Defensive back Meiko Dotson, who tied for the nation’s lead in interceptions last season with nine, will transfer from Florida Atlantic to Florida State, he announced on social media Saturday night.
Dotson, 23, as a graduate transfer, will be able to play immediately for the Seminoles and first-year coach Mike Norvell.
Named to the All-Conference USA team while playing for former coach Lane Kiffin last season with the Owls, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Dotson entered his name into the transfer portal in January after a coaching change at FAU. After Kiffin left the Boca Raton school for Ole Miss, Florida Atlantic hired former Florida State coach Willie Taggart.
In his post on Twitter, Dotson, a Daytona Beach native, wrote “Last Year! To be continued…. #GoNoles” with a photo alongside his name that featured the Seminoles logo as the second “O” in Dotson. And indeed, it is the last year of a long journey. He first attended Georgia Tech, where he redshirted his freshman season in 2015. He played in two games the following year for the Yellow Jackets before transferring to Garden City Community College in Kansas in 2017.
He then transferred to FAU, to play for Kiffin, in 2018, redshirting one season before his breakout campaign last season. He was part of an Owls defense that led the nation with 35 turnovers gained. Ultimately, he tied for the nation lead with San Diego State’s Luq Barcoo with those nine interceptions. He also had 23 tackles as the Owls finished Kiffin’s final season at 11-3.
Florida State went 6-7 last season and had just 18 turnovers gained.