FSU football's D'Mitri Emmanuel declares for NFL Draft, Gilber Edmond enters NCAA transfer portal

jack williams, tallahassee democrat

Thu, Jan 4, 2024, 5:57 PM·4 min read

The roster exits continue for Florida State football as two more players have announced future plans outside of the program.

Redshirt senior Offensive lineman D'Mitri Emmanuel announced on Thursday that he's declaring for the NFL Draft and redshirt junior defensive end Gilber Edmond announced Wednesday that he has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Emmanuel finished up his seventh season, and second with FSU after transferring from Charlotte. He was a key piece in FSU’s offensive line rotation this season and was an All-ACC first-team offensive guard selection. Emmanuel is the first offensive lineman to declare for the NFL Draft.

He thanked FSU and announced his declaration for the NFL Draft in a letter posted on X on Thursday.

"So thankful to be in the position that I'm in today, signing to Charlotte in high school and spending my last 2 seasons at Florida State University," Emmanuel posted on X. "I want to start by thanking god for everything...the ups and downs, allowing me to respond to any situation and becoming the man I am today. To my family who have supported me every step on this journey. Thank you for your investments - I can't thank you enough."

"To coach [Mike] Norvell, coach [Alex] Atkins and the rest of the staff thank you for your leadership, trusting in me since the beginning, pushing every player to achieve their best, and always climbing no matter what circumstance you may find yourself in. Forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Nole family."

Special thank you to my teammates for welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to work hard and push the standard every day with my brothers! I love each and every one of y'all. I will never forget the memories we have made and all the work it took to achieve the success we did to get to the top. I will continue to strive and achieve all that this world has to offer."

"There is nothing like playing in Doak Campbell Stadium, I'm so thankful and grateful to have had the opportunity of a lifetime representing this program. With that being said I am officially declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft."

Florida State football players take part in drills during an FSU spring football practice of the 2023 season on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

Wednesday night, Edmond announced that he had entered the transfer portal. He becomes the 16th FSU player to enter the portal in the last month. The portal opened on Dec. 4 and closed on Jan. 2.

He leaves FSU after spending one season in the program, transferring in from South Carolina.

Edmond's exit is a substantial loss at defensive end as he could've filled a starting spot following Jared Verse's exit for the NFL Draft. Edmond recorded 23 tackles, two quarterback hurries, a sack and a forced fumble over 14 games this season.

The defensive end room has been a revolving door this winter cycle. Verse opted out of the Orange Bowl for the NFL Draft and redshirt sophomore Patrick Payton early on announced he intended to enter the portal. He'd later exit the portal, return to FSU and play in the Orange Bowl.

The Seminoles also gained a defensive end out of the portal as Georgia defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., the son of former FSU linebacker Marvin Jones, committed to FSU on Dec. 17.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound lineman played 237 snaps across 12 games and recorded 12 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery this season. He started for Georgia in the SEC Championship game against Alabama and entered the transfer portal days later.