Even with the offseason being in full swing, Florida State saw some major roster news come out of Tallahassee last week.
With players home for summer break and the FSU coaching staff hit the road for recruiting and booster visits, big stories by way of Noles247 broke regarding this year’s personnel.
The site reported that former Auburn Tigers linebacker Cam Riley would transfer to the Seminoles, joining former Colorado Buffaloes (and Florida State) defensive back Omarion Cooper, as well as the news that wide receiver Destyn Hill would miss the season due to an injury sustained during spring camp.
What do the two defensive additions bring to the Seminoles, and how does the loss of Hill affect FSU’s offense during the 2024 season?
Wide receiver Destyn Hill
Hill came on during spring camp and competed regularly for starting snaps with redshirt senior Ja’Khi Douglas. At times, Hill seemed to be one of the only pass catchers who did not suffer from a case of the drops, and his injury leaves FSU with more concern over their inconsistent receiving room. His absence will leave a void in the middle of the slot, as only Douglas remains a veteran presence inside.
One name that could soak up the snaps left behind could come from an unlikely source. True freshman Lawayne McCoy quickly picked up the playbook as an early enrolee and slowly gained Mike Norvell's trust. Whether his slight frame can hold up throughout a long season remains to be seen, but his ability to go to challenging areas and make sure-handed catches will be a welcome sight to a receiving corps that needs it.
Linebacker Cam Riley
Cam Riley took a unique journey to Tallahassee. He originally entered the portal in January but prepared to enroll in his new program after spring ball because he wanted to graduate from Auburn. It did not seem that coming to Florida State made his radar until later in his commitment process, as he pledged to NC State. He backed off, picked the Seminoles, and FSU added a new piece to an underrated linebacking core.
His best attributes come from his experience, size, and pass-rush ability.
Riley spent four years with the Tigers and played almost 500 snaps in 2022 before playing 286 last season. He’s listed as 6’5" and 242 pounds, easily the largest linebacker in the FSU locker room, and finished with multiple sacks in the last two seasons — ending 2023 with a 74.0 pass-rush grade from PFF
His strength in getting after the quarterback positively impacted his tackling grade, as he finished last year with an elite 83.8 mark from PFF. What makes the total even more impressive comes from Riley’s ability to play the run or the pass. 147 of his 286 snaps were on run defense, only 51.3% of his entire time on the field. FSU adds a player they can put on the field in all situations and can trust will be fundamentally sound.
Defensive back Omarion Cooper
Cooper played over 300 snaps with the Buffalos last year, almost double the amount he had in each of his two seasons at FSU, and seventh in snap share on the CU defense. He brings two vital assets to the Florida State roster: experience and heart.
Cooper spent two years in Tallahassee, and as a veteran defensive back, he should quickly pick up the playbook. Mike Norvell felt comfortable using him inside or outside in his initial stint, and with Greedy Vance heading out west, Cooper should see more playing action than expected. His ability to play the run and tackle could also influence his snap counts. Cooper played over 30 run snaps in five of his nine games with Deion Sanders and finished the year with a respectable run grade of 60.3, according to PFF. The defensive staff adores secondary players who will stick their noses in the trenches and put their bodies on the line, and Cooper should do just that.
Whether he makes an impact in an otherwise deep secondary remains to be seen — but Norvell, never one to turn his back on a player, made the choice to take a low-risk, high-reward chance on a familiar face, at the very least having the benefit of Cooper’s veteran presence on a young roster.
