Former FSU Football offensive lineman enters NCAA Transfer Portal for third time

The NCAA Transfer Portal giveth and taketh.

Florida State has found its fair share of success stories out of the portal but there's a flip-side to that. The Seminoles have also seen a majority of the players in its 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes transfer out of the program, with some going on to find multiple homes.

Former FSU offensive lineman Qae'Shon Sapp departed from Tallahassee following the 2023 season. Sapp was committed to FAMU but ultimately landed at East Carolina after Willie Simmons chose to leave the Rattlers for a job at Duke.

Following spring practice, Sapp went back into the portal for a second time and made his way back to the ACC at SMU. Sapp appeared in one game last season and was on the roster for the Mustangs' 42-16 victory against Florida State on September 28.

Now, Sapp is looking to transfer to yet another program. According to On3's Pete Nakos, he plans to enter the portal for a third time when it officially opens on Wednesday, April 16. There's a ten-day spring window spanning through the 25th.

SMU offensive lineman Qae'Shon Sapp is entering the transfer portal, his agent Kyle Logan of Delta Sports Group tells @On3sports.

Former four-star and Florida State transfer. https://t.co/VxSGJETKD9 pic.twitter.com/Kc5itLAfTf
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 14, 2025

Sapp is expected to have two seasons of eligibility remaining. He signed with the Seminoles as a four-star prospect in the 2022 class.

Florida State's 2022 Recruiting Class A Major Failure

Florida State thought it had found the backbone of the future of the trenches when it signed six offensive linemen in 2022. The haul earned former offensive line coach Alex Atkins major accolades as the program brought in four-star Julian Armella, four-star Jaylen Early, four-star Qae'Shon Sapp, four-star Antavious Woody, three-star Daughtry Richardson, and three-star Kanaya Charlton.

Instead, Early became the only member of the group to start a game with the Seminoles, and that came on one of the worst offensive lines in program history in 2024. All six players have since transferred from the program.

Charlton is no longer playing college football while Armella (UCLA), Woody (UL-Monroe), and Richardson (Florida Atlantic) all found new homes. Early and Sapp are both in the hunt.

All in all, 13 of Florida State's 17 prep signees in the 2022 class transferred from the Seminoles. Omar Graham Jr., Daniel Lyons, and Aaron Hester are the only three remaining on the roster. Azareye'h Thomas will likely be a top-50 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.