DT MANDRELL DESIR (FSU)
The Seminoles thought that the defensive line would be carried by transfers such as James Williams, Deante McCray, and Jayson Jenkins. However, the one that has emerged the most from the defense has been true freshman defensive tackle Mandrell Desir.
Defensive coordinator Tony White spoke highly of the Desir Twins (Mandrell and Darryll Desir) this offseason. The former three-star prospects were early enrollees that flipped from UCF to Florida State when Gus Malzahn came to the Seminoles to become the next offensive coordinator.
Most specifically, Mandrell Desir has been able to pressure opposing quarterbacks and looks well past his age given his skill set. The Miami native wants to make the most of a signal-caller in DJ Lagway that has shown to get rattled at times.
Lagway only had 134 passing yards in last year’s matchup in Tallahassee, where he didn’t have to do too much against one of the worst Seminole teams in school history. If the Desir Twins are up to the task, it could be a good sign for Florida State’s defensive line to get home against him.