Breaking News: Florida State Lands Ex-Syracuse and Nebraska Linebacke
As Florida State continues to rebuild during the offseason, the Seminoles made another significant move in the transfer portal on Saturday, securing linebacker Stefon Thompson for their 2025 roster. The experienced defender will join the team for his sixth year of college football, bolstering the Seminoles’ defense. The news was first reported by Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports.
Thompson’s move to Florida State marks his third different team in as many years. The Long Island native began his college career at Syracuse, where he spent four seasons, before transferring to Nebraska in 2024. Now, he will bring his experience to Tallahassee for his final season, barring any further medical waivers. Thompson’s extra year of eligibility comes after he was granted a medical redshirt following a season-ending injury in 2022, which allowed him to play an additional year of college football. He also received a fifth year due to the shortened 2020 season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his brief time at Nebraska, Thompson played in 10 games and registered 27 tackles. However, it was his 2021 season at Syracuse that stands out, as he posted a career-high 77 tackles while serving as the team’s starting linebacker. His experience and leadership will be valuable to a Florida State defense that struggled in 2024, as no player on the team recorded more than 70 tackles, and the unit allowed an average of 29.9 points per game.
Thompson is one of several transfers heading to Florida State, with the linebacker joining former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who committed to the Seminoles just a day before Thompson’s announcement. Castellanos, who entered the transfer portal after being benched for the Eagles’ final regular-season game, is expected to compete for the starting quarterback position, likely facing competition from freshmen Brock Glenn and Luke Kromenhoek, both of whom started multiple games in 2024.
These two key transfers are part of head coach Mike Norvell’s efforts to turn the Seminoles’ program around after a disastrous 2-10 season in 2024, the worst record in Florida State history since 1974. With these new additions, Norvell is clearly focused on getting Florida State back on track and restoring the program’s competitiveness.