13 Florida State Seminoles Who Will Decide Their BCS Title Aspirations

With 12 regular season games plus a possible Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game, I figured I would try to pick out my 13 most impactful players that could lead the Seminoles to the promise land.

They will certainly need to catch a ton of breaks including upsetting the top-ranked Sooners on September 17. Regardless, this upcoming season should be extremely exciting for Seminole nation and these 12 players, in my opinion, will determine their fates for the BCS National Championship.

13. Shawn Powell, Senior: Punter

Wait, how is a punter on this list? Powell improved his average punt from 41.6 to 44.3 yards the last two seasons and his net as well as his net (36.1 to 39.0 yards).

Out of his 50 punts, only 21 were returned for just 143 yards! That is less than seven yards per return which means Powell is one hell of a punter. If Florida State wants to win the battle of field position, they will need Powell to come through in crunch time all season long.

12.Jacobbi McDaniel, Junior: Defensive Tackle

The last defensive tackle that made a significant impact at defensive tackle (last first-rounder at defensive tackle) was Brodrick Bunkley in 2006.  Any defensive tackle in the two deep could make a huge impact for the Seminoles, but I like the upside that McDaniel brings to the table at 6'0", 301 lbs. He is quite the load with solid quickness for a 300-pounder.

McDaniel was once the top-recruited linemen in the nation coming out of high school, but he has not been able to live up to the hype as early as most fans had dreamed of. McDaniel is just entering his junior season and has plenty of time to develop into the next “All-American” stud up front.

11.Andrew Datko, Senior: Left Tackle

Datko was recently named to the Pre-Season Outland Trophy Watch which is given to the best offensive tackles in the country. Datko is one of just 10 linemen named to the list and many experts think he has a legitimate chance of winning the award.

At 6'6", 321 lbs., Datko is expected to protect the blindside for quarterback E.J. Manuel as well as open some holes for him to dash through. Datko is one of the few senior leaders on this offense and his play is just as important off the gridiron as it is on.

10. Chris Thompson, Junior: Running Back

Although the ‘Noles are loaded in the backfield, Thompson gave them an extra punch late in the season. Jermaine Thomas was the starter until he was dinged up and missed nearly the final four games of the season.

Thompson stepped up to the plate and hit plenty of home runs, totaling for 375 total yards and three total touchdowns. His 147-yard performance against South Carolina in the Chick-Fil-A also included a 27-yard touchdown run that put FSU up 13-0 before they held on for the 26-17 victory.

If he can stay healthy and rush for over 1,000 yards behind a stellar offensive line then this Seminoles rushing attack will be sensational.

9. LaMarcus Joyner, Sophomore: Strong Safety

Joyner came in and played a significant amount of time as a cornerback last season. With Greg Reid and Xavier Rhodes both starting and with Michael Harris covering up the middle of the field as the nickel back, there is nowhere else to put Joyner. That is where defensive coordinator Mark Stoops came up with the genius offseason idea of moving Joyner to safety.

Safety has been a high priority the past few seasons and the depth is starting to get absurd with Karlos Williams entering the two deep.

Joyner (5’8", 192 lbs.) may not seem like he is a big hitter, but he packs the punch just as well if not better than any player in the entire secondary. If Joyner can jar a few passes loose and come up in the box and flatten some ball carriers in the backfield, this ‘Noles secondary will be primed to be the nation’s best.

8. Christian Jones, Sophomore: Linebacker

Another highly regarded linebacker going to Tallahassee should not come as a surprise, but this Winter Park native has the ability to become that next level player at FSU. Nobody may become as great as Derrick Brooks in Seminoles history, but Jones certainly can make a name of his own.

Attempting to reach that next level and avoiding that sophomore slump is something Jones is aware of. He is tremendous at defending the pass and is like a train wreck when he bolts into the opponent’s backfield. Jones has a boatload of talent and might just surpass the lofty expectations that some have placed on him with a breakout sophomore campaign.

7. Xavier Rhodes, Sophomore: Cornerback

Rhodes was named to the Freshman All-American team a season ago and his upside is amazing. He has all the skills you need for a corner: size, speed, athleticism, fluid hips, and the killer instincts. Rhodes is a tremendous cover corner, but he is also a good enough tackler to come up in the box and lay the lumber.

6. Nigel Bradham, Senior: Linebacker

The Florida State linebacker corps has always been among the tops in the nation every season. However, they have not been the same for the past few years.

Whether it is because their top-notch recruits have recently never panned out or due to the fact that they seemingly always lose a player early to the NFL Draft, Bradham is looking to change all of that in his senior season.

5. Brandon Jenkins, Junior: Defensive End

A Pre-Season All-American by many publications has automatically put Jenkins on this list. Jenkins has a tremendous first step off the ball and he might be the quickest defensive end in the nation for a man his size (6’3", 267 lbs.).

His 13.5 sacks were the third most in America last season and those numbers will surely improve if the interior of the defensive line takes it up a notch.

4. Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, Junior: Defensive End

Nicknamed the “Tank” for his favorite toy that he played with as a child, Carradine was ranked by some experts as the No. 1 junior college recruit in the country. He is an athletic freak with a great motor and an extra burst at 6’5", 267 lbs.

The Seminoles already have an All-American candidate at defensive end with Brandon Jenkins, but life may be that much sweeter in the state known for their oranges with the “Tank” wreaking havoc in the trenches.

3. Dustin Hopkins, Junior: Kicker

Florida State have missed their fair share of crucial kicks. Those kicks might have cost Bobby Bowden a few National Championships.

So, if Jimbo and the ‘Noles ever want to get back to the promise land, they will need this potential Lou Groza winner to come through. He hit the longest game-winning field goal in ACC history with his 55-yarder that knocked off the Clemson Tigers. What does he have in store for us in 2011?

2. Greg Reid, Junior: Cornerback; Kick and Punt Returner

I have stated a numerous of times that G-5 is among the most electrifying players on the planet. Due to Reid playing corner as well as kick and punt return, it only makes No. 5 more important to this squad.

Greg Reid could single-handedly carry the special teams if he can bring a back few punts to the house. His 74-yard punt return that resulted in a touchdown last season just showed the nation how explosive he can be.

Reid showed his talents off against South Carolina in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl as well. His two returns for a total of 53 yards put the Seminoles in great position for their offense. If he can continue to just get positive yards instead of always trying for the home run ball, he will arguably leave the biggest impact on this team.

1. E.J. Manuel, Junior: Quarterback

Well, I made the bold prediction of Manuel winning the Heisman so having him in the spotlight is nothing new to my prognostications. Manuel has all the tools in the world and with the bevy of talent surrounding him downfield and in the backfield; life will certainly become a bit easier.  

While I think Manuel is far from the Heisman frontrunner, I feel that he may have a special season in Tallahassee. He will have a few prime time games in which he will either sink or swim.

The third Saturday in September may determine not only determine his Heisman chances, but also how much of an impact he is for his ‘Noles. Going up against Oklahoma will be the stiffest competition in years and this game will be a great indication of just how far the Seminoles have come from last year’s 47-17 drubbing.