FSU Is Much More Than Winston

Let’s start with this:  Jameis Winston is a transcendent player.  A one-in-a-million type of athlete that just needs to be enjoyed while you’re able to watch him.  Florida State fans are very lucky right now to have that type of player to root for.  What can easily be lost in the hype, however, is how good the Florida State Seminoles are all around Winston.  Football is probably the ultimate team game and while Winston no doubt elevates the Noles, this would most likely be an undefeated team (though almost certainly less dominant) without Winston.  Take a look at the offense surrounding him right now.

He’s throwing to Kenny Shaw (4*), Kelvin Benjamin (4*), Rashad Greene (4*), Nick O’Leary (5*), and Christian Green (4*).

He’s handing off to Devonta Freeman (4*), James Wilder Jr. (5*), and Karlos Williams (5*).

He’s protected by Cameron Erving (7th best NFL OT Prospect), Josue Matias (4th best NFL OG Prospect), Tre Jackson (8th best NFL OG Prospect), Bryan Stork (4th best NFL C Prospect), and Bobby Hart (4*).  Those NFL projections are from ESPN’s Mel Kiper.  There is no other school in the country that can boast having 4 players rated in the Top 10 at their respective positions on the offensive line.

This offense is loaded.  It can attack you from so many different spots and with depth that most other teams can only dream about.  There might be a better one-two punch at wide receiver with LSU (Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry), Missouri (L’Damian Washington, Dorial Green-Beckham), and Maryland (Stefon Diggs, Deon Long) certainly being able to stake claim.  However, there’s not a trio of wide receivers like the Noles have.  When you consider the receiving threat that tight end Nick O’Leary has become and the question literally becomes, “Who do you cover?”.  Then you look at running back.  It’s almost laughable that late in the game FSU can throw Karlos Williams at you and legitimately say, “We are playing our 3rd teamers.”

Defensively, it’s even more ridiculous.  Florida State starts a front four that are ALL former five stars!  Yes, that’s right.  Christian Jones, Timmy Jernigan, Eddie Goldman, and Mario Edwards were all 5* coming out of high school.  That is insane.  The Linebackers in Florida State’s preferred nickel look are Telvin Smith (4*) and Terrance Smith (3*), who has played well enough to keep some talented 4* star players on the bench.  Then we get to the defensive backfield, yikes!  Cornerbacks Lamarcus Joyner (5*), Ronald Darby (5*), PJ Williams (4*) and safeties Jalen Ramsey (5*) and Terrance Brooks (3*).  That is seven out of eleven defensive starters that were rated as 5* players out of high school.  Keep in mind there are only 20-30 5* players every year in the entire country.

Alabama, deservedly, is considered the gold standard among college football teams.  Let’s just use them as a measuring stick to see how these players compare.

Position Florida State Alabama Postion
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5* – .9913) AJ McCarron (4* .9586) Quarterback
Running Back Devonta Freeman (4* .9490) TJ Yeldon (5* .9866) Running Back
James Wilder Jr (5* .9890)* Kenyan Drake (4* .9427)
Karlos Williams (5* .9976)* Jalston Fowler (4* .9229)
Wide Receiver Rashad Greene (4* .9390) Amari Cooper (4* .9768) Wide Receiver
Kenny Shaw (4* .9503) Kevin Norwood (3* .8811)
Kelvin Benjamin (4* .9376) Christian Jones (3* .8777)
Tight End Nick O’Leary (5* .9872) Brian Vogler (4* .9069) Tight End
Offensive Line Cameron Erving (3* .8505) Cyrus Kouandjio (5* .9993) Offensive Line
Josue Matias (4* .8979) Arie Kouandjio (4* .9224)
Bryan Stork (3* .8505) Ryan Kelly (4* .9009)
Tre Jackson (3* .8160) Anthony Steen (3* .8620)
Bobby Hart (4* .9715) Austin Shepherd (3* .8575)
Offensive Avg .9328  .9227 Offensive Avg
Defensive End Mario Edwards (5* .9995) Ed Stinson (3* .8736) Defensive End
Christian Jones (5* .9868) Jeoffrey Pagan (4* .9637)
Defensive Tackle Timmy Jernigan (5* .9924) Brandon Ivory (3* .8352) Nose Guard
Eddie Goldman (5* .9942) Adrian Hubbard (4* .9575) Linebacker
Linebackers Telvin Smith (3* .8969) Trey DePriest (5* .9839)
Terrance Smith (3* .8830) CJ Mosley (4* .9628)
Defensive Backs Lamarcus Joyner (5* .9940) Denzel Devall (4* .9387)
Ronald Darby (5* .9872) Deion Belue (3* 8796) Defensive Back
PJ Williams (4* .9465) Eddie Jackson (3* .8856)
Terrance Brooks (3* .8641) Landon Collins (5* .9970)
Jalen Ramsey (5* .9921) HaHa Clinton-Dix (5* .9952)
Defensive Avg .9579  .9339 Defensive Avg

It’s no mistake that several scouts have called Florida State the most talented team in the country.  It is not only disrespectful of these players talents, it’s simply wrong to state that FSU wouldn’t be competing at the highest level without Jameis Winston.

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