FSU defensive back Akeem Dent returning for another season

Florida State Seminoles football, on both sides of the ball, is returning quite a bit of production in 2023 with defensive back Akeem Dent becoming the latest.

Dent, who logged a career-high 51 tackles (29 solo, 22 assists) in 2022 after a breakout year last season, adds another dimension to a Seminoles defense that already is set to return big names in defensive tackle Fabien Lovett and Kalen DeLoach.

The announcement was made by The Battles End, a Florida State NIL collective that has focused on the retention of FSU players in its initial months of existence.

His official FSU bio:

2021:

Appeared in 10 games with eight starts…recorded 44 tackles, including 0.5 sack, one interception, four pass breakups and one quarterback hurry…registered three tackles, one pass breakup and first collegiate interception at Boston College…interception came on BC’s final offensive play and secured 26-23 victory…named ACC Defensive Back of the Week for his performance…made career-high-tying nine tackles, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry at Clemson…recorded six tackles and one pass breakup in season opener vs. No. 9 Notre Dame…had two tackles, including 0.5 sack, vs. Jacksonville State…registered one solo stop at Wake Forest…credited with two solo tackles at North Carolina…made four tackles vs. UMass…had five tackles vs. North Carolina State…recorded four tackles and one pass breakup vs. Miami…made eight tackles in season finale at Florida.

2020:

Appeared in seven games with five starts and recorded 13 tackles, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry…Seminole Scholar…made season-high four tackles, all solo, at No. 12 Miami…opened season with one tackle and one pass breakup vs. Georgia Tech…registered three tackles in 41-24 win vs. Jacksonville State…recorded solo tackle and one quarterback hurry at No. 5 Notre Dame…made two tackles in 31-28 victory vs. No. 5 North Carolina…had solo stop at Louisville…made one tackle in 56-35 win vs. Duke.

2019:

Played in all 13 games with five starts at safety…ACC Honor Roll…recorded 35 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and seven pass breakups…pass breakups total was most in ACC by a true freshman…made season-high nine tackles at Wake Forest…had two stops, 0.5 for loss, in 35-24 victory vs. Louisville…recorded three tackles and two pass breakups in 31-13 win vs. North Carolina State…made five tackles at No. 2 Clemson…had one solo stop in 35-17 victory vs. Syracuse…recorded three solo tackles and two pass breakups vs. Miami…had six tackles and one pass breakup in 38-31 victory at Boston College…made four tackles, 1.0 for loss, and two pass breakups in 49-12 win vs. Alabama State…had two tackles in Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State.

BEFORE FSU:

Five-star prospect ranked 28th nationally, 4th at his position, and No. 4 in Florida according to Rivals…listed as the nation’s No. 11 cornerback and the No. 12 prospect in Florida by 247Sports…ranked as No. 76 prospect in ESPN300…played in 2019 Under Armour All-America Game…two-time Sun Sentinel Palm Beach County Class 8A-6A Defensive Player of the Year…contributed 67 tackles and one interception while serving as team captain in 2018, leading the Broncos to the FHSAA 8A Regional Final…2018 Groza Award Palm Beach County Player of the Year…tallied 81 tackles, five interceptions and three forced fumbles as a junior…helped Palm Beach Central to back-to-back district titles…chose Florida State over Alabama and Miami among many offers

As players announce their decisions for 2023, we’ll be keeping track in our FSU player tracker stream, posting updates on who is either departing Tallahassee or returning for another year in garnet and gold.