Deondre Francois may be looking to leave Florida State and not return to the Seminoles for the 2019 season, the Orlando Sentinel reported on Wednesday. His options at the moment could include the NFL Draft should he receive positive feedback from pro teams, but if he doesn't, he'll play another season at the college level -- just not at Florida State. Francois graduated earlier this month, so he wouldn't be forced to sit out a season should he transfer within the FBS ranks.
This is a report, however, that Francois took to Twitter to deny very shortly after it surfaced.
Taking matters a step forward, Francois then called the Orlando Sentinel to refute the report personally. He told the paper that while he plans to test the NFL waters, he may still return to Florida State if entering the NFL Draft isn't the right decision for him this year.
"Why would I not go back to FSU?" Francois said. "I'm thinking about declaring [for the NFL] but I don't know what I'm going to do. I never told anybody nothing like that. I'm just unsure what I'm doing right now.
"I'm still talking with my family trying to decide, but I never said nothing like that."
Francois' career at Florida State has been up and down. Francois arrived in Tallahassee as a highly-rated four-star QB out of IMG Academy in 2015. After redshirting for a year, he opened the 2016 season as Florida State's starter and finished the season with 3,350 yards passing and 20 touchdowns as Florida State went 10-3 and finished the season in the Orange Bowl. The 2017 season opened with the Seminoles ranked No. 3 in the country, but in their season-opener against Alabama, Francois suffered a broken kneecap that cost him the rest of the season. In 2018, he had difficulty adapting to a fresh offense under new coach Willie Taggart, finishing the season with 2,731 yards passing and 15 touchdowns, but with 12 interceptions as well.
If he does return to Florida State, he may find himself in a competition for the starting job in 2019. If he stays in school and ultimately decides to transfer, he wouldn't have to sit out a season since he's received his degree.