That means the only returning defensive ends for the Seminoles in 2025 will be former junior college transfer Jaden Jones, who played sparingly in 2023 and then missed all of ’24 with a knee injury, and reserve Aaron Hester, who registered 10 tackles this past season.
While that type of exodus at one position might look like a massive blow on the surface, it’s not clear how many of those players would have fit as defensive ends in the new 3-3-5 scheme of first-year defensive coordinator Tony White.
Florida State, meanwhile, has signed two defensive ends out of the portal who are expected to be major contenders for starting roles.
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Former Western Kentucky standout Deante McCray, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 283 pounds, recorded 59 tackles and 2.5 sacks this past season. And Nebraska transfer James Williams, a 6-6, 250-pounder, registered five sacks as a situational pass-rusher for the Cornhuskers in 2024.
Florida State also could use some of its returning defensive tackles as edge players in White’s new scheme. The Seminoles’ coaches have already suggested Darrell Jackson (6-5, 330) could see time in that role, and it would stand to reason that rising redshirt junior Daniel Lyons (6-4, 294) and rising redshirt sophomore KJ Sampson (6-3, 306) could as well.
And Florida State landed five potential defensive ends in the early signing period: Junior college transfer Tyeland Coleman and high school signees Jesse Harrold, Tylon Lee, Darryll Desir and Mandrell Desir. Harrold and Lee were four-star prospects who flipped to Florida State from LSU and Ole Miss, respectively.
FSU also is expected to give rising sophomore Amaree Williams a look at defensive end this spring after he played tight end as a freshman this past fall. Williams was a four-star defensive end coming out of high school.
Florida State’s defensive ends will be coached this season by first-year defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, who came to FSU with White from Nebraska. Former DEs coach John Papuchis will now coach the Seminoles’ linebackers following the departure of Randy Shannon.
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