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Florida State Signs Transfer Portal Safety Ma’khi Jones
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- Florida State Signs Transfer Portal Safety Ma’khi Jones
(Zachary Taft/ImagnImages)
The Florida State football has signed former Duke Blue Devil safety Ma'khi Jones out of the transfer portal for the 2026 season. Jones has three years of eligibility remaining.
Jones is one of 24 transfer portal players brought in by head coach Mike Norvell, and one of seven players on the defense.
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Florida State finished No. 43 in the nation last season in total defense and have only won seven games total in the last two seasons combined.
Head coach Mike Norell is on the hot seat and is looking to revamp his roster to compete in the ACC, and save his job. USA Today columnist Austin Curtwright recently ranked Norvell as the No.13 coach in the conference . Former Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher did not make things easier for Norvell when he recently said "he would like his job title to be football coach again".
Second year defensive coordinator Tony White was a top defensive coordinator at his two previous stops at Syracuse and Nebraska . The 3-3-5 defense he uses is similar to the 4-2-5 Jones used while with the Blue Devils. He is projected to play rover and nickel in White's defense.
In 2025 Jones appeared in all 14 games for the Blue Devils. On the season he totaled 35 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had a fumble recovery in the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl.
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His freshman year was highlighted by a six tackle performance against Clemson . He also had at least three tackles in six other games. Against Wake Forest he recorded a sack, and a forced fumble. In the ACC championship game he recorded a quarterback pressure.
The other additions on defense acquired through the transfer portal are: Mikai Gbayor LB/ North Carolina , Jordan Sander DL/Texas State, CJ Richard Jr S/Illinois State, Karson Hobbs CB/ Norte Dame, Chris Jones LB/Southern Miss, Rylan Kennedy EDGE/ Texas A&M , and Nehemiah Chandler CB/South Alabama .
Prior to Duke Jones played sophomore year of high school ball in Newark NJ at St. Joseph Regional, and his junior and senior year at Milton High School in Milton, Ga. As a junior at Milton he helped win a state title in the 7A division. That season he totaled 73 tackles, five pass break ups, and one interception.
Jones will be one of the guys competing for a starting job when Florida State goes to camp on July 30.
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