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Florida State Grabs 315lbs Run Stopper From Transfer Portal
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- Florida State Grabs 315lbs Run Stopper From Transfer Portal
(Stan Szeto/ImagnImages)
Florida State football has signed former Texas State defensive lineman Jordan Sanders from the transfer portal. Sanders will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Sanders is one of two defensive linemen brought in by head coach Mike Norvell, and one of 24 other players signed by Florida State via the transfer portal. For a defense that was ranked No.43 in the nation in 2025, the addition of Sanders was much needed.
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Sanders originally committed to Cal Poly when he came out of high school. During his freshmen year at Poly, he played in two games registering two tackles and one tackle for loss.
In 2023, he played in 11 games for Poly, recording 11 tackles, including two tackles for loss. The highlight of his sophomore year was a four-tackle performance against San Jose State .
His final season at Poly was in 2024, when he started in 10 games and had 12 tackles, with 7 tackles for loss. He also finished the season with a career-high 3 sacks.
In 2025, Sander hit the transfer portal and took his talents to Texas State, where he played in 13 games with four starts. During his single season at Texas State he recorded 16 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. In the Armed Forces Bowl against Rice , he recorded his first career forced fumble.
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In 2025, PFF graded Sanders a 77.0 overall, giving him a 73.3 grade versus the run and a 71.7 pass rush grade. Sanders was recruited by Florida State because of his ability to stop the run.
At 6-foot-4 315lbs Sanders gives Florida State the size they are looking for in defensive coordinator Tony White 3-3-5 defense. His size and his 2025 performance on the field indicate that Sanders can be an impact player for Florida State immediately.
Florida State will return twins Mandrell Desir and Darrlly Desir at the defensive line, as well as former top 2025 recruit Kevin Wynn. Wynn had initially entered the transfer portal, but Norvell and his staff were able to convince him to stay.
The Desir brothers had 53 tackles combined last year and Mandrell Desir was named an All-ACC honorable mention and an On3 Freshman All-American.
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The other transfer portal addition to the defensive line was Rylan Kennedy from Texas A&M .
With training camp scheduled to begin on July 30, Florida State should have plenty of beef up front to create high-level competition for the defensive line positions. Florida State has one of the toughest schedules in the conference , and much of their success will depend on the strength of their defensive front.
Florida State opens up the season against New Mexico State on August 29.
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