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FSU Football: Could Cam Akers be best ACC offensive player in 2018?

By Jason Parker

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 7: Running back Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles carries the ball as defensive back Jaquan Johnson #4 of the Miami Hurricanes tries to tackle him during the first half of an NCAA football game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 7: Running back Cam Akers #3 of the Florida State Seminoles carries the ball as defensive back Jaquan Johnson #4 of the Miami Hurricanes tries to tackle him during the first half of an NCAA football game at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /
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FSU football will be giving a heavy dose of the running game this season to the man who set a rookie record for yardage in a rocky 2017 season.

While even the biggest homer for the FSU football program will admit that there wasn’t much to praise from last season for the Seminoles, one of the brightest spots game from the next great player to wear a No. 3 jersey for the Noles: a freshman running back named Cam Akers who, when on his game, might have been the best back in the country.

Now, there were times during the season when Akers looked like a true freshman coming to terms with playing major college football – which included 143 yards and no touchdowns in the first three games of the season. However, a 121 yard outing against Miami and 115 more with a touchdown the following week against Duke changed the narrative.

When his first season with the Seminoles was done, Akers had 1,024 yards to set a freshman record – a record that was set just three seasons before by a certain NFL running back named Dalvin Cook. Now, the nation knows that the man in the backfield for FSU football is not someone that can overlooked.

But, even with just one season under his belt, could Cam Akers be the best player in the ACC in 2018? With arguably the conference’s top offensive player from last season – Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson – heading to the NFL, there is an opening for the spot. ESPN recently listed Akers as one of the top five offensive players to watch this coming season.

"Plenty will focus on the quarterbacks in the new system Willie Taggart is bringing to the Seminoles… but it is important not to overlook what the running back does in this offense, especially one as talented as Akers. Taggart has failed to produce a 1,000-yard rusher once."

There is no doubt that if the FSU football team wants to get back to being a contender in the ACC and possibly the College Football Playoff, it’s going to rely heavily on a player like Akers – and having more games like he did against Syracuse (199 yards and two touchdowns) than what took place the first four games.

Next: Cam Akers named top 50 player for 2018 season

Akers will continue being part of a two headed running back group along with Jacques Patrick, who returns for his senior season – but unlike 2017, the FSU football running game will go through Akers first.

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