Ex-FSU Football Defensive Back Enters NCAA Transfer Portal For Second Time In One Year

The former Seminole is back in the portal.

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Omarion Cooper (3) against the / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

There have been plenty of surprises so far during the NCAA Transfer Portal spring window. Hundreds of players have entered the portal over the last couple of weeks, including a few names that may be familiar to Florida State fans.

On Monday, ex-Seminole defensive back Omarion Cooper announced he was transferring after one season at Colorado. It was about this time a year ago when he departed from Tallahassee following spring practice and decided to join Deion Sanders in Boulder.

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Cooper started in eight of nine appearances for the Buffaloes in 2023, missing the final three games of the season. He totaled a career-high 37 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and five pass deflections. Cooper ranked seventh on the team in tackles. One of over 30 players to hit the portal for Colorado, he's expected to have one season of eligibility remaining.

I am officially in the Transfer Portal..✝️

— 𝑶𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓 ¹ (@OmarionC2) April 29, 2024

The Florida native spent the first two years of his college career at Florida State after signing with the program as a four-star prospect in the 2021 class. He was a consistent face in the defensive rotation during his time with the Seminoles, appearing in 20 games and making seven starts.

In his first start against Miami, Cooper recorded a crucial interception and four pass deflections. He was named the Devaughn Darling Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Last spring, Florida State explored moving Cooper to safety. It ultimately didn't work as he decided to head to Colorado instead. He recorded 30 tackles, one forced fumble, four pass deflections, and three interceptions with the Seminoles.

The Seminoles added multiple defensive backs from the transfer portal and high school ranks in the winter, including cornerback Earl Little Jr (Alabama), safety Davonte Brown (Miami), four-star Charles Lester III, four-star Cai Bates, four-star Jamari Howard, and four-star Ricky Knight III.

As of now, Florida State has had three players enter the portal this spring; wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs, wide receiver Joshua Burrell, and cornerback Greedy Vance. The program still has to shed at least three more scholarship players to get down to the limit of 85 scholarships and that's only if they don't plan to make any new additions.

The Seminoles saw quarterback Tate Rodemaker (Southern Miss), quarterback AJ Duffy (San Diego State), running back Rodney Hill (Arkansas), running back CJ Campbell (FAU), wide receiver Goldie Lawrence (?), tight end Markeston Douglas (Arizona State), tight end Preston Daniel (Miami-Ohio), offensive lineman Thomas Shrader (Appalachian State), offensive lineman Bless Harris (TCU), offensive lineman Daughtry Richardson (FAU), offensive lineman Qae'shon Sapp (SMU), defensive end Gilber Edmond (South Carolina), defensive lineman Dennis Briggs (Illinois), defensive tackle Malcolm Ray (Rutgers), defensive tackle Ayobami Tifase (?), linebacker Dylan Brown-Turner (UTEP), and kicker Tyler Keltner (Oklahoma) enter the portal during the winter transfer portal window that closed on January 4.

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