2013 Florida State Preview: Grades by Position

With National Signing Day a week away, it is time to focus our attention on how the Florida State Seminoles look entering offseason with the players returning.

Also, we can see how the recruits who have already committed will add to the depth of the team in a few years as well as who should be the top recruits to target in the home stretch.

Quarterback

Depth Chart:

• 9   Clint Trickett | 6-3, 180, RS JR
  
• 14 Jacob Coker | 6-5, 232, SO
• 5   Jameis Winston | 6-4, 206, RS FR
• 11  Sean Maguire | 6-3, 200, RS FR

Pick to start the season: Trickett by default, but he needs to build up some more.

Name to watch next season: Jameis Winston, due to the amount of hype made about him last season in recruiting.

Pick who should start the season: Jacob Coker because of his size.

2013 Commits: John Franklin, dual-threat quarterback.  Fisher seems to be targeting more dual-threat (EJ Manuel-type) quarterbacks for his system.

Biggest target(s): None (There are plenty of quarterbacks already.)

Overall Grade: C (Very young and inexperienced.)

Running Back

Depth Chart: 32  James Wilder | 6-2, 220, JR 8    Devonta Freeman | 5-8, 200, JR 7   Mario Pender | 5-10, 190, RS FR

Name to watch next season: Mario Pender, who was a great recruit a year ago, was sidelined with an injury in 2012 but will hopefully see more of the field in 2013.

Pick to start the season: Wilder should get more carries but they will split carries many times.

Pick who should start the season: James Wilder with a good mixture of Freema.

2013 Commits: Ryan Green, an all-purpose back, is a smaller back with speed and great side-to-side agility.

Biggest target(s): Alex Collins, running back from Florida, is of the same physical build of Devonta Freeman and would fit well at FSU.

Overall Grade: A- (Veteran running backs who run downhill very well.)

Wide Receivers

Depth Chart:

82  Willie Haulstead | 6-2, 233, RS SR 12  Jarred Haggins | 6-1, 187, SR 81  Kenny Shaw | 6-0, 170, SR 15  Greg Dent | 5-11, 185, SR 80  Rashad Greene | 6-0, 175, JR 89  Christian Green | 6-2, 206, JR 1  Kelvin Benjamin | 6-5, 243, SO 10 Marvin Bracy | 5-9, 172, RS FR

Name to watch next season: Willie Haulstead hopefully gets more active in the offense next season after a season recovering from a concussion.

Pick(s) to start the season: Greene, Shaw, and Dent.

Pick who should start the season: Greene, Shaw, and Benjamin (Height alone makes incredible matchups.)

2013 Commits: Isaiah Jones, a taller wide receiver, is very similar to Rodney Smith. Levonte Whitfield, on the other hand, is shorter but possesses great speed.

Biggest target(s): Stacy Coley is a well-rounded wide receiver being recruited by surrounding Florida schools.  Would be nice to add Jordan Cunningham and Eddie Jackson also.

Overall Grade: B+ (Many options who can be playmakers when called upon.)

Tight Ends

Depth Chart:

33  Kevin Haplea | 6-4, 252, SR 44  Will Tye | 6-3, 254, RS JR 35  Nick O'Leary | 6-3, 238, JR 83  C. Kourtzidis | 6-4, 246, SO

Name to watch next season: Kevin Haplea is a transfer from Penn State and will most likely have more playing time with a year in the FSU scheme.

Pick(s) to start the season: O'Leary and Haplea.

Pick who should start the season: O'Leary and Haplea.

2013 Commits: Jeremy Kerr is a pure blocking tight end who can also play tackle if need be.

Biggest target(s): Arshad Jackson has good size and great side-to-side speed.

Overall Grade: B- (O'Leary needs to work on not fumbling so much and having such younger guys to the program.)

Offensive Tackles

Depth Chart:

75  Cameron Erving | 6-5, 304, RS JR 51  Bobby Hart | 6-5, 314, JR

Name to watch next season: Bobby Hart was a big name coming out of high school but was second string to Menelik Watson.

Pick(s) to start the season: Hart and Erving.

Pick who should start the season: Hart and Erving.

2013 Commits: None (Now, that Austin Golson has decommitted.)

Biggest target(s): Denver Kirkland would be a huge get from the Miami area.  Austin Golson needs to be reclaimed.  Aleon Calhoun is a 6-7, 354 pound JUCO transfer who has been targeted by many SEC and BIG12 schools.

Overall Grade: C (Due to the loss of Watson and putting the unproven Bobby Hart on the outside where Florida State attempts many stretch runs is a big question mark.)

Offensive Guards

Depth Chart: 70  Josue Matias | 6-6, 325, SO 54  Tre Jackson | 6-4, 325, SO 65  Ruben Carter | 6-5, 285, FR

Name to watch next season: Ruben Carter, who has not seen the field much, will hopefully get some playing time in order to offset the loss of Matias or Jackson after next year.

Pick(s) to start the season: Matias and Jackson.

Pick who should start the season: Matias and Jackson.

2013 Commits: Ira Denson is a massive guy and huge pull for FSU for the next few years.

Biggest target(s): Wilson Bell, a former commit to Central Florida, is being lured by Auburn and FSU.

Overall Grade: A (Veteran interior lineman who did not allow many sacks up the middle and created massive holes for Wilder and Freeman to run.)

Center

Depth Chart: 52  Bryan Stork | 6-4, 312, RS SR 59  Henry Orelus | 6-3, 329, RS SR 62  Austin Barron | 6-3, 295, JR 53  Sterling Lovelady | 6-2, 290, JR

Name to watch next season: Henry Orelus has seen playing time at other positions on the line and, with this being his final season, will hopefully make an impact outside of center.

Pick(s) to start the season: Stork.

Pick who should start the season: Stork.

2013 Commits: Ryan Hoefeld is highly ranked at his position and will fill a void in future depth charts.

Biggest target(s): None.

Overall Grade: A (Veteran leadership and great depth.)

Defensive Ends

Depth Chart: 51  Giorgio Newberry | 6-6, 275, RS SO 15  Mario Edwards | 6-4, 295, SO 21  Chris Casher | 6-4, 251, SO

Name to watch next season: Chris Casher will hopefully see more of the field this year after avoiding a redshirt in 2012 with the lack of depth after Brandon Jenkins' injury.

Pick(s) to start the season: Edwards and Casher.

Pick who should start the season: Edwards and Newberry.

2013 Commits: Demarcus Walker was a major switch from Alabama to FSU but one that was definitely needed with the loss of four defensive ends this season.  Davin Bellamy, who has seemed a shakier commit while looking at Georgia, is a great weak-side defensive end.  Desmond Hollin is a strong-side end who has a similar build and speed to Werner.

Biggest target(s): Keeping Davin Bellamy committed.

Overall Grade: B- (Very very young but much potential.)

Defensive Tackles

Depth Chart: 55 Jacobbi McDaniel | 6-0, 286, RS SR 97 D. McAllister | 6-2, 290, RS SR 8  Timmy Jernigan | 6-2, 298, JR 56  Derrick Mitchell | 6-4, 314, RS SO 99  N. Lawrence-Stample | 6-1, 297, RS SO 81  Eddie Goldman | 6-4, 324, SO 94 Justin Shanks | 6-2, 340, RS FR

Name to watch next season: Eddie Goldman was a major recruit in 2012 who made a quick impression on the seniors.  Watch for him to see playing time in 2013.

Pick(s) to start the season: McAllister and Jernigan.

Pick who should start the season: McAllister (or McDaniel if healthy) and Jernigan.

2013 Commits: None.

Biggest target(s): Keith Bryant is a great run defender which is key for the FSU defense.

Overall Grade: A+ (GREAT depth and many veterans and underclassmen.)

Linebackers

Depth Chart: 7  Christian Jones | 6-4, 232, SR 22  Telvin Smith | 6-3, 215, SR 28  Nigel Terrell | 6-1, 223, RS JR 16  Ukeme Eligwe | 6-3, 228, RS SO 24  Terrance Smith | 6-4, 214, SO 12  Reggie Northrup | 6-1, 221, SO

Name to watch next season: Telvin Smith had a tremendous end of 2012 with some incredible hard hits in the Orange Bowl against Northern Illinois and has solidified his spot in 2013.

Pick(s) to start the season: Jones, Telvin Smith, and Terrance Smith.

Pick who should start the season: Jones, Telvin Smith, and Northrup.

2013 Commits: Freddie Stevenson is a top-rated outside linebacker who is very quick and enrolled in early January.  Tyrell Lyons is another speedy outside linebacker who will get to learn under some of the very best.  Ro'Derrick Hoskins is another add to the outside linebacker group.  E.J. Levenberry Jr is one of the top 15 inside linebackers in the country, adding to an already strong depth chart.

Biggest target(s): Matthew Thomas is one of the top recruits FSU could get in this entire class and would continue to strengthen the already strong linebacker group that FSU has.  Yannick Ngakoue is a balanced inside linebacker that would be needed with the plethora of outside linebackers that have already committed.

Overall Grade: A+ (The best group that FSU has. Veteran, deep and continuing to grow.)

Defensive Backs

Depth Chart: 6  Nick Waisome | 5-10, 170, JR 37  Keelin Smith | 6-3, 185, RS SO 13  Ronald Darby | 5-11, 187, SO 30  Colin Blake | 6-3, 194, RS FR

Name to watch next season: Keelin Smith will hopefully see some playing time as the backup to Waisome and Darby.  Hopefully his height will be a great change to that of Waisome and Darby.

Pick(s) to start the season: Waisome and Darby.

Pick who should start the season: Waisome and Darby.

2013 Commits: Michael Johnson is a smaller defensive back who is similar to Greg Reid. Marquez White is a big commit from Alabama who is reminiscent of Xavier Rhodes.

Biggest target(s): Mackensie Alexander is a long shot but would be a great addition with his man-to-man ability.

Overall Grade: B+ (Returning starter and defensive rookie of the year are big helps but need more depth.)

Safeties

Depth Chart: 20  Lamarcus Joyner | 5-8, 195, SR 3  Justin Bright | 6-1, 193, SR 31  Terrence Brooks | 5-11, 195, SR 23  Gerald Demps | 5-11, 197, RS SR 1  Tyler Hunter | 6-0, 194, JR 9  Karlos Williams | 6-2, 229, JR 42  Lamarcus Brutus | 6-0, 197, SO

Name to watch next season: Tyler Hunter played much of his time at safety.  Depending whether they move Karlos Williams to linebacker (most likely not) will go a long way in determining what position Hunter is placed in 2013.

Pick(s) to start the season: Joyner and Williams.

Pick who should start the season: Joyner and Hunter (Move Williams to linebacker.)

2013 Commits: None.

Biggest target(s): None.

Overall Grade: A (Very strong and deep core of players, will be losing many seniors.)

Kicker

Depth Chart: 19  Roberto Aguayo | 6-1, 212, RS FR 14 Drew Zloch | 5-8, 175, JR

Name to watch next season: Roberto Aguayo was a big recruit a year ago and redshirted in 2012.  With no one besides Hopkins having kicked in the past few years, it will be interesting to see what direction the special teams goes.

Pick(s) to start the season: Aguayo.

Pick who should start the season: Aguayo.

2013 Commits: None.

Biggest target(s): None.

Overall Grade: F (No experience whatsoever.)