Promising FSU football DE decides to enter transfer portal

Should I stay or should I go? That'll be a popular question thousands of college football players around the country will have to answer over the next few weeks.

The NCAA Transfer Portal will officially open for business for 15 days from January 2-16. Until then, it's decision time.

Florida State has already had two players announce their intentions to move on this week.

True Freshman DE LaJesse Harrold Transferring From FSU

On Friday evening, true freshman defensive end LaJesse Harrold revealed he would be transferring after one season in Tallahassee.

"God's plan," Harrold wrote on social media.

Harrold made his debut with the Seminoles in the 42-7 victory against Wake Forest on November 1. He didn't record any statistics in his lone appearance of the season. Harrold dealt with injuries throughout the campaign, earning a redshirt.

The 6-foot-5, 253-pound defensive end will have four seasons of eligibility remaining at his next stop.

Gods plan🙏🏾✝️ https://t.co/DnHsrAGU7S
— LA Jesse Harrold (@JesseHarrold4) December 6, 2025

Harrold was a big addition to Florida State's #Tribe25 class late in the recruiting cycle. During the Early Signing Period, he flipped from LSU to the Seminoles, electing to stay in the Sunshine State.

As a senior at Gaither High School, Harrold totaled 38 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, and 6 pass deflections.

At the time, Harrold was ranked as the No. 217 overall prospect, the No. 22 EDGE, and the No. 33 recruit in Florida in the 2025 class. Harrold was the third-highest-ranked recruit to sign with FSU during the cycle.

Less than a year later, he's moving on before the Seminoles could even get a chance to see what he will develop into. To make matters worse, Florida State's defensive ends were a massive letdown this past season, and Harrold would've had an opportunity to work himself into the rotation this offseason.

FSU will be relying on younger players such as Mandrell Desir, Darryll Desir, Amaree Williams, and Kevin Wynn to fortify the defensive trenches in 2026.

No. 1 JUCO defensive end Jalen Anderson, who signed with the Seminoles on Wednesday, figures to work his way into the lineup.

Who Intends To Transfer From Florida State This Offseason?

LB Jayden Parrish, Redshirt Freshman (Announced 12/4)

DE L A Jesse Harrold, True Freshman (Announced 12/5)

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