Three impact transfers, a vet and a promising sophom*ore make the Top 25 of our countdown
Brendan Sonnone
The Noles247 countdown of Florida State's 40 Most Important Players is back. This offseason, the staff at Noles247 ranked our most important players ahead of the 2024 campaign and put together a final composite ranking.
We'll release portions of the countdown throughout the month of June, with accompanying videos on our Youtube channel as well. (Last Year's list)
"Important" can be fairly vague, because it depends on how you define importance. It's subjective. Is it based on the player who holds the most value on the roster? Is it simply decided by determining who is the best/most talented player? Do you weigh what position a player plays and just how much that position impacts the game on a play-to-play basis? What about depth at the position, how is that factored in?
The goal of this exercise is to blend:
*Positional value. A QB, for example, is more important than any position on the field. NFL salary trends show that CB, DE, WR and OT are more valuable than other positions.
*Previous production/projected production. What did a player do last year? What will they do with another year of development?
**Overall talent. Basically, how would this player be ranked in a video game?
*Depth versus backup. How big of a drop-off is there when this player isn't on the field?
*Scheme/usage.
*Dependability. Is this player hurt often? Will they likely miss time? Have they shrunken or gotten better in key moments?
Each staffer can value these respective aspects differently, which makes for a fun addition to the exercise.
25. S Conrad Hussey
Class: Soph.
Ht/Wt: 6-0/196
2023 Stats: 22 tackles, 2 FF, 1 INT, 1 FR, 2 PBU… 75.4 PFF Grade
Last Year's Rank: 37th
Highest on: Clay (16th)
Lowest on: Coach AB (NR)
At his best, Conrad Hussey is among the most athletic and instinctual defenders on this roster. His ability to find the ball in the air and quickly erase space are special traits that could put him on the radar of NFL teams. He posted a PFF Grade of 75.4 on 200+ snaps as a true freshman, producing an NFL Passer Rating of 30.6 when targeted with 2 PBU to go along with an interception. There’s a willingness to be physical with exceptional acceleration weaved into his skill set, too.
Be the HAMMER not the nail! ???? Conrad Hussey! pic.twitter.com/UvLQa6u09G
— WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) October 9, 2023
Basically, there’s a ton to like about Hussey’s game. Yet consistency was lacking for Hussey last year, which isn’t all that surprising for a true freshman. The issue was that his miscues were often costly, with tackling angles or assignment mistakes leading to chunk gains for the offense. Playing as the last line of defense, these issues must be cut down drastically for Hussey to find himself in the starting lineup in 2024. There’s a lot of variance here with Hussey, as seen in his rankings (two nods for him to be in the teens, three for him to be in the early 20s, two in the mid 30s, and one unranked). He’s important because IF he plays consistently in Year 2, Hussey changes the complexion of your secondary with all the athletic tools he brings to the field.
24. S Davonte Brown
Class: RS Sr.
Ht/Wt: 6-2/201
2023 Stats: 10 tackles, 1 PBU (at Miami)…57.5 PFF Grade
Last Year's Rank: NR
Highest on: Sonnone and Nee (21st)
Lowest on: Zach (32nd)
This wasn't a commitment that elicited much fanfare from the fan base, and Davonte Brown himself was extremely low key during the quick recruitment out of the Transfer Portal. He considered FSU a year ago as a transfer with multiple years of starting experience out of UCF, but opted to go to Miami, where he struggled in limited action.
FSU re-recruited Brown this cycle, but the expectation was for him to make a position switch from corner to safety.
The early returns with Brown at safety are actually quite encouraging. Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller said in the middle of spring camp that Brown was doing well with the position change while teammates lauded him for being among the most physical players in the secondary. Brown has the size you want at the position, and does offer ample experience (2,000+ career snaps) even if it's not at safety.
There's a decent shot that Brown starts for FSU early in the year, or he should at least vie to be a high-end rotational player at a position that lacks proven commodities outside of Shyheim Brown.
23. WR Ja’Khi Douglas
Class: RS Sr.
Ht/Wt: 5-9/199
2023 Stats: 14 catches for 243 yards, 8 runs for 46 yards…66.0 PFF Grade
Last Year's Rank: 40th
Highest on: Nee (17th)
Lowest on: Kev and Trey (33rd)
Ja’Khi Douglas enters the final season of his FSU career looking to build off a strong finish to the 2023 campaign. Douglas is no stranger to big plays during his time in Tallahassee, although injuries and an – at times – undefined role have prevented steady production. But when he’s on, Douglas is a big-play threat from multiple spots on the field. We saw him settle into a slot role as a receiver in the back half of last season, and was also effective as a wildcat quarterback when FSU was extremely depleted in its bowl game.
lol at Keon Coleman celebrating the Ja'Khi Douglas catch pic.twitter.com/MbFq72JEYS
— Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) November 5, 2023
Douglas lacks the size to be an ideal No. 1, but there’s enough twitchy and playmaking ability for him to step up as a No. 2 or No. 3 option in the passing game this year. Given the lack of proven options at receiver, getting consistent play out of Douglas from the slot will be an important aspect of fielding a balanced offensive attack this year.
22. DE Sione Lolohea
Class: RS Sr.
Ht/Wt: 6-3/260
2023 Stats: 47 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 FF, and 1 FR. (at Oregon State)...69.1 PFF Grade
Last Year's Rank: NR
Highest on: Dane (19th)
Lowest on: Coach AB (31st)
Sione Lolohea was a strong run stopper en route to earning PAC-12 Second Team honors last year. The veteran defender is strong with an extremely bulky lower half, and showed impressive power as a pass rusher while on the move at Oregon State. He was a big addition to FSU’s transfer portal haul, bringing experience (1,000+ career snaps) and production to the lineup. Whether he’s starting or playing starting-caliber snaps in the rotation, Lolohea figures to be one of your most-used defenders this season.
— Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) January 10, 2024BS Scouting Services | What is FSU getting in DL Sione Lolohea?
A powerful, high-energy, productive defender who's effective against the run and as a pass rusher.
High floor.
Very strong.https://t.co/An0LPOa1Or pic.twitter.com/OgkIzvmzzl
Lolohea is adamant that he thinks he can improve as a pass rusher, and that’s a personal goal for him in his lone season at FSU, but he should be able to impact the run game from Day 1 at a minimum.
21. KR Jaylin Lucas
Class: Jr.
Ht/Wt: 5-9/175
2023 Stats: 67 carries for 275 yards and 2 TD, 34 catches for 247 yards and 2 TD, 591 kickoff return yards and 2 TD (at Indiana)...61.2 PFF Grade
Last Year's Rank: NR
Highest on: Coach AB (10th)
Lowest on: Trey (35th)
Jaylin Lucas wasn’t the most heralded transfer portal addition in this class, but he could end up being one of the most impactful players on the roster in 2024. How exactly he makes an impact is TBD, but that’s part of the intrigue, and potential value, of Lucas. Here’s what we know about Lucas from a skill set and play perspective: He’s extremely fast, he’s undersized, and he’s been one of the country’s most dynamic kickoff returners over the last two seasons. So at a minimum, we know that Lucas will help you on special teams.
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) November 30, 2023CFB’s Top 10 Fastest Players of Week 13
T7. @IndianaFootball WR Jaylin Lucas (@jaylinlucas1) 21.0 mph #ReelSpeed
But there’s a belief that Lucas could do more than contribute as a returner. His speed is an element that FSU would love to utilize within its offense, and Lucas has shown he can be a useful mismatch maker as a running back or slot receiver during his time at Indiana. To justify a high volume of usage, however, Lucas will have to be more efficient than he was at his previous stop (5.3 yards-per-touch from scrimmage over the last two seasons). That’s not a guarantee, but Lucas did show elements of being a legitimate weapon this spring and was effective in base looks.
— Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) April 21, 2024Jaylin Lucas is someone we'll refer to as a "gadget" player a lot because he'll probably be moved all over the place.
But he's not a guy you have to create for in order to use. There's an ability to contribute as a standard RB. Good patience and vision on the counter run here. pic.twitter.com/9AXeaLS8kI
That’s huge, because being serviceable within the down-to-down elements of the offense will allow for an expansion of reps…and that will then, in theory, lead to more plays that FSU can create opportunities for Lucas to get out in space whether it’s as a runner or receiver. There’s a relatively high floor here, but also a really high ceiling.
Previously
40.RB Caziah Holmes
39.LB Justin Cryer
38.DB Omarion Cooper
37.LB Shawn Murphy
36.DT Grady Kelly
35.TE Jackson West
34.OT Jaylen Early
33.LB Cam Riley
32.CB Quindarrius Jones
31.QB Brock Glenn
30.PK Ryan Fitzgerald
29.DL Tomiwa Durojaiye
28.LB Blake Nichelson
27.WR Kentron Poitier
26.DL Daniel Lyons
