Standout Georgia Southern Linebacker Transfer To Visit Florida State

It's stacking up to be a busy new year in Tallahassee.

Marques Watson-Trent/IG

Florida State will open 2025 with multiple transfers visiting campus. The Seminoles remain in constant pursuit of upgrades to their roster with the offseason well underway.

After picking up an offer from FSU over the weekend, Georgia Southern linebacker transfer Marques Watson-Trent has quickly set up a trip to Tallahassee. He'll be on campus starting on New Year's Day.

Watson-Trent entered the portal earlier in December after five years at Georgia Southern. In 2024, he was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 120 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a pass deflection. Watson-Trent reached 10+ tackles in seven games, including a pair of contests where he posted 14 total tackles.

READ MORE: Top-100 Defender Schedules Official Visit To Florida State

The Pennsylvania native has recorded 100+ tackles in three consecutive seasons. Over the past three years, he's appeared in 38 games, making 36 starts, and totaled 356 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, six sacks, six forced fumbles, six pass deflections, and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Watson-Trent is a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt selection and also holds a second-team All-Sun Belt selection. He's earned over 2,500 snaps at the FBS level and posted a career-best 80.7 PFF grade this season. That number would've ranked higher than any defender on FSU's roster.

The 5-foot-11, 225-pound linebacker has one season of eligibility remaining. Outside of Florida State, he's reported offers from Nebraska, West Virginia, and Memphis.

Florida State has five scholarship linebackers eligible to return in 2025; redshirt junior Omar Graham Jr., junior Blake Nichelson, junior Justin Cryer, redshirt freshman Jayden Parrish, and redshirt freshman Timir Hickman-Collins.

FSU signed three-star Ethan Pritchard during the Early Signing Period and landed Nebraska linebacker transfer Stefon Thompson.

---

READ MORE: Ex-FSU Offensive Coordinator Played Pivotal Role in Five-Star OL's Flip to LSU

Stick with NoleGameday for more FREE coverage of Florida State Football throughout the offseason

Follow NoleGameday on and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

More Florida State News

• Six Former FSU Basketball Players File Lawsuit Against Leonard Hamilton Over NIL Payments

• Linebacker Transfer From ACC Program To Visit Florida State

• Florida State True Freshman Defender Entering NCAA Transfer Portal

• Former FSU DT Leads NFL Rookies In Sacks, Climbs LA Rams History Books