Linebackers: Five things to know about FSU's LB segment in 2016

The center of Florida State’s 4-2-5 base defense will have a decidedly new look in 2016.

For the first time in three years, the Seminoles’ linebacker corps will not be anchored by Reggie Northrup and Terrance Smith. The veteran duo played out their eligibility last fall and have moved on to pursue their professional football careers -- but not until they combined to record 369 tackles over the last two seasons.

Florida State also lost two of their top backups with the premature departures of converted safety Tyrell Lyons and junior college transfer Lorenzo Phillips. Lyons announced in the offseason that he was transferring to Northern Iowa, and it turns out Phillips only had one year of eligibility at FSU after starting his career at LSU and then playing two years at a junior college.

Despite that attrition, there is confidence around the program that FSU’s linebacker play could actually be improved in 2016. The Seminoles’ starters – juniors Ro’Derrick Hoskins and Matthew Thomas -- definitely will be more athletic than the Northrup-Smith tandem, and there could be an uptick in the amount of quality depth as well.

The only real question is how quickly a trio of highly touted true freshmen – Josh Brown, Dontavious Jackson and Emmett Rice – can learn the system to the point where they can contribute when called upon. All three were four-star prospects coming out of high school, and Brown already has gone through a spring practice as an early enrollee.