FSU football: 3 biggest needs in 2023 recruiting class

Defensive line

Listen, I wrote about the staff’s need to address this position in the last recruiting cycle. The failure to bring in difference-makers at the position would have haunted the Noles in 2022.

However, the return of Robert Cooper and Fabien Lovett for one more year gives the coaching staff another year of cushion to address this need. The return of Dennis Briggs after an injury ended his season last year is a big deal as well.

The return of these players and the addition of Jared Verse from the transfer portal will make FSU less dependent on guys that need to continue developing.

Malcolm Ray, Jarrett Jackson, Quashon Fuller, Derrick McClendon, Patrick Payton, George Wilson, and players signed in the last recruiting cycle need to continue developing.

FSU has offered 54 defensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting cycle and already have a quality commit in legacy defensive end Lamont Green Jr.

I’d like to see FSU coaches address the defensive line with the same energy used on the offensive line last recruiting cycle.

Games are won and lost in the trenches, and defensive line play is why the defense improved so much between 2020-21.

Final Thoughts

FSU football will have a lot of continuity on both sides of the ball. They lost Jermaine Johnson, Keir Thomas, and Jashaun Corbin but will return players at every other key position. Some of the players from the transfer portal produced elsewhere and will add to or help offset some of the production lost.

Jordan Travis should be better with another offseason and the experience from last year. The offensive line should be better, and the wide receivers should be better as a whole with the new additions.

I said last year that the biggest issue was the lack of depth once the starters came out of the game. Jordan Travis remained healthy and starts every game? I believe the Noles go at least 7-5. However, he didn’t, and the offensive line got banged up big time, with some guys playing multiple games injured. The wide receivers were worse than I thought they’d be.

The linebackers were better but still a liability on third downs, and FSU didn’t sign any immediate contributors on the defensive line besides Jared Verse. Here’s to hoping FSU has a better 2022 record which will allow them to meet these three needs with high-quality players in the 2023 recruiting cycle.