Florida State lucked into a pair of true freshmen contributors last season in the trenches. Twins Mandrell and Darryll Desir arrived as three-star prospects and quickly carved out significant roles on the defensive line.
Their commitment itself was notable. The brothers chose the Seminoles the day after Florida State suffered a 52-3 loss to Notre Dame the program’s largest margin of defeat in a regular-season game. At the time, the staff was in transition. Alex Atkins and Adam Fuller had been fired, and Tony White and Terrance Knighton had not yet been hired. The Desirs still jumped on board during a period of major uncertainty.
They showed up ready to work. Physically impressive during the Tour of Duty and even more so once spring practice began, both players forced the coaching staff to take notice.
Mandrell Desir’s Standout Freshman Season
Mandrell generated the bulk of the production and earned Freshman All-American honors. In 2025 he recorded:
- 30 tackles
- 7.5 tackles for loss
- 6 sacks
- 1 forced fumble
- 1 pass deflection
His combination of length, power, and motor made him a disruptive force along the interior despite still learning the full defensive scheme.
Darryll Desir’s Steady Contribution
Darryll played a quieter but still valuable role. He finished the year with 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. While the numbers were more modest, he provided reliable depth and physical presence off the edge.
Near Transfer Portal Exit and Florida State’s Retention Push
After the season the twins nearly entered the transfer portal. Florida State responded with a strong effort to retain them, and both ultimately stayed in Tallahassee.
Once the situation was resolved, they returned to work immediately. Mandrell added eight pounds in the offseason as the staff plans to use him primarily inside. Darryll dropped a few pounds to better fit an edge role. Both remain in the mix for starting jobs heading into fall camp.
Terrance Knighton Challenges the Desir Twins
Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton has made his expectations clear. Last year’s production, while impressive for true freshmen, is not the standard moving forward.
“I think the good for them was, I told them last year, it still wasn’t good enough. Mandrell, he was making a lot of plays and still didn’t know what the hell he was doing,” Knighton said. “Now that he understands the scheme, he understands where guys fit, it’s allowing him to play faster.
“A lot of plays he made last year were just off of raw talent, effort, and physicality. Now that those two guys understand the playbook, and understand the defense, and can play fast, and don’t have to think, good luck to whoever has to run in front of them.”
The message is straightforward: the twins now have a full year of experience and scheme knowledge. Knighton expects them to play faster and more decisively as a result.
Teammate Praise for Mandrell Desir
Redshirt junior center Bradyn Welch-Joiner has gone against Mandrell in practice and holds a high opinion of his future.
“I feel like Mandrell is going to be a first-round draft pick, no-brainer,” Welch-Joiner said. “I feel like he’s a guy that gives us a lot of work, and we’re not going to see a guy like him in the season, I bet you that.”
What Year Two Looks Like for the Desir Twins
Florida State is counting on both players to take a clear step forward. Mandrell is expected to be a centerpiece of the interior defensive line. Darryll is positioned to contribute meaningful snaps off the edge. Their physical tools were never in question; the next stage is translating improved understanding of the defense into even greater disruption.
Fall camp is already underway, with the first preseason scrimmage scheduled. For the Desir twins, the focus remains the same as when they first arrived show up every day, compete, and continue proving they belong.
If Knighton’s assessment is correct, opposing offenses will face a much more complete and confident pair of defensive linemen in 2026.
Discover more from Allsportsreports
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
