A discussion of the tight ends on the Florida State University football spring depth chart.

The Florida State Seminoles football team is less than a month away from the start of spring practice. The Seminoles had their most successful season in a decade, going 12-0 in the regular season, winning the ACC Championship, and making it to the Orange Bowl. FSU will complete a major roster overhaul with the departure of more than 20 players listed in the two-deep. In this series, we will review departing players, additions, and spring pick candidates for each position.

tight end

Florida State's tight end room enters the spring session in need of experience. Of the five players expected to play, only one has significant experience at the collegiate level. The coaching staff will need one of their young tight ends to step up for the 2024 season.

Main starting point:

Jaheim Bell (NFL Draft)

Markston Douglas (Arizona State Sun Devils)

Preston Daniel (University of Miami Redhawks)

Main additions:

Landen Thomas (recruit)

Spring depth:

Kyle Morlock, redshirt senior

Jackson West, redshirt junior

Brian Courtney, Jr.

Gerard Powers, redshirt sophomore

Landen Thomas, freshman

Spring depth chart description:

Nor through and through:I still think FSU should consider bringing in a transfer tight end, especially someone who can be a primary blocker with red zone potential (which is basically what Jordan Wilson was supposed to be). thinking. If nothing changes, I think we'll start the spring with Morlock, West, and Thomas. Morlock needs to take the next step with his blocking and route running, but the talent is clear, while West really started to realize his potential in late 2023. Thomas will need to work on his reps and strength and conditioning program for a while and should not rush into action, but if he's a willing blocker he'll be ready for West and maybe even the Morlocks by the end of the season. You will be able to overtake it.

Tim: Morlock feels like rock heading into spring. I saw West getting burned late last season, so I'd put him at No. 2. From there, it's anyone's guess. Coaches like Thomas' potential, but the recruiting rankings didn't agree by the end of last season. I think he's a wild card. If he performs well in the spring, his position may be decided. However, if the group struggles over the next two months, the next wave of transfers should see the position rise to the top.

Jordan Silversmith: Similar to the wide receivers, the tight end room gives us pause. Morlock performed well last year and has the ability to lead his position group, but questions come after him. Mike Norvell created mismatches with two sets of tight ends last year, and I don't know if he has the talent to do that again this season. Thomas speaks professionally when meeting with the media and appears to be an active blocker. But asking a true freshman to play as many snaps as Bell and Morlock last season may be too much. In addition to Thomas, West won the Most Valuable Player award given by the coaching staff last year, so they seem to think highly of him. However, he struggled towards the end of the year, especially in terms of blocking, so I'll be interested to see where he falls when spring practice resumes. Chris Thomsen is one of the most underrated coaches on the team's staff, but he can get the most out of his team. He'll need that to get similar production to last season.

Frank Danall: With Jaheim Bell leaving for the NFL, the experience level in the tight end room leaves a lot to be desired.

Late last season, Kyle Morlock started to make his presence felt. Morlock had 19 receptions and averaged 13 yards per catch, but zero touchdowns, in what many would call a below-average season at best. Morlock often struggled with blocking, but he improved somewhat as the season progressed. While he is encouraged, he will need to improve his blocking and route running skills in his final year to take the next step. At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he has the perfect size for a tight end, and if he continues to improve in that area, he could become a major threat and headache for defenses.

At the end of spring practice, I believe Jackson West will emerge as the second tight end when Norvell calls for a two-tight end set. However, I'm not going to sleep on Landen Thomas and think he could overtake West for the second tight end spot at some point during the season. From what I heard while hanging out at Moore's water cooler, the coaches speak very highly of Thomas. They like his speed and quickness, and depending on his performance this spring and how quickly he figures out his assignments and figures out the strategy, he could earn a bigger role and He's a bigger threat and will likely get more playing time as the season progresses. progress.

The remaining tight ends will need further development before they receive meaningful playing time this season.

perry costidakis: What hasn't the fine gentlemen above already covered? Although the loss of Bell was expected given his NFL aspirations were a big factor in his further development at Florida State. Markston Douglas' departure was a bit more of a blow given his use in key moments — even though his numbers weren't notable — for Popping (four touchdowns in his FSU career). His record earned him the trust of the offensive staff to make the difference, and his departure was one of the most surprising developments of the offseason.

I agree with NoleThruandThru about the need to add another body to the room, but it'll be exciting to see if the Morlocks can use some more Warlock magic this season — a former D2 player in his first year in Tallahassee , I flashed it many times while still getting used to it. FBS level soccer:

I like West's potential, but I haven't seen him fully realize it yet. Is it because of his incompetence or because of the players above him? With the opportunity in front of him, he has to do something this year, especially considering Thomas is now in contention.