King of the Hill: Ranking Florida State football's freshman by potential impact in 2023
Florida State football has a freshmen-heavy roster for the 2023 football season.
Of the 120 players listed on the roster, 53 of them are listed as true or redshirt freshmen. The Seminoles are likely to depend on their upperclassmen, especially a junior class which has 34 players and seniors with 18.
However, the freshmen class has shown it has a ton of talent and there's a chance some of the players can contribute this season on a team expected to contend for the College Football Playoffs.
Here's a ranking of the top 25 FSU freshmen based on their chances of making an impact on the field this season. Both true freshmen and redshirt freshmen are included.
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25. Andre Otto, Offensive Line
The 6-foot-5, 326-pound true freshman is likely to redshirt this season. The Key West native was ranked as the nation’s No. 50 offensive tackle prospect by 247Sports in the 2023 class. He played both tackle positions in high school and with FSU's depth at the position can be brought along slowly.
24. Lucas Simmons, Offensive Line
Another impressive offensive lineman in the 2023 class, hails from Stockholm, Sweden. He is listed at 6-8, 313 pounds and was ranked as the nation’s No. 9 offensive tackle prospect by 247Sports. He blocked for Clearwater Academy's offense and averaged 37.9 points, 215.8 passing yards and 198.2 rushing yards per game while earning a 10-1 record in 2022.
23. Lamont Green Jr., Linebacker
The legacy is the son of Lamont Green Sr., who lettered for FSU from 1995-98. He was ranked as the 250th prospect nationally, according to 247Sports Composite. He was named first-team All-Dade County by the Miami Herald after recording 61 tackles, including 29.0 for loss with 20.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal in eight games his senior year.
22. Julian Armella, Offensive Line
The redshirt freshman appeared in four games last season, making his collegiate debut against Duquesne. He spent the spring recovering from an injury. He was ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect in Florida on 247 Composite Rankings. Armella still has a promising future but doesn't seem to project for a ton of playing time this season.
21. Goldie Lawrence, Wide Receiver
The true freshman from Seminole High totaled 92 catches for 1,495 yards with 21 touchdowns and added 139 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in his prep career. He was rated as 47th in the country at his position by 247Sports. He has shown flashes during fall camp but is likely buried on the depth chart for this season.
20. AJ Duffy, Quarterback
This ranking may be a shocker, but the emergence of another freshman on the roster has likely minimized the impact he may play this season. He seems destined for fourth on the QB depth chart at this point for 2023. Duffy played in three games, completing two passes for 26 yards and a touchdown last season.
19. Vandrevius Jacobs, Wide Receiver
If these rankings had been done during the spring, Jacobs would have been much higher. But he's not made the same impact during fall camp, for various reasons. He still could make a major impact in 2023 but in a deep room, he's more likely to play sporadically so he can be kept under four games and earn a redshirt. He was rated 41st at his position and 55th in Florida on 247Sports Composite.
18. Samuel Singleton Jr., Running Back
Singleton was ranked as the 22nd at his position and 66th overall in Florida on 247Sports Composite in the 2023 class. He totaled 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns in nine games while adding 227 yards and three touchdowns on 10 receptions as a senior. He's picked up where he left off during the fall camp, showing off his abilities as a running back. The RB room is deep, however, so his chances of making a major impact are low.
17. Ja'Bril Rawls, Defensive Back
At Pensacola Catholic, Rawls affected the game in every facet, finishing with 1,555 all-purpose yards, 98 tackles, 3.0 for loss, six interceptions, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, three punt return touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns. He was rated as the nation’s No. 48 cornerback prospect and No. 89 overall in Florida by 247Sports. He's someone who has shown glimpses of his potential during fall camp.
16. DeMarco Ward, Linebacker
Ward was rated as the nation’s No. 96 linebacker prospect and No. 110 overall in Georgia on 247Sports Composite. He has made an instant impact, standing out during the spring as an early enrollee. If he continues to progress well, he has a chance to crack the linebacker room for some snaps during the season.
15. Dante Anderson, Defensive Lineman
The redshirt freshman from Homestead Senior in Miami appeared in three games in 2022. He's another player who has shown growth from his true freshman season and has a chance to see the field a little bit more in a loaded room on defense. He was rated as the No. 32 prospect from Florida and No. 282 overall nationally on 247 Composite.
14. Blake Nichelson, Linebacker
After playing both ways at Manteca High (Ripon, California), Nichelson has been able to focus on playing primarily linebacker in college. As a senior, he rushed for 1,719 yards and 27 touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 703 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also made 44 tackles, 6.5 for loss with 4.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and six pass breakups.
13. Omar Graham Jr., Linebacker
Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller called Graham the most improved linebacker during the spring. He has continued that growth during the fall. He played in three games, recording eight tackles and made a season-high four tackles in a season-opening 47-7 win vs. Duquesne.
12. Justin Cryer, Linebacker
It would be hard to tell Cryer just transferred to FSU ahead of fall camp if one didn't know that was the case. He's made an instant impact as a transfer from Northwestern. He made 75 tackles, including 17.0 for loss with 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups his senior year with Royal High (Katy, Texas).
11. Ayobami Tifase, Defensive Lineman
Tifase worked with FSU’s scout team while redshirting in 2022, after reclassifying. He's been making an impact on the defensive line and is a dark horse to find some playing time when they rotate. He was rated as the No. 9 overall prospect in Maryland and 74th nationally at his position by 247Sports.
10. Daniel Lyons, Defensive Lineman
In his first season, Lyons appeared in four games and recorded four tackles, earning. redshirt. He's another name who has been a favorite of the coaching staff to mention during the spring and fall camps. At 6-4, 288 pounds, he provides good size and should be in the rotation at defensive line.
9. Hykeem Williams, Wide Receiver
A 5-star recruit out of high school, Williams had high expectations when joining the Seminoles 2023 class. He has come along in the last week of fall camp, flashing his potential. With the deep room, expect him to still make some sort of impact. In his senior season with Stranahan, Williams caught 18 passes for 374 yards and five touchdowns, earning Broward County Athlete of the Year honors from the Miami Herald.
8. K.J. Kirkland, Defensive Back
Kirkland begins an impressive run of FSU defensive backs who have had strong fall camps and impressed Norvell and his staff. Like the other DBs coming up, he has frequently been around the ball, making plays and helping create turnovers. Kirkland made 49 tackles, including 1.0 for loss, and two interceptions his senior season while helping lead Raines (Jacksonville) to the regional final round of 2M state playoffs.
7. Conrad Hussey, Defensive Back
The true freshman cornerback recorded 29 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and five pass breakups during perfect 14-0 senior season helping lead St. Thomas Aquinas to 3M state championship. He's another freshman defensive back who has come in early and impressed with his ability to make plays.
6. Destyn Hill, Wide Receiver
Hill is a unicorn. His speed is elite and has the potential to be a major playmaker, despite not playing organized football for two years after committing to FSU during the 2021 signing period. Even if he doesn't get much playing time in a loaded offense for FSU, he is someone who can make a big name on special teams with his speed and ability to make defenders miss in the open field. He had 33 receptions for 806 yards and 15 touchdowns, helping Edna Karr High (New Orleans) to the 4A state championship game his senior season.
5. Edwin Joseph, Defensive Back
Another freshman defensive back who has earned the praise of Norvell throughout fall camp. Joseph always seems to make plays during practices. He was ranked as the No. 24 athlete and No. 74 prospect from Florida by 247Sports. He starred on both sides of ball at Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Tamarac, helping the Lions win back-to-back state championships
4. Quindarrius Jones, Defensive Back
Jones came out of high school in Meridian, Mississippi ranked as the No. 85 athlete nationally by 247Sports Composite. The ranking feels low with the impact he's already made during fall camp. He has constantly found himself near the ball. He played wide receiver and defensive back in college, averaging 17.8 yards per catch his senior season and totaling 426 yards and three touchdowns on 24 receptions.
3. Ashlynd Barker, Defensive Back
The Junior College safety commit transferred to FSU in May and has been someone Norvell has brought up in post-practice interviews about standouts. Barker did not play a game last season with Iowa Western C.C. in Council Bluffs, Iowa, but is someone who looks ready to step into a big role with the Seminoles in Year 1. He recorded 22 tackles and three pass breakups in nine games during his senior season at Northside High in Columbus, Georgia.
2. Brock Glenn, Quarterback
Glenn accounted for more than 4,500 yards of total offense and 68 touchdowns while attending Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. He has displayed maturity and a strong grasp of the offense as a freshman, quickly factoring into the backup competition behind Jordan Travis with redshirt junior Tate Rodemaker. Glenn is the future of the position for the Seminoles but could also play a role this season if needed.
1. Rodney Hill, Running Back
Earning the nickname 'Tornado' from Norvell, Hill showed small glimpses of his potential last season by rushing for 144 yards on 27 carries (5.3 yards per carry) last season. He forced 15 missed tackles and had an elusive rating of 193.4, according to Pro Football Focus. He has continued to grow his game during the spring and fall camps and is likely to push for carries behind Trey Benson and Lawrance Toafili.
FSU Sports Information contributed to this story.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: AP No. 8 FSU (0-0) vs. No. 5 LSU (0-0)
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Seminoles freshmen playing time in 2023
