​Florida State needed some upgrades on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. They hit the transfer portal heavily in the secondary, and one of the additions was safety CJ Richard, who played for the Illinois State Redbirds as a redshirt freshman.He produced 36 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. This led to Freshman All-American honors for Richard as he helped Illinois State reach the FCS national title game.Richard ended up with a grade of 79.1 last year. This ranks him as the sixth-highest graded safety in the ACC per Pro Football Focus. He’s behind Corey Myrick (Clemson Tigers), Cruce Brookins (Pittsburgh Panthers), Bryce Fitzgerald (Miami Hurricanes), Tyrone Polley Jr. (SMU Mustangs), and Greg Smith (North Carolina Tar Heels).Richard is set to have a role in Tony White’s 3-3-5 scheme in 2026. His defense will put three safeties on the field, and either Richard or K.J. Kirkland will start as the boundary safety as Ma’khi Jones mans the field safety duties and Ashlynd Barker holds down the rover spot.No matter how the rotation pans out, Richard will be an essential piece to FSU’s secondary with his ball skills and ability to be stout against the run. Highest Graded Returning ACC Safeties🔥Save 25% on PFF+ Subscription: https://t.co/GKa77x09rqpic.twitter.com/iflD5r1r5q— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 24, 2026Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscienceThis article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU defender named one the top graded returning safeties in the ACC