FSU Football: Five Seminoles Poised for a Breakout 2016

For Florida State, names like Dalvin Cook, Roderick Johnson, DeMarcus Walker and Derwin James are pretty well known throughout the country. As FSU embarks on what looks to be a potentially outstanding 2016 however, a number of players look ready to take that next step.

Here’s a look at five Seminoles poised for a breakout year in 2016:

Wilson Bell, G
Aside from potential All-American tackle Roderick Johnson, Wilson Bell was the only other player to start all 13 games for Florida State along the offensive line last season. At 6-5 and more than 310 pounds, Bell is surprisingly agile and does his best work as a run-blocker. With a whole season under his belt, the redshirt junior Bell has the chance to blossom into an All-ACC performer for an FSU offensive line that struggled to find cohesion a year ago.

Demarcus Christmas, DT
The most unheralded piece of what could be one of the nation’s best starting defensive lines, Demarcus Christmas may be in line to be one of Florida State’s most pleasant surprises in 2016. Playing on a front four that includes DeMarcus Walker, Josh Sweat and Derrick Nnadi, Christmas will spend the majority of this upcoming season single-blocked and he’s more than capable of taking advantage. At 6-4 and 290 pounds, Christmas is fairly light on his feet and should be able to take the next step after tallying 19 tackles and a half sack as a reserve last season.

Trey Marshall, S
With as much young talent as Florida State has in the secondary and both Derwin James and Marquez White seen as potential All-Americans, it can be easy to overlook junior Trey Marshall. Marshall, a safety, first came on the scene late in the 2014 season before cementing a spot in the starting lineup early in 2015. Unfortunately, Marshall missed the final half of 2015 with an arm injury, but performed admirably over the first six games. Marshall has had his lapses in pass coverage, but tends to always be around the football. With so much talent in the secondary, don’t be surprised if Marshall is overlooked early on, but the 6-0, 210-pound Lake City product should be in for his best season as a Seminole.

Auden Tate, WR
This spring, head coach Jimbo Fisher was looking to find out which big, young receiver would take the next step in 2016. He may have found his answer in 6-5 Auden Tate. Tate shined in the spring, both as a deep threat and as a possession receiver. Florida State struggled last season to convert red zone trips into touchdowns and a big reason for that was the lack of an outside threat who could out-jump defenders for the football. Tate was hampered by an injury for part of last season, but fully healthy, he should become a dependable target this upcoming season.

Matthew Thomas, LB
Since committing to Florida State in 2013, suspensions, injuries and family tragedy have all played a role in keeping Matthew Thomas off the field. With Terrance Smith and Reggie Northrup having graduated, the Seminoles will be relying on Thomas to be a dependable player at the linebacker position in 2016. Despite having trouble staying on the field, Thomas is one of the most experienced linebackers at a position that lacks a veteran presence and depth. For Thomas however, ability has never been an issue. Thomas is a big hitter who can fly to the football and rush the passer. Thomas has just 30 tackles in 12 career games, but 4.5 of those were for loss. Originally a 5-star prospect, FSU desperately needs a career-year out of Thomas.