Gilber Edmond discusses where he fits into Florida State defensive scheme

When choosing where to transfer after jumping in the transfer portal after several years at South Carolina, Gilber Edmond wanted to have a good idea of what he’d be doing scheme-wise for his new squad. At Florida State, his landing spot, Edmond feels he’s going to slot in to the perfect role for his skill set.

Edmond played often as a stand up outside linebacker rushing the passer for South Carolina. And while he feels plenty confident in his physical abilities to do that, it’s not where he feels he’s at his best — and it seems the Florida State staff agrees.

“Whenever I was talking with them, they see me — although I’ve got a lot of physical athleticism, they see me as a true defensive end. That’s where I felt like I would flourish as well, instead of going somewhere and being like a stand up outside linebacker, things like that,” Edmond said.

And the more Edmond dug in to the scheme and his potential role within it, the more comfortable he became.

“So, just showing me their scheme and me looking at it and being like ‘This is how I wanted to play.’ And I feel like I can do the things they’re asking me to do at this position. Kind of felt like, natural and all,” Edmond said.

Gilber Edmond shares transfer recruitment process, impact of Jaheim Bell

When he first entered the transfer portal, former South Carolina edge rusher Gilber Edmond was overwhelmed by the number of coaches and programs reaching out. He opted to sit back for a beat and get the lay of the land.

And as the process played out, one school really started to stand out to Edmond: Florida State. He explained how the Seminoles won out at his first press appearance in Tallahassee.

“When I first entered the transfer portal it was pretty hectic. There were a lot of coaches reaching out. So I kind of just took a step back, you know what I’m saying? I didn’t really talk to anyone, for like a day. Then kind of just see the schools I could see myself at, and I kind of narrowed it down that way. And ultimately when I took the visits, Florida State, it felt right,” Edmond said. “They had the plan for me, and I’ve seen the vision. So I decided that Florida State was the spot.”

Edmond also shared that fellow South Carolina transfer and now Florida State tight end Jaheim Bell got in touch when the former entered the transfer portal. Bell entered the portal and committed before Edmond made his decision and reached out to sell FSU.

Bell wasn’t selling Edmond on any flash or sizzle — just gave him an honest appraisal of the situation from his perspective. And it was a great sell.

“When I entered the portal, Jaheim reached out to me. He was like, ‘C’mon man, Florida State’s the place to go.’ And I mean, I was open ears, so I wanted to hear him out,” Edmond said. “And was just basically telling me that whatever these guys are pitching to you, they’re legit and they’re very truthful and they’re very honest people. And that’s what I’m about.”