The 2014 season is over for Florida State and four prominent underclassmen have already declared for the NFL Draft and there’s plenty of speculation that defensive tackle Eddie Goldman will do likewise. Should that happen, FSU will return only five starters and none on the offensive side of the ball from the 2013 national championship team. With a number of new faces in the lineup for Florida State, here are five potential breakout players for 2015:
Kareem Are, OL
Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett has been very high on junior college transfer Kareem Are. While Roderick Johnson is expected to be the star of the offensive front next season for FSU, Are may be a solid sidekick. At 6’6″ and 325 pounds, Are is a very good athlete and will be in the starting lineup for Florida State likely at guard, but possibly at center.
Lamarcus Brutus, DB
With P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby each leaving early for the NFL Draft, a number of new faces will see time in the secondary, but as a junior, Lamarcus Brutus came on strong toward the end of the year. Brutus was instrumental in Florida State’s ACC Championship victory over Georgia Tech and had an interception the week before against Florida. With two starting cornerbacks gone, Brutus’ ability to play either corner or safety could be a real luxury for Charles Kelly’s defense.
Trey Marshall, DB
Early speculation is that Trey Marshall could end up moving from safety to cornerback as a sophomore, but down the stretch of the season, Marshall showed that he’s ready to see the field somewhere. Marshall is a very good athlete and looked to be a pretty solid tackler as well against Georgia Tech.
Jacob Pugh, LB
Though hindered by a late injury, Jacob Pugh enjoyed a pretty solid freshman year. With Ukeme Eligwe dismissed, Pugh will bring some sorely needed versatility with his ability to rush the passer from a three-point stance and man the middle of the field from his linebacker spot. Pugh also had a pair of interceptions in Florida State’s 31-27 victory over Notre Dame in mid-October.
Travis Rudolph, WR
Part of an excellent class of receivers that included Ermon Lane and Ja’Vonn Harrison, Travis Rudolph emerged as the No. 2 target behind senior and the school’s all-time leading receiver in Rashad Greene. After finishing with 38 catches for 555 yards and four touchdowns for the ‘Noles in 2014, Rudolph will likely be the go-to guy for whoever the Seminoles’ quarterback in 2015 is. Rudolph has the potential to be an All-ACC receiver next season and perhaps even an All-American at some point in his career.
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