Florida State is facing the significant task of replacing No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston, with former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson the front-runner to take over the starting job.
But the Seminoles may have an even more difficult time finding playmakers to step up at the skill positions. Reliable targets Rashad Greene and Nick O’Leary (who dropped just one pass of 49 catchable throws last season) are gone, and the players in position to earn more playing time posted some disappointing results last season.
Travis Rudolph, Jesus Wilson and Ermon Lane all received negative grades for their work as receivers in 2014. Wilson failed to force a single missed tackle and had six drops. Rudolph (-1.4 receiving) appears the best bet to step into the role of No. WR for the Noles, as he demonstrated some playmaking ability with four touchdowns, but he also had an issue with drops (five out of 42 catchable passes).
No matter how good Golson is this season (he enters the season ranked No. 7 among returning QBs in our CFF rating system), the FSU offense is going to need some playmakers to emerge in order to claim another ACC title.
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