National Championship celebrated, Crystal Ball in the Moore Athletic Center, Heisman Trophy on display, another Top 5 signing class in the books. So, what does 2014 look like now that we have a better grasp of the roster Florida State will put out.
Offense: Equal
This offense should be fairly loaded again. The question for the offense becomes can they maintain or get better? Well, that’s a tough thing to ask of a unit that broke numerous Florida State records and a few National NCAA records for output. The answer is yes, though. It can be better. With Rashad Greene, Cameron Erving and Nick O’Leary returning, Jameis Winston will have an excellent line that returns all but one starter and two comfortable targets. Added to that mix will be a couple of youngsters like Ryan Green and Kermit Whitfield that have shown some flashes of brilliance and breakaway potential with some dynamic incoming playmakers like Dalvin Cook, Ermon Lane, and Travis Rudolph.
There wasn’t really anyone around who was sure what we had coming into 2013 in quarterback Jameis Winston. He sure looked special, but until it was proven on the field it was a question mark. That question has been answered in an amazingly resounding way and any offense that has a quarterback like Winston returning has the potential to be great.
Quarterback: Equal or Better
| Team Totals (85) | Senior (15) | Junior (16) | Sophomore (19) | Freshman (35) |
| Quarterback(4) | 5 – Jameis Winston (RS) | 11 – John Franklin (RS) | ||
| 10 – Sean Maguire (RS) | JJ Cosentino | |||
Not much changes at the quarterback position. Jameis Winston will return to lead the Noles, Sean Maguire will most likely be the back up. The wildcard for the backup role will be John Franklin. Franklin was thought to be a candidate for a position switch when he was brought in last season, but has supposedly impressed the coaches a good bit handling scout team responsibilities and may very well get a shot to win the backup job. JJ Cosentino could be the quarterback of the future but shouldn’t factor in 2014 barring Maryland like luck.
Running Back: Decline or Equal or Better
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Running Back (5) | 9 – Karlos Williams | 7 – Mario Pender (RS) | Dalvin Cook | |
| 15 - Ryan Green | Johnathan Vickers |
Karlos Williams has shown some explosive ability and could very well be the best back that FSU had in 2012. However, until he carries the load as a full time back, it’s hard to say that the running game will be better than it was this past season. Williams could turn into a big weapon for the Noles next year after a year of learning the nuances of the position and the minor details that can make the difference between a good back and a great back. Ryan Green has shown some explosiveness and will provide good depth in the backfield.
The wildcard at running back is Mario Pender. After a injured redshirt season as a freshman, Pender was ruled academically ineligible for 2013. Now that Pender has regained eligibility, he could be a special back for the Noles. Add in Mr. Football of Florida Dalvin Cook and FSU has a pretty potent backfield. Jonathan Vickers is another incoming freshman that has a lot of size and is a quality back.
Fullback: Slight Decline
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Fullback (1) | 33 – Freddie Stevenson |
Chad Abram was considered by most coming into the season as a question mark at best and a liability at worst. He proved everyone wrong by having a very solid senior season paving the way as a lead blocker for the Seminoles ground game. The only returner here will be converted linebacker Freddie Stevenson. Stevenson was a bit of a surprise at FB for the Noles as a freshman. He did a very nice job in relief work, though, and showed even a little more ability as a runner than Abram. The true test will be how he handles the responsibilities of smashing into linebackers and opening holes for the backs behind him, however. Until that part is known, it’s hard to say that the position won’t see some sort of decline in play. With Stevenson’s size and strength, though, there is a distinct possibility that Florida State sees no dropoff from 2013-2014.
Wide Receiver: Decline
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Wide Receiver (9) | 80 – Rashad Greene | 3 – Jesus Wilson | Travis Rudolph | |
| 12 – Jarred Haggins (RS) | 7 - Levonte Whitfield | Erman Lane | ||
| 89 – Christian Green (RS) | 84 – Isaiah Jones | Ja’Von Harrison |
This was probably the position most dependent on key people staying. With Kelvin Benjamin forgoing his last 2 years and Kenny Shaw graduating, this position will certainly decline next season. However, the return of Rashad Greene is big as he’s the favorite target of WInston and the most explosive and reliable receiver the Noles have. The loss of Kenny Shaw is no small thing, as he as been an incredibly dependable player and possibly the most polished wide receiver Florida State has had. Christian Green has started to perform better and will be back for a senior season and Jarred Haggins will most likely be back for his senior year after missing this season due to injury. Throw in an increased role for shifty playmakers Jesus Wilson and Levonte Whitfield and that’s already an excellent group that Jameis Winston should be happy to throw to.
There are two wildcards here. First, what kind of strides does Isaiah Jones make? He’s got the prototype body at 6’4″ and was the highest rated of the incoming freshman for 2013. Second, will any of the ultra-talented freshman make an immediate impact. Travis Rudolph and Ermon Lane are almost sure bets to see some time next fall, but how much of an impact will the make immediately?
Tight End: Improvement
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Tight End (6) | 33 – Kevin Haplea (RS) | 4 – Giorgio Newberry (RS) | 85 – Jeremy Kerr (RS) | |
| 35 – Nick O’Leary | Marvin Saunders | |||
| Ryan Izzo |
Now that Nick O’Leary has announced his return, this should almost certainly be a position of improvement. O’Leary is already one of the top tight ends in the nation and will only get better with another year of growing and getting stronger. In 2013, with only one healthy scholarship tight end, FSU moved Giorgio Newberry over from defense with, at best, mixed results. Newberry hasn’t made an impact at all in the passing game, though he has provided an extra big body in short yardage and goalline situations. Kevin Haplea and Jeremy Kerr should return from injuries that cost both of the 2013. Haplea is a proven blocker on the edge and can catch the ball. Kerr is a massive, but unproven, tight end that very well could be an excellent blocker on the edge next season. FSU has committments from two tight ends, Marvin Saunders who is one of the top tight ends in the nation, and Ryan Izzo.
Offensive Line: Equal
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Offensive Line (17) | 62 – Austin Barron | 65 – Ruben Carter (RS) | 78 – Wilson Bell (RS) | |
| 51 – Bobby Hart | Chad Mavety | 59 – Ryan Hoefeld (RS) | ||
| 54 – Tre’ Jackson | Kareem Are | 55 – Ira Denson (RS) |
||
| 53 – Sterling Lovelady | Corey Martinez | |||
| 70 – Josue Matias | Alec Eberle | |||
| 75 – Cameron Erving | Brock Ruble | |||
| Roderick Johnson | ||||
| Derrick Kelly |
Every starter outside of senior Bryan Stork returns. In Stork’s place, Austin Barron most likely steps in. Barron has been a backup and spot starter for the past 3 seasons and does a very good job. The coaches have been comfortable enough with Barron to slide Stork over to tackle when needed and he is experienced and proven. The two guys surrounding Barron should be two of the top guards in the nation next season. Tre Jackson and Josue Matias will enter their 3rd straight year as starters and are both All-ACC performers with NFL futures.
Cam Erving announced his return, and that leaves no questions on the outside and FSU will have one of the top offensive lines in the country. In addition, FSU brought in one of their best offensive line classes in recent memory. Junior college players Chad Mavety and Kareem Are are the most logical choices to make an early impact. With the additions of five high school prospects, Florida State is set up to have some of the best depth in years on the line. Lastly, Ira Denson has been rumored to be on the way out, but as of now Jimbo Fisher says he’s still a part of the team.
Defense: Equal or Slight Decline
Much like the Florida State offense, it’s hard to project that the defense will be much better next season. They have been outstanding this year and will lose some key pieces. That said, there are some talented players waiting in the wings. In addition, there is enough of a returning nucleus in each position group that I can’t envision too much of a drop off. Obviously, Timmy Jernigan at defensive tackle and Lamarcus Joyner are two of the real big loses that the defense must overcome.
Another factor that makes projecting what next year’s defense will look like is how much of a transition the unit will make from a 4-3 to a 3-4 or whether Charles Kelly will continue to feature a heavy dose of 4-2-5.
Defensive Line: Slight Decline
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Defensive Line (17) | 43 – Desmond Hollin | 15 – Mario Edwards Jr. | 21 – Chris Casher (RS) | 91 – Davarez Bryant (RS) |
| 90 – Eddie Goldman | 44 – DeMarcus Walker | 95 – Keith Bryant (RS) | ||
| 99 – Niles Lawrence-Stample (RS) | 92 – Justin Shanks (RS) | Derrick Nnadi | ||
| 11 – Derrick Mitchell (RS) | Demarcus Christmas | |||
| Lorenzo Featherston | ||||
| Rick Leonard | ||||
| Arthur Williams | ||||
| Adam Torres | ||||
| Fredrick Jones |
I’m grouping the defensive line as one unit because after this year it’s hard to pigeon hole players into a particular position. I don’t think anyone expected Eddie Goldman to open the season at defensive end! While the roles seemed to be more traditional as the year progressed, the lines between defensive end and defensive tackle have certainly been blurred. As far as next year goes, you can’t lose players like Timmy Jernigan at defensive tackle and Christian Jones at defensive end and not expect a bit of a drop off. Jernigan has been an absolute beast in his 3 year career in Tallahassee and will be missed. Jones has really found a home at defensive end the latter half of the season after spending 3+ years at linebacker. The Noles have some definite candidates to replace both players, though.
Inside, look for Eddie Goldman to continue his maturation into the dominant player he was projected to be out of high school. Hopefully, he can become the terror in the interior that Jernigan has been. If that happens, the Noles defense will be one step closer to continuing the dominant trend they’ve been on. Niles Lawrence-Stample is the only other interior player returning with good experience. Justin Shanks and Derrick Mitchell are both big bodies that will hopefully be ready to contribute. Keith Bryant is another guy that, after redshirting this season, should be ready to go next season. The Noles have 5 guys new comers that are listed as defensive tackles. Of those, Demarcus Christmas and Derrick Nnadi are the ones that could possibly be ready to come in and provide some immediate depth.
On the outside, one spot is sewn up by Mario Edwards Jr. who has really improved as the year has gone on and is playing great football right now. If he continues to progress into next season, that’s only better news for the Noles. On the other side of the line, Chris Casher is a good bet to replace Christian Jones. Casher is bigger than Jones, but possesses good speed and quickness. He has shown glimpses of his talent this season. In particular, the sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, with a scoop and score against Syracuse was jaw dropping. Demarcus Walker actually started several games early this season and in his second season should be expected to make a greater impact. One other player to consider is Ukeme Eligwe. Much like Jones, Eligwe was a linebacker who spent a lot of time with his hand on the ground at the end position this season. He could be used much the same was Jones was used this season. Of the newcomers, Rick Leonard has the size and strength to contribute immediately. Lorenzo Featherston, however, will probably need some time to add weight and bulk up.
Linebacker: Equal
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Linebacker (10) | 28 – Nigel Terrell | 5 – Reggie Northrup | 52 – Ukeme Eligwe (RS) | 18 – Ro’Derrick Hoskins (RS) |
| 24 – Terrance Smith (RS) | 10 – EJ Levenberry | Kain Daub | ||
| 12 – Matthew Thomas | Delvin Purifoy | |||
| Jacob Pugh |
Because Christian Jones spent most of the year lined up at defensive end, Florida State is really only losing Telvin Smith. Smith was a special player with excellent closing speed and great instincts. Terreance Smith has really played well after moving into the starting lineup after BC and will certainly be counted on in 2014. As for replacing Telvin, Reggie Northrup has the most experience and impressed as a freshman, though didn’t stand out quite as much this season. Matthew Thomas is the big wildcard here as the all-world recruit didn’t get to showcase his talent much this year after missing most of the season with an injury. If he lives up to his potential after a full offseason, the linebacker corps may not miss a beat. In addition, Florida State has three mighty fine linebackers coming for 2014. Kain Daub, Jacob Pugh, and Delvin Purifoy are all rated as Top 10 linebackers in the nation and big grown men that should be physically ready to contribute immediately.
Defensive Back: Improvement
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Defensive Back (13) | 6 – Nick Waisome | 1 – Tyler Hunter (RS) | 29 – Nate Andrews | 36 – Tyrell Lyons (RS) |
| 3 – Ronald Darby | 30 – Colin Blake (RS) | Trey Marshall | ||
| 26 – PJ Williams | 13 – Jalen Ramsey | Malique Jackson | ||
| 37 – Keelin Smith (RS) | 27 – Marquez White | |||
| 42 – Lamarcus Brutus (RS) |
Wait, how can Florida State lose 2 long time starters including a Thorpe Award finalist and improve in the secondary? Young talent that has done nothing but impress this season is how – plus the hopeful return of Tyler Hunter. Ronald Darby, Jalen Rasmey and PJ Williams return as starters in the secondary. Nate Andrews has shown a special knack in his limited opportunity this season. Add in a healthy Tyler Hunter, who has already shown the ability to play corner and safety and was a starter early this season before an injury and you already have an impressive group that is among the best in the country. Marquez White has also shown some promise in reserve action as a true freshman this year, too.
The Noles signed just two defensive backs led by Trey Marshall. He and Malique Jackson will be hard pressed to see significant time with a very deep defensive backfield.
Kicker: Equal
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Kicker(1) | 19 – Roberto Aguayo (RS) |
Roberto Aguayo is having a year that it’s hard to improve on. He’s got a strong and accurate leg. As of now, the only improvement we could expect from him is…perfection?!?
Punter: Improvement
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Punter(1) | 38 – Cason Beatty (RS) |
Cason Beatty was the subject of much consternation early this season. However, it may have gone unnoticed with the few times the Noles have been required to punt, but he’s really improved as the season has gone on. He’s averaged 40.7 yards per punt on the season, but for the last 3 games he’s averaged 44.6 yards per punt. That was after averaging just 38.0 yards per punt in the 3 games directly prior. If he follows the tract of Shawn Powell, he should see a significant jump in production in his junior season. After two seasons of a 41 yard average, Powell increased his average to 44 his junior season before topping out at a 47 yard average in a superb senior year.
Longsnapper: Equal
| Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshman | |
| Longsnapper(1) | Stephen Gabbard |
Phillip Doumar has done an excellent job this season after winning a scholarship for his senior year. Florida State is making the interesting decision to recruit and offer a scholarship to a high school long snapper. That’s not something that’s normally done, so obviously there must be a reason. The reason is Stephen Gabbard is rated as the number three long snapper in the nation and is out of local high school Godby in Tallahassee.