Now that the dust has settled on the Florida State football team's 2021 spring practice, we're taking inventory of every position on the Seminoles' roster.
We'll break down how each position looks coming out of the spring, what the expectations are for the fall, which players will be key contributors, and whether the group is trending in the right direction.
We begin this series today with the running backs.
Don't miss out on our great sports coverage. Get your 30-day FREE trial!
Projected Starter: Redshirt sophomore Jashaun Corbin
As FSU's starting tailback for most of the 2020 season, Corbin rushed for 401 yards on 81 carries; that's an average of 5.0 yards per attempt. And he performed much better as the season wore on, thanks to growing confidence in his surgically repaired hamstring.
The former Texas A&M running back rushed for more than 60 yards in three of FSU's last four games after eclipsing that mark just once in the first five. He also was the Seminoles' fourth-leading receiver with 19 receptions for 115 yards.
While Corbin is not an especially flashy runner, what gives him the edge over the other candidates is his versatility and consistency. He's a physical ball carrier in short-yardage situations, has nice hands when catching passes out of the backfield, is a north-and-south runner who rarely gets tackled for a loss, and is improving in pass-protection.
Corbin also is extremely well-respected by FSU's players and coaches for his work ethic and mental toughness.
Top Challenger: Redshirt freshman Lawrance Toafili
There's little debate about who is Florida State's most explosive running back. Toafili burst onto the college scene last fall with an average of 9.6 yards on his 37 carries, and he also caught 12 passes for 120 yards. If he had been healthy for the entire season, he clearly would have been the Seminoles' leading rusher.
The biggest question for Toafili is his durability. Even after gaining some weight in the Seminoles winter strength and conditioning program, he still is listed at 6 feet tall and 185 pounds -- that's 30 pounds lighter than Corbin, who is the same height.
