Florida State football may have put out one fire of a player entering the transfer portal Thursday but saw another enter.
Around the same time defensive tackle Joshua Farmer announced his decision to withdraw his name earlier in the day Thursday , defensive back Omarion Cooper announced his decision to enter the portal.
Cooper , a junior, made his decision public on Twitter and shortly after was removed from the FSU football roster.
Cooper entered last season as a starter at cornerback but after dealing with injuries last season, moved to safety this spring.
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Cooper was a composite four-star recruit rated, being rated as the 41st-best prospect in Florida and the No. 22 cornerback nationally in 247Sports Composite out of Lehigh Senior in Lehigh Acres, Fla.
He appeared in eight games, including starts in each of the final three games. He recorded 16 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups
With higher expectations going into his sophomore season, he dealt with injuries and was never fully healthy. He played in 12 games, including four starts, finishing with 14 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.
Offensive lineman Zane Herring , who played at Madison County, entered the portal five days ago. The redshirt sophomore appeared in a reserve role in all 13 games last season.
The list also includes defensive lineman Derrick McLendon , who announced his decision to leave FSU in mid-March; linebacker Brendan Gant, who decided to enter on April 17; redshirt freshman defensive lineman Antavious Woody , who entered on April 18; and redshirt sophomore linebacker Stephen Dix Jr. , who entered April 19.
The spring transfer portal closes April 30.
Cooper earned praise from head coach Mike Norvell and defensive coordinator Adam Fuller with his move to safety this spring.
While he made a lot of strides, Cooper was likely to come off the bench behind starting safeties in Akeem Dent and Shyheim Brown .
Early enrollee freshman KJ Kirkland had a strong spring and is looking at a bigger role now after a strong spring performance. Four-star Conrad Hussey is set to arrive in the summer to solidify the depth.
It wouldn't be a shock if FSU looks to add another safety through the portal, as it looks to continue to replace NFL-bound Jammie Robinson .
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Junior defensive back Omarion Cooper to transfer
