FSU is not lacking for talent, but consistency was a major problem last season, especially on offense. With a young QB in James Blackman, a consistent offensive threat could’ve been the difference in losses against NC State, Louisville, Miami and even Clemson. Imagine a 10 or 11 win FSU team as opposed to one which barely qualified for a bowl.
2017 is gone and there are three guys who I believe will excel in Willie Taggart’s lethally simple offense.
Cam Akers
Akers is arguably the best player on the team. I made comparisons to Dalvin Cook when I watched Akers’ high school highlight film based on his ability to read the hole and accelerate. He didn’t disappoint breaking the record for rushing yards in a season by a freshman at FSU, formerly held by Cook. Akers was able to average 5.3 yards a carry in a system that didn’t necessarily fit the offense line.
The reason I believe he’ll have an even more explosive season is because the offense will make second level players have to make multiple reads. It’ll make him better at making the second level player miss, which is something he struggled with last year.
Plus, if we are averaging 5-yards-per-carry in a game, I don’t believe Taggart is going to stop running it.
Tamorrion Terry
Jimbo Fisher gushed all camp last year how good he looked. Then we never saw him play. This spring we heard all the same stories.
He’s explosive, uses his body well, and is great at locating the ball – a few of the descriptors media, players, and fans who went to practices used to describe him. The practices I attended, he and D.J. Matthews were the only two receivers who consistently got through FSU’s secondary.
Could Terry be the breakout WR that FSU hasn’t had in seemingly forever? His style of play would seem to suggest this.
D.J. Matthews
Another head-scratcher as to why he didn’t play earlier in the season. FSU had a non-existent punt return game. We found out at the combine why as the guys we put back there were slower than Christmas, not Demarcus either, well, maybe.
This is what Matthews was recruited for and once given the chance, he didn’t disappoint. His ability to accelerate and stop hasn’t been seen inside Doak since Peter Warrick. I’m not putting that comparison on him, just saying I can’t think of another alum like it.
Matthews can be a problem in match-ups, especially the open field.
RELATED: 5 reasons why Florida State can be much-improved in 2018.
Article Originally Appeared on Gridiron Now: http://gridironnow.com/fsu-players-who-should-excel-in-2018-for-florida-state/
