FSU football: 3 positional groups with most to prove in 2022
By Kelvin Hunt
Defensive Ends
This unit went from one of the least productive to the most productive in one season with the additions of Jermaine Johnson and Keir Thomas from the transfer portal.
However, both players will look to play in the NFL next year, with Johnson likely becoming a first-round selection. That puts FSU football into a similar position as last year, except the younger players on the roster have had an additional year to mature and develop.
It’s also why the coaching staff used the transfer portal to address the position once again with the addition of Jared Verse. Verse was productive at his previous stop, but there’s no guarantee he can replicate it at the Power 5 level.
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That leaves players like Dennis Briggs Jr, Quashon Fuller, Derrick McClendon, George Wilson, Patrick Payton, and others to fill the void on both ends of the defensive line. The improvement of the defensive line is a large reason why the defense improved as a whole in 2021.
Will Verse produce at a level close to his potential in year one at FSU? Can Dennis Briggs Jr. return from injury and offset some of the production lost?
Will any of the other underclassmen have a breakout season? There are a lot of questions that need answers from this group.