With the calendar now hitting August, the start of Florida State football is just over a month away. The Seminoles will be breaking in a largely inexperienced roster in 2015 with very few positions having a plethora of experience. The defensive line is no exception.
Depth shouldn’t be an issue for the defensive front this season for FSU, but one of the problems is that the Seminoles don’t really have a star to headline the group. FSU doesn’t return a single defensive lineman that recorded more than one sack last season. The Seminoles were among the nation’s worst teams when it came to getting to the quarterback last season, but there is reason to believe FSU can improve in that area. Here are the names to know along the defensive front:
The Headliner
DeMarcus Walker, Junior (Defensive End)
With just three total sacks returning among defensive linemen, finding a headliner wasn’t easy, but DeMarcus Walker looks to be poised for a breakout season. A junior from Jacksonville, Walker shared the defensive MVP award during the spring and is expected to be one of the best all-around defensive linemen for the Seminoles in 2015.
At 6’3” and 275 pounds, Walker is quick for a man his size and does a pretty good job of setting the edge. If the Seminoles can up their dismal sack total of 17 from a season ago, Walker will likely be a big reason why.
The Sleeper
Rick Leonard, Sophomore (Defensive End)
The co-Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the spring, Rick Leonard looks to become a major contributor for FSU after making just one tackle last season. At 6’7” and 275 pounds, Leonard has a massive wingspan and can make up ground in a hurry. Expect Leonard to become a mainstay in the FSU rotation on defense and provide a real presence on the outside.
The Future
Josh Sweat, Freshman (Defensive End)
A 5-star recruit out of Virginia, Josh Sweat is coming off a major knee injury, but still has a ton of long-term potential for FSU. At 6’5” and only 225 pounds, Sweat could stand to put on some weight, but is extremely quick when healthy and when all is said and done, Sweat’s name could be tied in among the great pass-rushers in Seminole history.
Other Names to Know
Chris Casher, Redshirt Junior (Defensive End)
A former top-50 recruit, Chris Casher has yet to blossom into the player FSU coaches had hoped. In two full seasons, Casher has just 3 career sacks including only one a season ago. It’s fair to say however, that Casher was often forced to play out of position last year with a shortage of linebackers. Casher is a natural pass-rusher and if limited to that role in 2015, he should have a chance to excel.
Lorenzo Featherston, Sophomore (Defensive End)
In limited time as a freshman last season, Lorenzo Featherston made a big impact. Injuries kept Featherston from having a bigger year, but he finished with 19 total tackles, 5 for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Featherston is lean at 6’7″ and 230 pounds, but has cat-like quickness and good instincts.
Nile Lawrence-Stample, Redshirt Senior (Defensive Tackle)
The veteran of the FSU defensive line, Nile Lawrence-Stample is a proven run-stuffer. Lawrence-Stample’s job in 2015 will be to shore up the run defense and provide leadership to a young unit. Lawrence-Stample missed significant time in 2014 due to a torn pectoral muscle, but is expected to be fully healthy this season and should have the best year of his Seminole career.
Derrick Mitchell, Redshirt Senior (Defensive Tackle)
After battling injury for three years, Derrick Mitchell finally had the chance to make a major impact as a junior in 2014. Mitchell finished with 20 total tackles for the year and does his best work against the run. Expect him to again be part of the rotation along the FSU defensive front.
Derrick Nnadi, Sophomore (Defensive Tackle)
A highly-touted recruit out of Virginia Beach, Derrick Nnadi came on strong for the Seminoles as a freshman late last season. Nnadi finished with 18 tackles including six in Florida State’s 37-35 victory over Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship. Nnadi should have a bigger role this season and could be FSU’s best interior lineman when all is said and done.
Demarcus Christmas, Redshirt Freshman (Defensive Tackle)
A 6’3″ and 300-pound redshirt freshman, Demarcus Christmas may have the most potential of any defensive tackle on the roster. Christmas will add depth to the FSU defensive front this season and has a chance to make a major impact in his first full season of being active.
Overview
Florida State certainly has no shortage of depth along the defensive front, but whether or not it can generate a pass-rush will go a long way in determining if the Seminoles can four-peat as ACC champions. For FSU to be successful, Lorenzo Featherston, Chris Casher, Rick Leonard and DeMarcus Walker will need to have career-years rushing the passer. Linebacker Jacob Pugh should also be a help as he’ll be used primarily as a pass-rusher. With good depth and young talent in the middle, expect the Seminoles to be able to hold their own against the run. For the most part, this is group is unproven, but the talent is there to have a big year which may be a necessity for FSU to notch a fourth straight top-10 finish.
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