The Most Important Florida State Football Players for the Rest of the Year

No. 1 Florida State has proved through 10 games that it needs production out of each and every one of its players if its national title dreams are going to remain intact.

But on a roster jam-packed full of talent expected to make an impact, there are a handful of players who are on another level when it comes to their importance to the Seminoles the rest of the season.

Let's take a look at those players, as their production will very likely determine whether the 'Noles remain in the College Football Playoff picture.

Jameis Winston

Garry Jones/Associated Press

There’s no doubting Jameis Wintson’s importance to Florida State as the 2014 season draws closer to its end.

Winston has struggled in the first half of games this season, but he’s been masterful for the ‘Noles in the final two quarters in what has become a habit of second-half comebacks for this FSU team. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and the drop-off from Winston to backup Sean Maguire is quite steep.

Simply put: How well Winston plays drives how well the Seminoles play. If he struggles, FSU struggles. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner’s numbers are down from a season ago, but he enters Saturday’s game against Boston College averaging 316.0 yards passing per game.

And the high-flying Seminoles offense is still a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.

Cameron Erving

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

An All-ACC left tackle and likely early-round NFL draft selection, Cameron Erving showed just how valuable he is to this year’s FSU team in last weekend’s win at Miami.

Erving spent much of fall camp earlier this year cross-training at center and dedicates time during each practice session to work on snapping the football to quarterbacks. But until the game against the Hurricanes, the potential of Erving moving from left tackle to center in the starting lineup was just that: potential.

But against Miami, Erving moved inside and replaced Ryan Hoefeld, who has struggled as an injury replacement for Austin Barron. The results were noticeably positive. Erving’s ability inside provided the Seminoles with the consistency and strong play they’ve lacked since Bryan Stork’s eligibility was exhausted at the end of the national championship game this past January.

FSU coach Jimbo Fisher was so pleased with the move that he announced this week at his Monday press conference that Erving would remain at center moving forward. Erving’s presence in the middle is extremely important for a team that hasn’t been nearly as dominant on the offensive line this season as it was expected to be.

Erving’s move could go down as one of the most important developments in FSU’s potential title run. 

Rashad Greene

Mike Groll/Associated Press

You can’t argue that Rashad Greene, who just may be the greatest wide receiver in FSU history, isn’t one of the most important players on the roster.

Greene has already set the school record for career receptions and is closing in on the record for all-time touchdowns and yardage in a Seminoles uniform. He has more than double the number of catches compared to Florida State’s second-leading receiver, Nick O’Leary, and nearly triple the number of yards this season.

Greene is Jameis Winston’s first option on every passing play because he’s so consistent, so reliable and so dangerous with the football in his hands. Without Greene in the lineup, the FSU passing attack wouldn’t be anywhere near as dominant.

Mario Edwards, Jr.

Mike Groll/Associated Press

The best defensive lineman on the Florida State roster, Mario Edwards, Jr. is also one of the best defensive ends in all of college football.

An ace against the run, Edwards leads the Seminoles with 10 tackles for loss and is second with three total sacks. The junior pass-rusher’s ability and consistency are extremely important for this team because the drop-off in production behind him on the roster is significant.

Without Edwards, FSU would be forced to face off against talented running teams in Boston College and Florida to close out the regular season, and a potential matchup with run-first Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game in December would be far more dangerous without him in the lineup.

Jalen Ramsey

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Look no further than the impact he made last week against Miami for evidence to justify Jalen Ramsey’s importance to the Seminoles for the rest of the season.

Against the Hurricanes, Ramsey, who was named Athlon’s National Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts, forced a fumble and registered the game-sealing interception. He also had three tackles, broke up four passes and blocked an extra point. 

Ramsey is so important to the FSU defensive effort because he masks some of the deficiencies of the Seminoles linebackers, who have battled injuries and struggle in coverage. Ramsey’s role as the nickel corner means he blitzes, helps in run support, defends receivers in man coverage and also contributes to the ‘Noles zone coverage as a safety.

Roberto Aguayo

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Having the best kicker in America is quite the luxury for FSU.

Roberto Aguayo didn’t hesitate when he drilled a key 53-yard field goal against Miami, and he's only missed once all season. When you have an automatic kicker, you can afford to take chances that could prove to be the difference in a ballgame.

With the way FSU has made a habit of getting down by double digits early in games and then storming back for close victories, having a kicker you can rely on in pressure-packed situations is so important.

Should a potential playoff game come down to a field goal, Aguayo would probably be the first choice to take that shot of any coach in the country.

Brandon Mellor is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics are courtesy of Seminoles.com. All recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @BrandonMellor on Twitter.