It is officially time for Florida State to put its 2013 championship season behind it and begin pursuit of a second consecutive national title as spring practice is just two weeks away.
While many of the Seminoles’ top players will return to Doak Campbell Stadium this fall, graduation, early departures and transfers have left coach Jimbo Fisher searching for answers at a handful of positions. There is talent and depth across the board, but the FSU staff is hoping key replacements emerge this spring before being thrust into pivotal roles in the fall.
This week we look at five key position battles for the Seminoles this spring, and Wednesday we break down the competition to replace Kelvin Benjamin at receiver. The backup quarterback battle was dissected Monday, and Tuesday we examined the depth chart at running back.
Position: Receiver (Z)
Replacing: Kelvin Benjamin
Candidates: Jesus Wilson, Christian Green, Jarred Haggins and Isaiah Jones
A potential first-round pick, it will be tough for Florida State to replace the size and speed combination of Benjamin. While the Noles have a few playmakers at receiver, they lack another option with similar physical tools (6-foot-5, 234 pounds) coupled with the consistent production (54 receptions, 1,011 yards and 15 touchdowns) of Benjamin. When Florida State needed a play late in the VIZIO BCS National Championship, it looked to Benjamin to outmuscle and outjump the Auburn defense in the red zone.
Green, at 6-2, and 200 pounds, has a physical presence about him, but the senior took a step back in 2013. If there is a player on the roster this spring who could be the next Benjamin, it could be the sophomore Jones. The 6-4, 200-pound receiver played sparingly as a freshman but was a top-20 receiver nationally coming out of high school. Like Benjamin, Jones is not a burner but is a “big guy who has a noticeable second gear,” his RecruitingNation scouting report states.
The “Z” receiver in the offense is usually not a player with the type of physical gifts Benjamin possesses, however, which could make it somewhat easier to replace him. The Z receiver, or flanker, is generally lined up off the line of scrimmage, which makes for an easier release off the line of scrimmage by avoiding a jam from the cornerback. Benjamin’s backup in 2013 was Wilson, a 5-9, 177-pound freshman. Haggins is 6-0 and 193 pounds, and he is coming off a knee injury that cost him all of 2013.
In all likelihood, Fisher will have a player at the top of the depth chart by the end of the spring, but the receiver position opposite Rashad Greene will not be settled until August. No program might have signed a better receiver class this past February than Florida State, which landed three ESPN 300 prospects at the position.
Among them is Ermon Lane, the No. 2 receiver in the country. When the 6-2, 196-pound Lane enrolls this summer, he will immediately become one of the names to watch in preseason camp. Fellow ESPN 300 receivers Travis Rudolph (6-1, 188) and Ja'Von Harrison (6-1, 190) have similar builds and high school credentials.