The 3-2-1: Evaluating the 'Noles midway through preseason practice

1 – More than 15 newcomers could play this season

Of the 23 members of Florida State’s 2016 signing class who are enrolled this fall, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect 17 or more to see action in games this season. That would leave only about five or six to receive redshirts.

Some of the newcomers are just about guaranteed to play this season because they are either on the two-deep depth chart for offense or defense, or they will be key players on special teams – that list includes defensive end Brian Burns; defensive backs Carlos Becker, Kyle Meyers and Levonta Taylor; kickers Ricky Aguayo and Logan Tyler; linebackers Josh Brown, Dontavious Jackson and Emmett Rice; defensive linemen Wally Aime and Cedric Wood; wide receiver Keith Gavin; and offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Josh Ball.

Then there are a handful of others who have skills that could warrant early playing time, even if they aren’t necessarily penciled in just yet – that group is led by tailback Amir Rasul and defensive end Janarius Robinson. Finally, it wouldn’t surprise me to see offensive lineman Mike Arnold see some mop-up duty this fall, if only because he already spent one year at prep school and will turn 21 before the end of this season.

At the end of the year, I would be shocked if less than 15 true freshmen played this fall, and I wouldn't be too surprised if that number creeped closer to 20.

2 – The offensive line is coming into focus

While OL coach Rick Trickett continues to mix and match his offensive linemen on the first, second and third teams, it appears as if he’s honing in on a core group of seven or eight linemen he can count on.

Left tackle Rod Johnson and left guard Kareem Are appear to be locked into starting positions, as expected. Alec Eberle clearly will be the starter at center when he returns from his recent “concussion-like symptoms.” Now that Wilson Bell has returned from injury, he seems to be settling back in at right guard. And Rick Leonard is getting more and more time with the starters at right tackle.

Other linemen are still in the mix for jobs on the right side of the line, including Cole Minshew, Brock Ruble and Derrick Kelly. But if they’re all healthy, my hunch is the starting line on Sept. 5 will be (from left): Johnson, Are, Eberle, Bell and Leonard.