In January, FSU landed a Division II prospect with three years of eligibility remaining. Coming off a solid 2025 season, kicker Conor McAneney’s arrival created a clear development plan at the position for the Seminoles. But now, that plan has been derailed.

On Wednesday, the FSU kicker was arrested in Fort Lauderdale on allegations of battery on a law enforcement officer. That isn’t all. McAneney is also facing charges related to trespassing on an occupied structure and resisting an officer with violence. Two of these counts have been listed as third-degree felonies in court documents.

For a 3rd-degree felony, one can face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 in Florida. But nothing has been declared yet regarding Conor McAneney’s case. According to the Broward County Sheriff’s arrest record, the arrest took place around 2:30 a.m. ET.

“The defendant began to grab onto the barrier gates to the business, so I grabbed him under his arms in attempt to make him release his grip,” wrote an officer in the arrest report. “Once away from the bar, I let go of the defendant who then grabbed by arm/shirt and attempted to pull me down, placing me off balance, (and) nearly falling through the barrier into the roadway where traffic was flowing.”

For now, McAneney’s future with the Seminoles feels totally uncertain. Though the kicker came with immense potential.

Last season, the former Quincy kicker connected on 7 of 10 field goal attempts, including a career-long 45-yarder. Moreover, he capped off his year by drilling every extra point in the finale and showcased his leg strength with 16 touchbacks on 49 kickoffs. His performance even earned him Great Lakes Valley Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors after a standout showing against William Jewell.

The placekicker proved himself, splitting duties between placekicking and kickoffs across 11 games in 2025 as a freshman. But McAneney is not a finished product. FSU might be betting on his development depending on his numbers. Basically, the Seminoles took a calculated swing on upside when they brought in Conor McAneney.

Hailing from Plumbridge, Tyrone, in Northern Ireland, he grew up playing Gaelic football at CBS Omagh before transitioning to American football. Now his arrival in Tallahassee as a transfer could give him a chance to play in Division I, while the present scenario makes things smoky. But for FSU, this is not the first time, as last season was also proof of such turmoil.

FSU’s history of high-profile legal incidents

Between 2006 and 2014, records indicate at least 10 FSU players were arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department for various charges ranging from theft to sexual assault. In fact, in 2025 the Seminoles faced such scenarios.

Last April, WR Jalen Brown was arrested on a third-degree felony charge for possession of a controlled substance and was dismissed from the team within 12 hours of the incident. Before that, in February, redshirt freshman CB Charles Lester III was arrested in Manatee County and charged with driving under the influence (DUI).

Then former standout LB Telvin Smith was arrested in July 2025 on a third-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. These kinds of cases can damage FSU’s reputation and even raise questions about the program’s culture.

So, the school needs to be strict with its rules to keep players away from such situations.