FSU football: Top 15 most important defensive players for 2024 season

No. 1 Joshua Farmer-DT

The first high school recruit to commit to Mike Norvell sits atop the list in his money year. Joshua Farmer became a force in the trenches last season, supplanting Fabien Lovett, and becoming one of the better defensive tackles in only his first season starting. He's the best and most proven guy in the position and has the potential to be a high NFL Draft selection next season. I put him at No. 1 because of those attributes, but also because there isn't anyone else close to his resume at the position on the team. A defensive front with no Joshua Farmer probably sees a drastic drop-off overall.

If he stays healthy and plays as many snaps as I think, I could see his numbers surpassing what Braden Fiske had in 2023. However, it'll likely depend on if the FSU coaches decide to rotate their players as much as they did last year. There are some young guys like Daniel Lyons and KJ Sampson to share some snaps more than last year. However, I expect Joshua Farmer to be one of the most impactful players on the defense in 2024.