Florida State defensive back switching jersey numbers ahead of fall camp

The rising young cornerback will don a new number in 2022.

Out with the old, in with the new. There's no better time for change than in the weeks prior to the beginning of a new season. 

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Multiple players on Florida State's roster switched their numbers ahead of spring practice. That trend is continuing with under three weeks until the Seminoles kick off fall camp.

According to his social media, sophomore defensive back Kevin Knowles II has made the decision to move from No. 26 to No. 3.

Last season, the number was held by redshirt sophomore cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. After beginning the spring away from the team, Brownlee elected to transfer to Louisville. His departure freed up the number for Knowles to grab it.

While Knowles will don No. 3 on defense, transfer wide receiver Winston Wright Jr. will wear the number on offense. With the change, Knowles becomes the seventh underclassmen to earn a single-digit jersey, joining a slew of redshirt sophomores like wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas (No. 0), defensive end Jared Verse (No. 5), wide receiver Deuce Spann (No. 5), running back Treshaun Ward (No. 8), running back Lawrance Toafili (No. 9), and defensive end Derrick McClendon (No. 9). 

The Florida native came on strong as a true freshman. Knowles made an instant impression during spring practice last year that included an acrobatic interception in the exhibition game. He carried that into the regular season and his role in the Seminoles' defense expanded late in the year. Knowles appeared in all 12 games with seven starts as he recorded 26 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two pass deflections.

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Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, Knowles was honored by Florida State as the Devaughn Darling Defensive Freshman of the Year and a Seminole Scholar. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back is set to play a sizable part in the development of the defense over the next few years.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of this developing situation.

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