So, since you have heard all of the hype around how great Tribe 16 was, let's take a deeper look into how these new players will fit into the squad with some position-by-position grades.
(rankings according to ESPN.com who ranked Tribe 16 #1)
Quarterbacks: A
We all know about how difficult of a year 2015 was on our quarterbacks, especially a year removed from one of the best to ever play the position, but the future has a great deal of promise. Despite Maguire returning, Deondre Francois is the guy many think will be taking the reigns of the offense come fall. With those two in place along with JJ Cosentino in the mix, it was likely that whoever came from this class would not be starting immediately; therefore this cycle was likely going to bring in someone who will red-shirt.
But that didn't happen. Instead, Jimbo brought in Malik Henry who he recently said has a "tremendous chance to start." Henry (6'2", 185) is rated as the #2 dual threat quarterback in the country. He stole the show in the Under Armor game (highlights below) going 9-12 for 72 yards and a touchdown. There is not only a lot of talk about this kid's arm talent but also that he is a very smart player which will be crucial in picking up Jimbo's offense. It also helps that he is an early enrollee. I don't see Henry starting this year but we will get to see some of him this spring and he should be THE GUY in a year or two.
Runningback: B
There was only one, true running back recruit in this class because, well, we're pretty much stacked at the position. Amir Rasul (5'11", 200) out of Coral Gables was rated as the #7 back by ESPN.com and should add to a very deep backfield behind Dalvin Cook. Rasul is speedy but also packs a punch as you can see in his highlights. Another piece to this position is Gabe Nabers. Nabers (6'2" 225) is the lowest rated recruit in the class according to ESPN (rated as a TE) but watching some of his highlights should get you pretty excited because he looks like a bruiser. He is also a kid out of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia which has given us some scrappy players in past years including Greg Reid and Telvin Smith.
Wide Receiver: B+
Receiver was another position where FSU has plenty of depth and as a result, did not bring in many players. In fact, they brought just one kid in at the position. Keith Gavin (6'3" 220) from state runner-up Wakulla High School just up the road has big time play-maker potential. He was rated as the #9 WR by ESPN but due to the depth ahead of him, it will likely be awhile until he sees considerable playing time.
Tight End: A-
Coach Fisher and recruiting coordinator Tim Brewster have talked a lot about this kid. Not only does he have the potential (#9 TE on ESPN.com), but a lot has been said about his character and vocal leadership. He was a big reason this class ended up so highly rated because of how he recruited fellow blue chip players to join him in Tallahassee. Tight end is another position where the Seminoles have a great deal of depth already in place but Upsher is a big dude with an awesome commitment video who should be a big name in Tallahassee for years to come.
Offensive Line: A+
This is the main position that made this class so great. It was no secret that the offensive line was porous last season so Fisher and his staff made it a point of emphasis on the recruiting trail. The 'Noles brought in six commitments, four of which were rated as four stars. Oh, and the size of these kids is pretty impressive: they average 6'5" and 312 lbs. Baveon Johnson (#1 center), Landon Dickerson (#5 tackle), Jauan Williams (#11 tackle), and Josh Ball (#25 tackle) are all 4 star talents giving Rick Trickett 19 scholarship offensive lineman - the most ever under Jimbo Fisher. Fisher said that this will not only push the upperclassmen on top of the depth chart, it will also result in more quality reps for skill guys in practice.
Defensive Line: A-
With a good amount of experience returning to the defensive line, it should be a strength for 2016 but coach Fisher did not miss an opportunity to add quality depth. The 'Noles will add four new defensive lineman including JUCO transfer Walvenski Aime (#3 JUCO DT), early enrollee and Tallahassee-local Cedric Wood, signing day commitment Brian Burns and former UF commit Shavar Manuel (below). Aime is a 6'5" 290 pound monster that may step in this season and play a huge role while the other three may need time to overcome the depth ahead of them at the position. Each are rated as four star interior lineman and will play a huge part in the defensive line's future.
Linebacker: A+
Jimbo Fisher hit a home run at linebacker where he needed it most. The Seminoles have struggled at linebacker in production and depth for the last two years but have now added four linebackers each ranked in the top 20 at their position. Keion Joyner, Dontavious Jackson, Joshua Brown, and Emmett Rice are coming to the rescue. Jackson was one of the most exciting adds on signing day when the #5 inside linebacker announced he would be a Seminole instead of staying in-state with Texas. Josh Brown is already on-campus, Emmett Rice has been compared - by Jimbo himself - to Telvin Smith, and Joyner is rated as the best of the bunch. Each of these four will have a great chance to contribute to next year's championship run.
Defensive Back: A-
The only reason this isn't also rated as an A is because of Trayvon Mullen's (#2 CB) decision to go to Clemson over Florida State. Some people make bad decision I guess. The Seminoles still hauled in three recruits for their secondary - a secondary that projects to be extremely deep in 2016 - including the top corner in the nation Levonta Taylor. Taylor is rated as the 5th best player in the nation and has been compared by many to former 'Nole Greg Reid. That is pretty exciting as Reid was one of the most fun-to-watch players in FSU history. He is also the highest-rated FSU recruit according to ESPN.com since Myron Rolle 10 years ago. Jimbo also got a signature from 7th-rated corner in Carlos Becker (6'3" 185) and #36 in three star Kyle Meyers (6'0" 170). Many people expect Taylor to step right in and be a difference-maker in 2016 but it will likely take more time for the other two to see considerable time on the field.
Special Teams: A
Not much to say about this position other than the Seminoles did a good job finding a replacement for arguably the greatest kicker in college football history. Logan Tyler (#1 Kicker) and Roberto, I mean, Ricky Aguayo (#4 kicker) will compete in fall camp to be the replacement for the recently departed Roberto Aguayo.
This is an extremely exciting class mainly because of how deep it is. The group has its fair share of star recruits in Levonta Taylor, Malik Henry and Baveon Johnson but it is more about the number of blue chip signees the 'Noles were able to reel in. If you thought Jimbo Fisher might be losing his edge in recruiting you were way wrong, the man is still one of the best in the game and doesn't need sleep overs and 18-wheelers to do it.
Pictures are not ours.
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