Florida State Football: 5 Freshmen to Watch in 2011

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher often credits his coaching style to the two iconic head coaches he served under prior to getting his current gig.  

The structure, organization and discipline he's brought since taking over at FSU has shown on the field, where the 'Noles won 10 games last year in Fisher's debut season. Those traits stuck with him from his days of working for Nick Saban at LSU.  

Fisher cashed in on the momentum from the 2010 season by bringing in a star-studded collection of prep studs hailed by ESPN as the top recruiting class in the nation. The man he succeeded at FSU, the legendary Bobby Bowden, was arguably the greatest recruiter of all time.

Now, with the Seminoles poised for a return to the top of the ACC and perhaps the nation, we will take a look at five incoming freshmen who have a chance to help the Seminoles rise to greater heights in 2011.  

5. Kelvin Benjamin

One of the top prep receivers in the country, FSU won a fierce recruiting battle over rivals Miami and Florida for the super-sized wideout.  

Benjamin reportedly showed up at FSU standing 6'6" and weighing 248 pounds. With tight end size and wide receiver speed, he could immediately help the 'Noles out in red zone situations where they struggled last season. Fisher loves big and physical wide receivers going back to his days in the SEC and Benjamin definitely fits the bill.  

4. Karlos Williams

A huge reason that Florida State signed a top-rated recruiting class was because of the efforts of super safety Karlos Williams.  

A lifelong Seminole fan, Williams committed early and helped lure a bevy of top-flight talent to join him in Tallahassee. The Seminoles haven't had a play maker of Williams' caliber at safety since the dynasty years.

Despite a crowded depth chart, expect to see Williams on the field early and often. The 6'2", 210 pounder was a consensus five-star prospect and will join his older brother Vince, a junior linebacker at Florida State, as headhunters on the Seminoles defense.    

3. Nick O'Leary

The grandson of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, O'Leary was one of the top prep tight ends in the country after a stellar career at Dwyer H.S. in West Palm Beach, FL.  

The Seminoles have had little success throwing to tight ends in the past, but expect that to change with the arrival of the 6'4", 235 pound O'Leary, who possesses soft hands and precise route running skills. O'Leary is a pass-catching tight end who can create mismatches in the middle of the field for the Seminoles, and in the process, add a new dimension to Jimbo Fisher's offense.    

2. Devonta Freeman

Freeman showed up to the Seminoles summer camp in 2010 as a little-known, backup running back out of Miami Central HS. He left the camp with an offer and committed to FSU shortly after. Running back coach Eddie Gran, who knows a thing or two about coaching elite running backs, must have felt like he found a treasure in Freeman.  

The 5'9", 180 pound Freeman rushed for over 2,000 yards in his senior season, including a 300+ yard performance in the 6A state title game, leading his team to victory. Freeman enrolled early and impressed coaches in the spring. Now with projected starter Chris Thompson nursing a sore back, Freeman, along with fellow super running back recruit James Wilder, Jr., has a great shot to make a splash during his freshmen season in Tallahassee.  

1. Timmy Jernigan

One of Florida State's biggest victories on national signing day was winning the battle for Jernigan, who was long thought to be a lean to rival Florida. The US Army All-American grew up less than an hour away from the swamp, but he will spend his college years putting fear in opponents who come to Doak Campbell Stadium.  

Jernigan has made a lasting first impression on coaches and teammates. The biggest buzz around fall camp has been that no one on FSU's offensive line can block the 6'2", 290 pound defensive tackle. Even with a crowded depth chart, expect Jernigan to make his presence felt for the Seminoles in 2011.