Stock Report: Summer FSU Rumblings

The return of Florida State football is imminent. In under a month, the Seminoles will face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide to kick off the 2017 season.

Expectations are high and fans are hearing all sorts of rumors and opinions about what the 2017 squad will look like. This isn’t new for anyone who has experienced the college football offseason. Any tidbits of information spread like wildfire, whether it be positive hype or negative anticipation.

Florida State has its own share of summer rumors circulating. Some of these are based on practice observations; others by word of mouth. Which ones have merit? Which ones are just pillow talk? While we don’t have clear answers to every question, we have a variety of observations and sources that help cut through the clutter.

There’s a multitude of topics that have been discussed recently. Here’s whether or not you should buy or sell (or neither) the talk around these topics:

Running Back Surprises: Sell

Head coach Jimbo Fisher recently announced that Jacques Patrick was the starter at running back. He added that there wouldn’t be a running back by committee approach. We looked at the history of Fisher’s offenses at Florida State and concluded that this is likely just coach speak. The amount of talent and versatility in the backfield means that multiple players will be getting reps in the upcoming season.

At the same time, Fisher has also leaped praise upon sophomore Amir Rasul, commending his speed and motor. But this happens almost every summer — the coaches will have nothing but nice things to say about certain players, and yet these same players don’t make much of an impact when the time comes. Is it possible that Rasul will get carries? Of course, he almost certainly will. Is he more talented than the other options? Probably not. The majority of attempts will be with Patrick and Cam Akers, and the rest remains to be seen.

Keith Gavin Increased Role: Buy

How could it be that a receiver with no receptions last year projects to be a major contributor in 2017? Mainly because Keith Gavin is in prime position to take one of the starting spots. The departures of Travis Rudolph, Jesus Wilson, and Kermit Whitfield have left multiple spots wide open. Add in the recent suspension of Da’Vante Phillips, and it seems likely that the position will be an “all hands on deck” situation.

There’s also an argument to be made that Gavin has the most raw talent of any receiver on the roster. It makes sense, since he has the most NFL-ready body of anyone. The camp reports have been glowing as well. Gavin has showcased great speed and crisp route-running against top FSU defenders. He’s begun to separate himself as the clear No. 3 option behind Nyqwan Murray and Auden Tate. Perhaps it should’ve been obvious when Gavin got playing time in the Orange Bowl once Tate went down.

Ineligibility Rumors: Sell

Almost every offseason sprouts rumors that certain players will be academically ineligible. While it’s certainly happened before (Matthew Thomas, Sh’Mar Kilby-Lane) it needs to be pointed out that for every correct guess, there’s been an incorrect one. Not surprisingly, random people on Twitter are not reliable sources for essential news. There is a very small group of people who know if a player will be ineligible. It makes no sense to be freaking out about the situation. If they really are ineligible, it will come to light soon enough.

Young Secondary Members Fighting for Spots: Buy

Everyone already knows the veterans coming back in the FSU secondary. Derwin James, Tarvarus McFadden, and Trey Marshall have all received their share of attention. What figures to be different in 2017 is the added depth gained by underclassmen. Growing pains in 2016 may have obfuscated the bright future that many of these players have, considering most arrived as talented (but raw) recruits.

Fans should expect more plays from Levonta Taylor, Kyle Meyers, and Carlos Becker, as each one got extended time last season. Add in a much-improved A.J. Westbrook, and the secondary will be much deeper than it was after and maybe even before Derwin James’ injury a year ago.

Another two names to look out for? Stanford Samuels III and Hamsah Nasirildeen. The freshman cornerback and safety have done well in camp and are more physically ready than some of their fellow class of 2017 members. While they probably won’t see action for the first few games, do not be surprised if they start appearing more as the season goes along, much like the names in the aforementioned paragraph. They are the future at both of those positions.

Justin Fields Momentum: Buy

The new August recruiting dead period has made talk subside temporarily. That’s probably for the best, considering the actual season is fast approaching. Right before the dead period went into effect however, Florida State was receiving good news about 5-star quarterback Justin Fields. The rival Florida Gators received a commitment from another 5-star quarterback in Matt Corral, meaning they were largely out of the race. Now it is reportedly a battle between just Florida State and Georgia.

Not only is there less competition, but Fields returning to Tallahassee for another visit late in July gives him something to think about before his senior year. It also helps that Fields recently gave an interview where he said that he wants to see how the upcoming season plays out for his top teams. This isn’t a guarantee that Fields will come to FSU, but the momentum does seem to be in the Seminoles’ favor.

Derwin James on Offense Rumors: Sell

These rumors stemmed from a vague response by Fisher at a press conference, where he said that James could do anything needed on the offense. That eventually snowballed into questioning whether or not James was actually going to be used in offensive capacity. The answer? Almost certainly not.

Despite some depth issues at receiver and performance issues at punt returner, the team still has plenty of capable options that don’t involve the most important defensive player. Unless James absolutely insists on being used in various situations, he won’t be tasked with scoring.