Heading into the season as a Day 2 offensive tackle prospect, Florida State senior Cameron Erving was exposed against Vic Beasley’s speed off the edge earlier this season against Clemson. His struggles continued in the following weeks, but an experiment made necessary by Florida State’s issues replacing center Bryan Stork – who was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round this season – may help to resuscitate his draft stock.
By: Chris Tripodi
True freshman Roderick Johnson made his first career start at left tackle as Erving shifted to center for Saturday night’s matchup with Miami, and the move paid immediate dividends for the Seminoles. The offensive line, which has struggled to meet expectations this season despite having multiple NFL prospects, allowed just one sack and paved the way for 114 rushing yards on 19 carries. Erving’s athleticism has always been apparent at left tackle, but it looks to be a huge asset at the center position.
Freshman running Dalvin Cook hit the Hurricanes for two touchdowns of 25 or more yards, and Erving made key blocks on both runs, sealing off holes for the lightning-fast Cook to hit and reach the second level. Erving himself was quick out of his stance and showed more aggression playing inside than he has on the edge, and the senior used his athleticism to make a few nice blocks of his own at the second level. His movement skills fit very well at center and, as pro stars like Alex Mack and Jason Kelce prove, athletic centers can be extremely key pieces to NFL offensive lines.
Erving and Jameis Winston had a few issues with shotgun snaps, but that’s to be expected from a player making his first start at the position, despite ample practice time and some action a week earlier against Virginia. Overall, Erving put together an extremely impressive debut that could help him make good on the second-round grade he received from the NFL Draft Advisory Board before the 2014 draft. Head coach Jimbo Fisher has already said the move will stick heading into a matchup against Boston College, a top-five run FBS run defense, and Erving’s performance at his new position in the coming weeks will be crucial to deciding his eventual draft position.
Other Notes
-After posting a season-high 89 receiving yards Nov. 1 against North Carolina, Miami senior tight end Clive Walford set another high-water mark with 127 yards through the air on four receptions against the Seminoles. His big play was a 61-yard touchdown pass, where he ran an extremely sharp double-move route to break free over the middle and outrace the defense for the score. Walford is a seam-stretcher with good size (6-4, 258) who catches the ball away from his body and has proven himself as a red-zone threat with seven touchdowns this season.
-Along with Walford, Miami senior wide receiver Phillip Dorsett had a nice game against Florida State, making four receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. A 4.35 speedster with questionable hands, Dorsett did a nice job extending to catch the ball away from his body for an early 36-yard catch up the seam and hanging on after getting crushed by the safety. He finished that drive with a 27-yard touchdown, beating the safety to the post with a sharp route break for the score. His speed was on display later in the half, catching a short pass from Brad Kaaya and turning it into an 18-yard gain. Dorsett did have a key drop in the end zone and his inconsistent hands will keep him from being an early pick, but NFL teams covet speed and Dorsett has it. He has a chance to crack the top 100.
-Miami senior linebacker Denzel Perryman made his presence felt on the first play of the game, snuffing out a screen pass to Karlos Williams and stuffing the running back for a loss of a yard. Perryman continued his strong play by making another eight tackles on the game, including a few plays that would have gone for big yardage if he hadn’t been in position to stop them. Perryman delivered a few big hits as well to set the tone in the first half, and was a big reason Florida State struggled to get in sync. Billed as a two-down run-stuffer heading into a passing league, Perryman’s draft stock has slid because of that, but he proved capable in coverage against Florida State and seems destined to be drafted on Day 2 regardless of his perceived flaws.
-Georgia Tech senior wide receiver DeAndre Smelter continues to make noise around the conference. His five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown don’t draw immediate attention, but the Yellow Jackets completing just eight passes for 102 yards gives those numbers context, as Smelter is his team’s entire passing offense. At 6-3, Smelter is a great red-zone option and caught a five-yard fade pass early in the third quarter to put Georgia Tech up, 16-3. Smelter is big, fast and surprisingly polished for a player in a triple-option scheme with limited football experience. Smelter was a big-time baseball prospect but when shoulder issues derailed that potential career, he returned to football last season for the first time since his junior year of high school. His raw skills jump off the screen and if an NFL team can develop his talents, he will be an absolute steal in the 2015 draft.
-Miami junior running back Duke Johnson showed why so many scouts are high on his NFL prospects against Florida State, rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. His burst into the hole and speed coming out of it are beyond impressive, but Johnson’s vision at times causes him to leave yardage on the field. An electric playmaker drawing LeSean McCoy comparisons, Johnson is eligible for the draft if he declares and had been planning to graduate in the spring to accommodate his career, but may now need an extra semester of school. There’s no word on whether that will ultimately affect his decision to go pro, although this year’s stacked running back class might be an additional deterrent.
Three sophomores that aren’t eligible for the 2015 draft also made some noise Saturday
-Florida State safety Jalen Ramsey made plays all over the field and showed well in coverage, against the run, on the blitz and on special teams. He blocked an extra point early in the game and also played tight coverage, ending the game with an interception on the final drive and just missing one earlier in the game. Ramsey also forced an early fumble by Walford, and almost did it again later in the game. In addition, Ramsey showed the awareness to get his hands up and knock down a pass on a blitz when he couldn’t get to the quarterback. He will end up being a high draft pick in 2016 if he declares early.
-Pittsburgh running back James Connor continues to dominate after his 220-yard, four-TD performance in a loss to North Carolina gave him 483 rushing yards and seven TDs in his past two games. At 6-2, 250 pounds, Connor looks like a player who will be coveted as an NFL-style runner in 2016. He consistently breaks tackles at the second and third level and shows surprising breakaway speed to bust long runs. His teammate, receiver Tyler Boyd, was also spectacular, turning in his fourth game of 135 or more receiving yards this season. His 50-yard touchdown was pure speed after the catch on a slant over the middle, and he showed great body control on a long sideline catch earlier in the game. A 6-2 receiver with elite playmaking ability, Boyd will be in the first-round discussion once he becomes draft eligible.
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