Upon further review: Does FSU have the nation's top RB stable?
How do you know when a school has recruited at an incredibly high level at a position?
When one of its highest-rated players is kicked off the team, and that position group still is arguably the most talented in the country.
Such is the case for Florida State’s running back contingent. Despite dismissing veteran tailback Mario Pender during the offseason following a domestic violence arrest, the Seminoles still might have the nation’s most impressive stable of running backs.
Not only do the ‘Noles have Heisman Trophy candidate Dalvin Cook, who broke a school record in 2015 with 1,691 rushing yards, but they have four other backs who would likely start at many other programs.
“All of us are like brothers,” junior tailback Ryan Green said. “We’re all cheering for each other when we get in. … Everybody’s just working hard. I’m excited about this group.”
Everyone at FSU should be.
Athlon lists Florida State’s running backs as the No. 3-ranked group behind only LSU and Oklahoma, and one spot ahead of Stanford. Fox Sports has the Seminoles’ backs ranked fifth behind LSU, Stanford, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Phil Steele also has FSU’s backs at No. 5, behind LSU, Stanford, Oregon and Georgia.
Those lists are impressive enough. But when compared to Rivals’ recruiting rankings, FSU actually out-classes all the competition.
Led by five-star signees Dalvin Cook and Jacques Patrick, the Seminoles’ five tailbacks boast an average star rating of 4.2. Junior Ryan Green and freshman Amir Rasul were both four-star prospects coming out of high school, and Johnathan Vickers was a three-star.
Of the other schools listed among the best running back groups in the country – Oklahoma, LSU, Stanford, Tennessee, Georgia and Oregon – none have an average star rating above 4.0. Oklahoma checks in at 4.0, followed by LSU at 3.8, Georgia and Oregon at 3.5, Stanford at 3.4 and Tennessee at 3.33.
While the loss of Pender was potentially painful – the former four-star recruit was the Seminoles’ third-leading rusher each of the past two seasons – it was mitigated by the latest position switch for the junior Green. After moving to defensive back in 2015, Green is back at running back and likely will factor into the rotation behind Cook and Patrick.
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