Key offensive linemen and a potential game changer at WR make an appearance
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.
20. OL Richie Leonard IV
Class: Sr.
Ht/Wt: 6-2/335
2023 Stats: 65.9 PFF Grade on 775 snaps (at Florida)
Last Year's Rank: NR
Highest on: Dane (12th)
Lowest on: Zach (39th)
Richie Leonard IV was perhaps a slept-on offseason addition for FSU by some in the fan base. He wasn’t particularly flashy during his time at Florida, but he was steady. And finding stability at guard after the play was somewhat inconsistent last year amid a group dealing with nagging injuries could end up being significant as FSU tries to get its run game back on track. Leonard, at his best, has the strength and balance to do a lot of damage as a run blocker.
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) April 8, 2024This C/LG combo down at UF last year has some gorgeous zone reps
C Jake Slaughter - 8 games started in 2023 replacing Eguakun. Dude is strong and mobile! Excited to see him next season
LG Richie Leonard IV - now at FSU pic.twitter.com/SgqxqwOLdw
He did struggle some last season against the higher caliber of iDL he faced, but his weekly consistency was a positive attribute for most of the year.
19. WR Hykeem Williams
Class: Soph.
Ht/Wt: 6-2/210
2023 Stats: 5 catches for 80 yards and 1 TD...2 PFF Grade on 94 snaps
Last Year's Rank: NR
Highest on: Brendan (11th)
Lowest on: Zach (24th)
Hykeem Williams will be a factor in FSU’s receiver rotation in Year 2. How much of a factor? That depends on what sort of jump the former five-star makes from a consistency perspective. Williams started to emerge into a playmaker in the middle of last season before a nagging ankle sprain ended up sidelining him from Week 8 and beyond until the bowl game. But before that injury, we saw glimpses of the skill set that made Williams such a commodity as a recruit. His strength showed up as a perimeter blocker, and his speed was evident after the catch in an excellent display of athleticism against Syracuse.
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 18, 2023Hykeem Williams -- at 6'2", 208 -- hit a flat 20.0 mph on his touchdown in Week 7.
Yeah, he's not slow.pic.twitter.com/h9PKkhCaAE
He ended up working into the rotation to earn some key reps against Duke the week before his injury. Can Williams pick up where he left off? The spring was a mixed bag for Williams, with some spectacular moments peppered with inconsistent ones. Coaches have challenged Williams to take the next step this offseason. It’s incredibly important for Williams to reach another level, and for it to happen sooner rather than later. Williams is one of the few receivers with the size and athletic capability to step into the vacant 9-WR spot, with the main competition being Kentron Poitier (who’s also coming off an injury-filled season). For FSU’s offense to maximize its passing game, it feels like it has to be Williams who emerges here as he represents the highest upside among any player in the room. Plus it would knock out another micro negative recruiting tactic that some other programs use against FSU if you can highlight the skill set of a homegrown receiver.
18. CB Fentrell Cypress II
Class: RS Sr.
Ht/Wt: 6-0/188
2023 Stats: 40 tackles, including 1.5 TFL, 8 PBU, 1 FF, and 1 FR…71.7 PFF Grade on 606 snaps
Last Year's Rank:
Highest on: Zach (10th)
Lowest on: Coach AB (28th)
Fentrell Cypress didn’t live up to his billing as a Top 10 transfer in the 2023 cycle and wasn’t able to make the same type of game-changing plays he did at Virginia in 2024, but he was still a reliable coverage corner who brings value to this secondary as an established floor raiser.
WHAT A PLAY ? Fentrell Cypress II keeps Pitt off the board!@FSUFootball | #ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/HhgzPsxnZg
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) November 4, 2023
Cypress is going to be a professional in how he conducts himself, blending high effort and maturity. And he seemed more comfortable within the scheme this past spring, allowing Cypress to play faster. Those factors make Cypress a player who could very place on an All-ACC list at a premium position.
17. OL TJ Ferguson
Class: 6-4/323
Ht/Wt: RS Jr.
2023 Stats: 61.9 PFF Grade on 116 snaps (at Alabama)
Last Year's Rank:
Highest on: Coach AB (12th)
Lowest on: Zach and Clay (21st)
TJ Ferguson has less in-game experience than other offensive linemen in this section of the list, but his upside is quite high. There’s a level of variance to his game that creates some unknowns, yet part of this placement speaks to what it could mean for the offense IF the best version of Ferguson is unlocked. Ferguson moves at a really high level at his size, and that could ultimately be a significant deal in FSU’s counter game. Remember, the Seminoles were elite at running counter with Dillan Gibbons in the fold at left guard in 2022, and Ferguson has been compared by Alex Atkins to Gibbons with some added mobility.
Roydell Williams getting skinny thru the A-Gap at 225 pounds for a 30 yard TD.
— Clay Fink (@clay_fink) April 21, 2024
Nice block sustainment by TJ Ferguson and Hykeem Williams pic.twitter.com/iVHQnD4LYT
The downside is that there were times at Alabama in which Ferguson’s technique or overall physicality fluctuated. What version of Ferguson can FSU get routinely this season?
16. OL Jeremiah Byers
Class: RS Sr.
Ht/Wt: 6-4/320
2023 Stats: 67.3 PFF Grade on 809 snaps
Last Year's Rank: 14th
Highest on: Kev (8th)
Lowest on: Zach (25th)
There's a decent deal of variance for Jeremiah Byers for this stage of the countdown. One inside the Top 10, three from 12-15, one in the late teens, and then three from 21-25. It doesn't sound like a huge discrepancy, but when you get to this stage of the list, you're talking about the difference of being a high-end starter (or an extremely important piece) vs. being a backup-caliber player (or a moderately important piece).
And that discrepancy probably reflects the inconsistencies in Byers' game.
Byers did get better as the year progressed in 2023, his first season at the P4 level. After getting benched against Clemson, Byers went on a 7-game stretch in which he managed a PFF Grade of 63.0-79.3 to show more consistent production. He's a big, mobile athlete with the ability to create space at the second level in the run game.
Yet the pass blocking on the edge never felt steady. He settled in some, but still allowed at least two QB Pressures in each of FSU's final four games.
The good reps from Byers are excellent. The bad ones have been costly, and the spring saw this pattern play out more often than you'd like.
IF you get the good version of Byers, then you're talking about someone with the athleticism to play on Sundays. IF you get the lower end version, then inconsistency is going to be a dynamic you'll have to deal with throughout the season.
Either way, he's going to be an important part of this offense in 2024.
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
25.S Conrad Hussey
24.S Davonte Brown
23.WR Ja'Khi Douglas
22.DE Sione Lolohea
21.ATH Jaylin Lucas
