2015 FSU Commits to Have an Early Impact at TE & OL

Previously, I discussed which 2015 FSU commits at the QB and RB/WR spots could have the earliest impact at FSU. In this article, I move to some of the less glamorous positions but also the positions with a lot more openings for new players, as FSU will have to replace its top two tight ends as well as four of their five starting offensive linemen from the 2014 season.

Returning Tight End Options

As I mentioned above, tight end is one of the positions that will have the biggest turnover going into the upcoming season. Nick O’Leary and Kevin Haplea were the most used tight ends by far, and both have moved on after graduating. O’Leary was Florida State’s second leading receiver in the 2014 season with 618 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Haplea did not see the field nearly as much as O’Leary with only 2 catches for 19 yards, but he surely would have been the No. 1 tight end for next season if he was not out of eligible years.

That leaves a trio of rising sophomore tight ends as the only returning options. Between the three of them, Ryan Izzo was the only one with a catch last season, and he had just one for seven yards. In addition to Izzo, there are Jeremy Kerr and Mavin Saunders, and the trio does present one sure upgrade over O’Leary and Haplea: with Izzo at 6′ 6″, Saunders at 6′ 6″, and Kerr at 6′ 5″, all of these three are taller than O’Leary at 6′ 3″ and Haplea at 6′ 4″. However, it will obviously be very hard to replace the catching machine that was Nick O’Leary.

The New Blood

Jalen Wilkerson, a three-star prospect out of Coffee County, Georgia, is the lone tight end commit in the 2015 recruiting class. At 6′ 4″ and 220 pounds, he is a lean tight end who has the ability to go up and get footballs in the air and is a definite red zone target with his athleticism. The downside to his lean body is that he will need to add some bulk before he will be an effective blocker, which is a huge aspect of the tight end position, and he will definitely need to improve his size and blocking ability before he is heavily considered for playing time.

Verdict: I could be wrong but I feel that this is not the year when there will be a breakthrough with the tight end corps currently on the FSU roster. If I had to guess, I would say that FSU’s future at tight end is 2016 commit Isaac Nauta, out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, which is the same school where 2015 QB commit Deondre Francois and 2016 QB commit Malik Henry play their high school football.

However, since Nauta is currently a high school junior and will not be available for the 2015 season, the Seminoles must look elsewhere for a temporary fix. I can honestly say that I have no clue who will be the starting tight end for opening weekend of the 2015 season. I would favor the 3 returning players over incoming freshman Wilkerson and as spring practice gets underway, the direction in which Jimbo Fisher and Randy Sanders are going will become more clear.

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The Returning Offensive Line Options

It is fairly hard to debate that the offensive line is going to be the hardest part of the roster to replace from the 2014 season (well, maybe other than quarterback). The Seminoles lost four of their five starting offensive linemen from last season as well as Austin Barron, who was the starting center before going down with an injury. The lone returning starter at offensive line for the 2015 season is Roderick Johnson, the true freshman who broke into the lineup when Cam Erving was moved to center midway through the season.

Luckily for the ‘Noles, there are multiple different options for replacing all the offensive linemen lost to graduation. The 2014 recruiting class for FSU brought 7 offensive linemen in and those players who all have a year under their belts now should help soothe the losses of this offseason. The returning guard options are Kareem Are, Wilson Bell, Corey Martinez, and Alec Eberle (who also can play center). The returning tackle options along with Roderick Johnson are Chad Mavety, Derrick Kelly, Brock Ruble, and Ethan Frith. At center, the options are Ryan Hoefeld and Alec Eberle but the movement of Cameron Erving to center this past season shows that Fisher and staff are willing to try people at new positions on the offensive line.

The New Blood

Abdul Bello is a four-star offensive tackle prospect out of Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. He is ranked as the 4th best offensive tackle in the country and is No. 55 on the ESPN 300 list. Bello grew up in Nigeria, only moving the United States in the past few years. Because of this, his amount of football experience is lacking compared to that of the other 2015 OL commits. However, what Bello lacks for in experience, he more than makes up for both in size and natural ability. Bello is listed at 6′ 6″ and 295 pounds, a perfectly suitable size for an incoming freshman lineman, and although he had only played in six football games entering his senior season, he has the skills of someone who has been playing for his whole life, as he’s never one to be physically manhandled but is occasionally beat by skill moves.

Cole Minshew, an offensive guard prospect out of Douglas, Georgia, is another OL commit in the 2015 class. Ranked as a four-star recruit by ESPN and a three-star commit by 24/7 Sports, Minshew committed to FSU despite a heavy push from UGA to steal him away. Minshew has good lateral movement and is able to stick with most defenders, but he may struggle with defensive linemen who can outphysical him or agile linemen who can beat him off of skill moves. At 340 pounds, his size will be on par with the rest of the linemen when he arrives at FSU but he may be behind the others with regard to natural ability and skills.

David Robbins, a consensus three-star prospect out of Glenelg, Maryland, is capable of playing at center or at guard. Like Bello, Robbins could stand to bulk up a bit, as he is currently just 305 pounds. He is more experienced than Bello, however there are questions about his ability level. He is rated lower than both Bello and Minshew and may be behind both of them on the depth chart from day one. However, his versatility with being able to play both center and guard will increase the possibility of him getting early playing time.

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Verdict: I do not believe that any 2015 recruit will start a game in the 2015 season unless there is unfortunate luck with injuries. Bello needs this time to play more, gain more experience, and further his abilities. Minshew and Robbins are not physically ready, but a redshirt may help them in that regard. It is possible that one or more of the OL commits will rarely see the field, but it is also quite possible that all three will be stars of the FSU offensive line for years to come. Bello has the highest ceiling but also the lowest basement, making Minshew and Robbins safer bets.

Next, I will evaluate the 2015 commits on the defensive side of the ball. As influential as some of the offensive commits have the potential to be, I would argue that some of the defensive commits are even more qualified now and may make the biggest early impacts.

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