Florida State Football: The Top 10 Players for the 2012 Season

Is this the season that Florida State takes that next step and becomes one of the elite teams in college football? We have been asking that for the last couple of years, but for numerous different reasons, the Seminoles seem to come up short.

The good news if you are a Florida State fan is that the Seminoles return 14 starters from a year ago, including eight on the defensive side of the ball.

So is the year that Florida State brings back the glory days?

The defense is going to be a national powerhouse once again, but there are some serious issues on offense, including an offensive line that was terrible last season.

As we get closer to the 2012 college football season and finding out if this is truly the Seminoles season, here are the top 10 players for your Florida State team.

10. Kicker: Dustin Hopkins

We saw last season just how field-goal kicking can be in a football game. Seminole fans should be grateful that they have one of the top kickers in the country returning in Dustin Hopkins. Last season, he connected on 81.5 percent of his field goals and made every one of his extra points. He also did the kickoffs for the Seminoles, converting 35 percent of them as touchbacks.

A reliable kicker in today's college football is hard to find. If last season was any indication, it appears that Florida State has one.

9. Safety: Lamarcus Joyner

Lamarcus Joyner started his career at the cornerback position, but played safety last year due to inconsistent play in the secondary. Joyner didn't miss a beat, finishing the year with 54 tackles, four interceptions, one sack and three passes broken up. Those numbers helped him earn 2011 All-Conference last year.

You can expect him to stay at that safety position as he enters his junior year. He will be the glue to what should be one of the better secondaries this season in all of college football.

8. Wide Receiver: Rashad Greene

Florida State is looking for playmakers on offense to match an unstoppable defensive unit. Sure, Florida State averaged 30 points per game, but those points were often hard to come by, as this squad struggled to find consistent offensive production.

Wide receiver Rashad Greene has the ability to become that go-to guy for this offense. He finished his true freshman season with 38 receptions for 596 yards and seven touchdowns. An ankle injury sidelined him for a few games, but Greene has the game-changing speed and great hands that every team needs on the offensive end.

This Florida State team may be mostly defense, but with players like Greene on the field, the offense should hold its own as well.

7. Defensive Tackle: Timmy Jernigan

Timmy Jernigan saw playing time his freshman year and showed he has the goods to succeed, as he racked up 30 tackles, six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The former 5-star recruit should become the full-time starter in the middle of this defense his sophomore season and will do a little bit of everything for the Seminoles.

Jernigan has the strength and size to be a force in clogging up the running lanes, but also has underrated speed to get into the backfield and generate pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. He is just one of many great defensive players on this Florida State roster.

6. Defensive End: Bjoern Werner

Werner has the build of a smaller defensive tackle at 6'4", 275 pounds, but is explosive like a defensive end. He finished last season with 37 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks. With his skill set, he will likely be a high first-round pick in next year's NFL draft.

Having somebody who can do it all for you on the defensive line is a big reason the Seminoles defense is as great as it is right now.

5. Running Back: Devonta Freeman

Believe it or not, but the Seminoles haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Warrick Dunn in 1996. Last year, they were ranked 10th in the ACC, averaging just 112 yards on the ground a game. Devonta Freeman is a running back who can end those terrible numbers and become a force on the ground game.

He has a terrific combination of speed and power, great hands and playmaking ability that the offense lacked a year ago. If Florida State can get its offensive line issues fixed, Freeman is somebody who can really help this offense and give the Seminoles a playmaking threat. 

4. Cornerback: Greg Reid

What has Greg Reid not done since he stepped on the field his freshman year in 2009? This guy has been consistent as anybody the last three seasons and you shouldn't expect anything different from his senior year. Last year, he broke up five passes, picked off two passes and racked up 32 tackles.

Did I forget to mention that he is one of the top punt returners in college football?

Reid is a shutdown cornerback and one of many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball for the Seminoles.

3. Defensive End: Brandon Jenkins

Brandon Jenkins is one of the many seniors on this defensive front that is projected to start. He led the team last year with 12 tackles for loss and eight sacks. This defense is loaded with NFL-caliber talent, but it is Jenkins who makes all the difference for this unit. He gets off the ball so quickly and is amazing at rushing the quarterback, consistently making plays in the backfield.

With the senior generating relentless pressure up front, it makes everyone else's job that much easier.

2. Cornerback: Xavier Rhodes

In 2010, Rhodes played extremely well as a freshman and had everybody in Florida State extremely excited about his potential. Last season, the sophomore slump hit him and he didn't play quite as well as many expected.

Despite last year's struggles, Rhodes still has NFL-type talent and is one of the best cornerbacks in college this season. He has great size at 6'2", 215 pounds and is the definition of a shutdown corner. Look for Rhodes to bounce back his junior year and contend for All-ACC honors.

1. Quarterback: E.J. Manuel

Manuel has the talent and experience to lead this football team, but he hasn't quite lived up to expectations throughout his career. He has a hard time staying healthy and when he is on the field, he plays very inconsistently.

Last season, we can blame a lot of that on a horrible offensive line, but overall, the senior quarterback must step up his play.

He was a top recruit coming out of the 2008 class; it is time he starts playing like it. With Florida State struggling to find playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, Manuel will be the key this season to offensive success and a ACC title.