Despite entering Saturday’s ACC Championship Game with an undefeated record, the defending-champion Florida State Seminoles are barely hanging onto the final spot in the inaugural college football playoff. A loss to Georgia Tech would most likely bump them out of the playoff picture, fairly or unfairly, but it will be a tough task for the Yellow Jackets to knock off the Seminoles without arguably their top prospect, senior wide receiver DeAndre Smelter, who tore his ACL last weekend against Georgia. At 6-2 and 233 pounds with game-breaking speed, Smelter has accounted for 44 percent of Georgia Tech’s receiving yardage and 41 percent of their touchdowns through the air.
While the Yellow Jackets are a run-heavy team, ranking third in FBS with 333.8 rushing yards per game, the dynamic skill set of Smelter will be missed in the red zone, on third downs and on gadget plays that help their offense move down the field. Florida State has a few good prospects on their defensive line, but the Seminoles rank just 42nd in FBS against the run, allowing just over 145 yards per game on the ground. Georgia Tech will need to dominate the ground game and keep the ball away from Florida St. to have a chance to win this ballgame.
By: Chris Tripodi
Florida State
Jameis Winston, QB, #5
One of the more divisive prospects eligible for the 2015 NFL Draft, redshirt sophomore Winston has endured a bumpy road on the field as well as off it lately. A four-interception performance against Florida last weekend marked the sixth consecutive game with a pick for Winston, including three games with multiple turnovers. Winston continues to show impressive memory loss and refuses to fold late despite his mistakes, but his decision-making and accuracy need to improve if the Seminoles want a legitimate chance at another title. Winston is the only QB with a chance to unseat Marcus Mariota at the top of the position rankings, but will need to clean up his play down the stretch.
Rashad Greene, WR, #80
Overshadowed by Winston and Kelvin Benjamin last season, Greene has taken another step forward in 2014 despite increased defensive attention. An excellent route-runner with good hands, Greene has been Winston’s most trusted target this season by far. He shows good speed with the ball in his hands and is dangerous after the catch, which has him in the top 12 in FBS receiving yards and looking at a likely early Day 2 pick in 2015. Coming off a three-catch, 35-yard game against Florida, Greene will surely be fired up for a bounce-back performance to help his squad reach the playoffs, and the senior hasn’t had consecutive games without 100 yards receiving yet this season.
Cameron Erving, OC, #75
Erving’s draft stock was falling from the second-round grade he received from the NFL Draft Advisory Board last season due to his struggles on the outside this season, but a move to center before Florida State’s matchup with Miami three weeks ago has rejuvenated his once-floundering NFL profile. A former defensive lineman, Erving’s sloppy footwork was exposed early by speed rushers off the edge, but his athleticism has played well on the inside. A leader on the Seminoles’ offensive line, Erving has taken well to his position change and his movement skills combined with continued improvement will have NFL teams taking a long, hard look at him on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Despite his struggles and a position switch, Erving’s talent still won him the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, awarded to the ACC’s most outstanding blocker.
Eddie Goldman, DT, #90
A junior that has yet to declare for next year’s NFL Draft, Goldman has some first-round hype behind him following an excellent third season with the Seminoles. At 6-4, 314 pounds, Goldman has great size to plug the middle and shows good strength to create push into the backfield to disrupt rushing plays. Goldman has also shown the ability to get to the quarterback from the inside this season, notching four sacks in ACC play to go along with eight tackles for loss. His interior presence is disruptive against both the run and the pass, which makes him especially valuable with many NFL defensive lines relying on rotational players to defend the different aspects of the game.
Mario Edwards Jr., DE, #15
Another junior defensive lineman with unclear intentions regarding next season, Edwards leads the Seminoles with 11 tackles for loss this year and has proven to be a very good run defender on the edge. At 6-3, 294 pounds, 3-4 teams will be looking at Edwards as a potential five-technique end that can use his strength to set the edge and has good speed for his size to string runs out to the sidelines for minimal gains. While he isn’t a huge threat as a pass rusher, which drops his stock in the eyes of the pass-heavy NFL, he stills has a chance to go on Day 2 if he declares for the draft.
Josue Matias, OG, #70
With Florida State losing center Bryan Stork to the 2014 NFL Draft, most pundits weren’t worried about the Seminoles’ offensive line missing a beat. Much of that was due to the presence of Matias, a 6-6, 322-pound anchor in the middle of Florida State’s offensive line. Injuries and inconsistency at the center position before Erving’s emergence there have certainly been a major factor in some of Florida State’s offensive struggles, but Matias and co. have improved as the season has worn on to open holes for electric freshman running back Dalvin Cook. Strong at the point of attack with hands that continue working throughout the play and a wide base to make his seal blocks effective, Matias has potential on the inside if he cleans up his game. His tendency to lunge into blocks and lose optimal balance will occasionally hurt him, but he’s another prospect whose strength and athleticism will make him appealing to NFL teams at some point late in Day 2 or early on Day 3.
Tre Jackson, OG, #54
More of a mauler than the taller, leaner Matias, Jackson’s 330-pound frame allows him to be a road-grader in the running game. The senior displays a strong base despite being slightly slow off the snap, which allows him to recover and hold his ground even when opposing lineman jolt him with a strong initial punch. When Jackson gets moving and controls defenders, his strength lets him ride opposing linemen right out of the play. Despite his size, he is athletic enough to reach the second level but isn’t the type of guard you want moving too much within the tackle box. Like Matias, he shares a few technical issues that show up a handful of times every game, but he’s another intriguing prospect on the FSU offensive line.
Nick O’Leary, TE, #35
O’Leary is just as well known for his famous bloodlines as he is for his play on the field. Jack Nicklaus’ grandson is Florida State’s second-leading receiver this season, but his NFL stock isn’t much higher than the early part of Day 3. His long reception of 30 yards this season shows why, as O’Leary lacks the dynamic skill set as a receiver seen in the majority of Day 2 prospects at the tight end position. However, O’Leary is a very good blocker and has good size for the position at 6-3, 248 pounds. While there isn’t a ton of upside in drafting a player with O’Leary’s skill set, he still represents an attractive option for teams that often use two-tight end sets or don’t place a large emphasis on the position in the passing game. Those teams seem unlikely to spend a Top 100 pick on a player like O’Leary, though.
Bobby Hart, OT, #51
The forgotten man along the Seminoles’ offensive line, Hart is really a guard stuck playing tackle at Florida State. Unfortunately for NFL scouts, Hart hasn’t been able to play inside thanks to the presence of Matias and Jackson inside, but his skill set is still apparent on the strong side. While Hart is slow into his kick slide to set the edge against pass rushers, that has been masked by keeping him on the strong side of the formation with Erving and Roderick Johnson handling the left tackle position. Like Jackson, Hart is a much stronger run blocker who uses his size to get movement at the point of attack. The senior saw time at guard early in his Florida State career but isn’t as athletic as Matias or as powerful as Jackson, which will keep him in the late Day 3 range as a project for an NFL team.
Georgia Tech
DeAndre Smelter, WR, #15
Despite his torn ACL, which is especially complicating for his stock as a late-season injury, the senior is still a legitimate Day 3 consideration for an NFL team willing to take a wait-and-see approach with his recovery. His size and ball skills make him a serious threat in the red zone, while his ability with the ball in his hands in the open field gives him potential on short and intermediate routes as well. Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense certainly limits his route tree, which is a concern for his immediate viability at the NFL level, but any team willing to utilize him where he wins early and develop his route tree for the future could end up with a steal in the later rounds.
Shaquille Mason, OG, #70
Finishing fourth in the voting for the Jacobs Blocking Trophy behind the aforementioned Erving, Mason is one of the keys to Georgia Tech’s elite running game. A powerful blocker who explodes quickly out of his stance, Mason moves defenders consistently at the point of attack. The senior guard also shows good lateral agility to pull effectively as well as the athleticism to reach the second level quickly to seal linebackers and safeties down the field. Questions about his pass blocking thanks to a lack of experience will relegate him to Day 3 of the draft, but his combination of strength and athleticism can be molded by a good offensive line coach at the next level. As he gains experience in the passing game, Mason has the athletic potential to be an NFL starter down the line.
Isaiah Johnson, SS, #1
After leading the Yellow Jackets in tackles as a junior in 2012, Johnson redshirted the 2013 season after tearing his ACL in Dec. 2012. A strong run defender at a sturdy 6-2 and 205 pounds, Johnson is just fourth on the team in tackles this season but has come on strong of late after shaking off the rust early in the season. A physical player in the box, Johnson doesn’t have great ball skills with just six career interceptions, but holds his own in coverage and has proven the health of his knee in 2014. Johnson has a chance to go at some point in the middle portion of Day 3.
Darren Waller, WR, #88
Waller will be asked to step up and fill the shoes of the injured Smelter and, while he hasn’t had the most productive season, he’s the only other Yellow Jackets player with more than nine receptions, 161 yards or one touchdown this season despite missing the first two games due to suspension. At 6-5, 232 pounds, Waller has the frame to replace Smelter as an option in the red zone and runs in the 4.5 range as yet another size-speed prospect from this triple-option offense. A good game as the top target against a talented FSU secondary could garner Waller additional attention on Day 3.
Quayshawn Nealy, ILB, #54
An All-ACC second team pick by the media this season, Nealy stands out as a speedy cover linebacker who can create turnovers. The 6-1, 235-pound senior has at least two interceptions in all three of his seasons as a starter, and has returned two of those for touchdowns. Despite just 3.5 sacks in the past three years, Nealy also flashes some ability as a pass rusher and finds himself around the ball often. While he isn’t going to be a starter at the NFL level, he has a chance to make a pro roster as a late pick or undrafted free agent who can make an impact on special teams and as a coverage linebacker.
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