The star safety finds a home in Columbus. Here's a closer look at his fit and if FSU remains in strong shape for the secondary moving forward.
Star rover safety Earl Little Jr. has found his next home after leaving Florida State.
He'll now suit up for Ohio State, with Pete Nakos of On3/Rivals confirming the move on Sunday afternoon.
This now becomes the third university Little will play for. Plus the third different blue blood program he'll represent -- as he previously began with Alabama before playing for the Seminoles.
Little left Tallahassee garnering NFL Draft chatter for his stellar play. But now he heads to Columbus with one more year left of eligibility -- and a chance to boost his draft stock for 2027.
But is OSU a similar or better fit for Little? Time to break it all down.
Little to Replace Highly-Touted Draft Prospect
This transfer portal move alleviates stress for head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for this reason.
Little arrives to replace Ohio State's own talented, highly-touted NFL Draft prospect.
He's coming for the spot bequeathed by Caleb Downs. The safety garnered top five of the draft attention for his ability to star in all three phases of safety: Run support, pass coverage and ball-hawking.
Day and Patricia now face minimal pressure to throw out a younger, untested safety at Downs' spot. Little brings his own seasoned experience to Columbus. Patrick Murphy of 247Sports likes Little's fit here.
"Little gives Ohio State a player who has played on the biggest stages. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Little possesses the frame to play in the box against the run and the range to cover ground in coverage. His four interceptions last season suggest he brings the ball-hawking instinct the Buckeyes could use more of from their defensive backs," Murphy wrote.
Is Florida State in Great Shape Without Little?
There's no denying the impact Little made in what became a letdown year. He went from oft-injured Alabama defender to defensive leader.
He's hard to replace. Although incoming arrival CJ Richard looks like the early immediate replacement for him.
Richard is taking a big jump from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) ranks at Illinois State to Florida State. But he brought a similar downhill style for a Redbirds team that made a surprising national title run.
Richard can bring a scrapper attitude into the defense as a past FCS star adjusting to a new level of competition. There was one notable past FCS defender who turned out very well for Florida State: Jared Verse.
Time will tell, but FSU could be making an even swap here now that Little has found his next destination.
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