Florida State redshirt junior defensive end Patrick Payton plans to enter the transfer portal, according to reports.

Payton has been with the Seminoles for the past four seasons, playing under head coach Mike Norvell from 2021 through 2024.

He redshirted in 2021 and will have one year of eligibility remaining.

In 2024, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Payton started 12 games for Florida State. He recorded 35 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks and a blocked kick.

According to Pro Football Focus, Payton played a total of 579 defensive snaps in 2024, with the majority coming as a defensive end line up outside of the tackle, but he also lined up as an outside linebacker and elsewhere throughout the year. PFF graded Payton out with a score of 60.0 defensively. He added 69 snaps on special teams.

In 39 career games played with the Seminoles, Payton tallied 110 total tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 13 passes defended, three forced fumbles and the aforementioned block kick.

As a prospect, Payton was considered a high-three-star outside linebacker out of Northwestern High School in Miami in the class of 2021. He ranked as the No. 26 player at his position and the No. 66 recruit in the state of Florida in the cycle.

Stay locked in on the Rivals Transfer Tracker to keep up with the latest transfer news, portal entries, commitments, and rankings. For a deep-dive into the transfer portal, make sure you visit the Rivals Transfer Search page.

The Rivals Transfer Portal X account is a must-follow for any college football fan.

The winter college football transfer portal window is scheduled to open on Dec. 9, 2024 for 20 days. Additionally, players have a 30-day window to transfer when their head coach leaves. There is also a five-day window for players to transfer after their team has finished postseason play. A 10-day transfer window will open on April 16 as well.