Warchant Top 40: LB Josh Brown headlines players ranked No. 21-30
It’s time to look ahead to the upcoming season by breaking down the Warchant Top 40 -- a list of the 40 players we expect to have the biggest impact for the Florida State football team in 2018. (Note: This is not necessarily the 40 most talented players, but the players we believe will have the opportunity and capability to make the biggest impact this season.)
The list, which was compiled by Gene Williams, Ira Schoffel and Corey Clark of Warchant.com, and Jeff Cameron of ESPN-Tallahassee, will be revealed in segments. This second installment features players No. 30 through No. 21.
The first installment, with players No. 40 through No. 31, can be found here.
Be sure to watch the video above and read the accompanying text below:
Player No. 30: Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Baveon Johnson
He was the nation's top-ranked center prospect coming out of high school in 2016. But the Lake Gibson, Fla., native has yet to have any impact on the Florida State offensive line in his first two years on campus.
That could change in 2018.
Alec Eberle is still penciled in as the starter for the Seminoles, but the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Johnson should push for playing time in Willie Taggart's offense -- at center or guard. Johnson is talented and massive and -- if healthy -- could be a key part of the Florida State season. If nothing else, just getting backup duty in a few blowout games could be a nice foundation to build on as he prepares to take over the starting center role in 2019.
Johnson missed all of last season with a knee injury.
Voting Recap: Gene: No. 30; Ira: No. 35; Corey: No. 30; Jeff: No. 28.
Player No. 29: Redshirt senior defensive tackle Fred Jones
Jones is one of the most experienced players on the Florida State defense. He's never been a full-time starter for the Seminoles, and he might not be this year either, but the Miami native should once again provide valuable depth in the interior.
The 303-pound Jones appeared in every game the last two seasons and has contributed 33 tackles during that span. And while he's not going to overwhelm anyone with those numbers, he's been a vital cog for the Seminoles in the middle of the line of scrimmage.
Jones should be able to help spell projected starters Demarcus Christmas and Marvin Wilson during the 2018 season. He's also been used on offense in short-yardage situations the last couple of years, although it's not yet known if he'll be used in that capacity in the new offense.
Voting Recap: Gene: No. 26; Ira: No. 26; Corey: No. 31; Jeff: No. 29.
Player No. 27 (tie): Redshirt freshman linebacker DeCalon Brooks
Brooks has yet to play a down for the Florida State football team after missing last season due to injury. And it's still unknown just how much he'll contribute in the Seminoles' new defense.
Judging from this spring, however, it could be quite a bit.
As the son of Hall-of-Famer Derrick Brooks, making plays is certainly in DeCalon's bloodlines. And in the open portions of practice this spring -- and then again in the Garnet & Gold game -- he showed a penchant for being around the football. His size is a bit of an issue. At 5-foot-10, 211 pounds, he could be viewed as too small to play linebacker, and he's not a pure defensive back.
But he can run. And he was talked about glowingly by Willie Taggart each time his name was brought up during the spring. How exactly he'll fit into Harlon Barnett's defense remains to be seen, but during the spring, he sure looked like a good fit.
Voting Recap: Gene: No. 31; Ira: No. 31; Corey: No. 26; Jeff: No. 23.
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