2022 FSU Defense Depth Chart Projections: post-spring practice
Florida State wrapped up its spring on a high note with the Garnet and Gold game. After a solid month where the defense seemed to take a step forward from last year, we got the chance to see some new pieces contribute to what Adam Fuller is trying to do on the defensive side of the ball.
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There was a lot of competition on all levels of the defense, something we haven’t seen in a few seasons. Let’s take a look at what the defense may look like as we head into fall camp.
Defensive End:
- Derrick McClendon
- Patrick Payton
- Jared Verse
- Dante Anderson
We’ll address Verse here soon, but Derrick McClendon had himself a spring camp and was arguably the second-best defensive lineman throughout. McClendon came in motivated and ready to take his spot. After playing a reserve role the past two seasons he’s now firmly locked in as a starter.
Patrick Payton has been an enticing prospect since arriving on campus. The transformation he’s seen with his body will allow him to be a force on the outside. Many think he’s the most natural pass rusher on the team - he will play a ton in 2022.
Jared Verse is listed here as he will be moved around on both sides.
Dante Anderson was a highly rated recruit that enrolled early as a walk-on. Anderson is similar to Payton in that he came to FSU needing to add weight but also having a knack for getting to the passer. Anderson would be best served as a redshirt this upcoming season but he also showed that he’s going to be better than your normal walk-on.
Defensive End (FOX):
- Jared Verse
- Dennis Briggs
- Leonard Warner
- Byron Turner Jr.
- Aaron Hester
This will be a hotly contested battle as we head into fall. One on hand you have the break-out player of spring in Jared Verse. He was flat dominant. More than anything, his mean streak was a pleasant surprise for the staff. On the other hand, you have Dennis Briggs. Briggs was playing inside in 2021 and was having a phenomenal season before he went down with an injury. I think this is more of a 1a and 1b situation.
Leonard Warner saw some time with the first team but he will not play more than a reserve role. Turner Jr. is a player the coaches really like and think he can play meaningful minutes after battling injuries in 2021.
FSU is in a great spot that Aaron Hester can redshirt in 2022. He was a forgotten recruit after committing very early in the process. He flashed at times and has more juice than expected.
Defensive Tackle:
- Fabien Lovett
- Jarrett Jackson
- Joshua Farmer
Getting Lovett back was a coup for the coaching staff. He’s expected to play at an All-Conference level in 2022. Spring was just affirmation of that.
Jackson took a step forward - FSU’s interior line is going to be one of the best in the ACC. Jackson’s consistency improved this spring which bodes well for a consistent threat.
Farmer was one of the players that showed great potential in the spring. He’s made an extremely impressive change to his body and looks like he will be a force in the future. This spring his play showed that FSU has three capable bodies here.
Defensive Tackle:
- Robert Cooper
- Malcolm Ray
There may not be a better 1-2 combo at nose in the ACC. Cooper’s run-stuffing ability is elite, and Ray can get after the passer. FSU is more than fine here.
Middle Linebacker:
- Tatum Bethune
- DJ Lundy
- Stephen Dix Jr.
While we didn’t see Bethune in the spring game he is firmly locked in as the starter here. He’s quickly become a leader of the defense, and he brings vast experience to this group. Getting Bethune out of the portal and in for spring was big for the coaches as linebacker was a huge concern.
DJ Lundy dropped some weight which has helped his mobility. He’s the best run-stuffer in this unit - his instincts are great and he comes downhill with purpose. He looks better in the passing game after being a liability in 2021.
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If Dix Jr. can keep improving he’s going to be a part of the rotation. After playing early as a freshman Dix has peaked in terms of development. This spring was solid for Stephen but he sits third with the arrival of Bethune.
Weakside Linebacker:
- Kalen DeLoach
- Amari Gainer
- Omar Graham Jr.
Kalen was one of the best players for FSU this spring, building off of an impressive 2021. Bethune and Deloach have been competing for that top linebacker spot, and it's clear FSU has a super solid starting duo for 2022.
Amari Gainer is a bit of an enigma. Athletically one of the best on the roster, he hasn’t been able to settle into a permanent role under Adam Fuller. With the other linebackers that are expected to play, Gainer getting after the passer could be something we see moving forward.
Graham Jr. will play in 2022. He is an intriguing player for the future.
Field Corner:
- Renardo Green
- Azareye’h Thomas
- Kevin Knowles
It's been a renaissance of sorts for Green. He came to FSU as a highly-touted corner, playing as a freshman and even starting at the end of the season. The past two seasons he moved to safety while also battling injuries. Word in Tour of Duty was how impressive Green has been, and that carried over to the spring. He’s healthy and it shows. Along with Omarion Cooper, Green was the most consistent corner in spring camp.
Thomas is an exciting player to watch. Yes, he is a freshman, and yes some thought he was going to be a safety, but he had flashes of dominance in spring. He’s going to play a lot in 2022.
Boundary Corner:
- Omarion Cooper
- Sam McCall
- Demorie Tate
- Jarrian Jones
We predicted that Cooper would be the best defensive back on the roster after the spring and that has come to fruition. It's not out of the question to see Green and Cooper flip spots, but Cooper is the bigger of the two. In today’s game of going to the short side, you have a good cover guy that is aggressive in the run game in Cooper.
Sam McCall, another freshman, is a freak athlete. He’s tall and lanky and has elite speed. He lived up to the five-star billing this spring and took his spot on the depth chart.
Demorie Tate coming on is a huge win for the defense. He’s healthy and confident. They need this to continue during the summer.
Nickel Corner:
- Kevin Knowles
- Greedy Vance
- Travis Jay
Knowles spent a lot of time as an outside corner during spring as Fuller and Woodson played with a lot of different combinations. In the spirit of getting your best players on the field, Knowles at nickel fits as he played here in 2021.
Greedy Vance had a super slow start to spring but he came on once he got comfortable. Vance is another guy that saw time at outside corner. He has a lot of versatility but we will plug him here after the spring.
Travis Jay continues to be an enigma. He’s gotten passed up and sits third on every possible depth chart.
Buck Safety:
- Akeem Dent
- Sidney Williams
- Travis Jay
- Shyheim Brown
The ongoing theme throughout spring is that FSU has some skill at defensive back, and Dent is right behind Cooper as the best overall on the roster. Simply put, Akeem was extremely impressive this spring and he looks like he will have a monster season this fall.
Sidney Williams can play both safety spots. He’s filled in as a starter, a luxury for this unit, and will play a ton.
The same can be said for Brown. Brown can play both safety spots and was very impressive this spring.
Field Safety:
- Jammie Robinson
- Shyeim Brown
- Jarques McClellion
Robinson is fun to watch. He's very good, and he talks a ton. He’s the alpha of the back-end of the secondary - we expect another All- ACC type season from him.
McClellion understands the defense and as an upperclassman is a respected leader for the defense.
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage on Florida State football this offseason.
