Florida State has already secured one linebacker via the NCAA Transfer Portal and appears to be seeking another addition to strengthen the position as defensive coordinator Tony White implements a 3-3-5 multiple scheme in Tallahassee.
On Saturday afternoon, FSU offered Georgia Southern linebacker transfer Marques Watson-Trent. After five seasons with the Eagles, Watson-Trent chose to enter the portal earlier this month.
Watson-Trent has been a standout defender, surpassing 100 tackles in three consecutive seasons. In 2024, he recorded 120 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a pass deflection. He posted 10+ tackles in seven games, including two where he registered 14 tackles. Watson-Trent was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Conference honors this fall.
Over the past three years, Watson-Trent has played in 38 games, starting 36 of them. He has totaled 356 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, six sacks, six forced fumbles, six pass deflections, and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He has earned two first-team All-Sun Belt honors and one second-team selection.
The Pennsylvania native brings over 2,500 snaps of FBS experience and posted a career-high 80.7 PFF grade this season, which would have ranked higher than any defender on FSU’s roster. Although he had a 12.3% missed tackle rate, his rate was just 8.8% in 2023.
Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 225 pounds, Watson-Trent has one season of eligibility left and has also received offers from West Virginia and Memphis.
Florida State has five scholarship linebackers slated to return in 2025: redshirt junior Omar Graham Jr., junior Blake Nichelson, junior Justin Cryer, redshirt freshman Jayden Parrish, and redshirt freshman Timir Hickman-Collins.
Additionally, FSU signed three-star linebacker Ethan Pritchard during the Early Signing Period and added Nebraska linebacker transfer Stefon Thompson.
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