Tag: Florida State Seminoles

A RB prospect for the Jaguars in top-3 round of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Jags are open to trading RB Leonard Fournette which means they may have to find a new No. 1 in Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, or Zack Moss.

This past weekend it was revealed that the Jacksonville Jaguars are open to trading one of their top offensive weapons in running back Leonard Fournette, which definitely could mean his chances of returning are bleak. If the Jags already have it in their minds that they are moving on, they likely have a plan to find a replacement for him through the upcoming draft, too.

When looking at the prospects at the running back position, there is a variety of rushers to choose from. Here are some names the Jags could be interested in within the top-3 rounds if they trade Fournette:

Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1 – Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

While the Jags are unlikely to take a running back in round one, what is their not to like about the ultra-productive Jonathan Taylor? He’s pretty much everything fans want in a running back.

Taylor is the definition of a human highlight reel and proved to be a workhorse back while at Wisconsin, accumulating 12 games with 200 yards or more during his career. Part of the reason he was able to do that was because of his size as he is built like an NFL tailback at 5-foot-10, 226-pounds.

Additionally, he cuts well, shows great burst as a former track runner, and can garner yards after contact — all of which makes him as the perfect player to place Fournette should the Jags trade him.

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Jags amongst teams interested in Florida State DB Levonta Taylor

The Jags are eyeing a former five-star recruit from FSU to potentially join their secondary via the draft.

Many fans were elated to know of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ interest in cornerback Cameron Dantzler of Mississippi State as the team needs some serious help at the position. Now, it appears they’ve spoken with a familiar face to the area in Florida State’s Levonta Taylor, per Jordan Reid of the Draft Network.

Taylor, 22, was a five-star recruit for the Seminoles, however, his tenure with them didn’t quite go as well as many had hoped. Injuries especially affected his time with the Noles as he sustained a back injury before the 2018 regular season and missed eight games with a knee injury in 2019. Still, he managed to fight through adversity and accumulated 65 career tackles, four picks, and 10 pass breakups.

The good thing about Taylor’s time with the Noles was that he got a chance to show his athletic ability and versatility, playing both safety and cornerback over the course of his for years there. That’s likely the key element of his game that caught the Jags’ eyes the most as they could use competition and depth at various spots in their secondary.

Draft analysts believe Taylor could be a Day 3 selection, which works in the Jags’ favor if they want to draft him. Of their 12 picks, they have eight Day 3 selections, including three fourth-rounders and two fifth-rounders.

At 5-foot-10, 190-pounds, safety could be an option for Taylor in the NFL. He also has the size to play in the slot and could be an option to take D.J. Hayden’s place down the road as he will be playing on the last year of his deal in 2020.

What happened to Alex Hornibrook?

Alex Hornibrook came to Wisconsin in 2015 as a 3-star quarterback out of Malvern Preparatory High School in Pennsylvania. He redshirted…

Alex Hornibrook came to Wisconsin in 2015 as a 3-star quarterback out of Malvern Preparatory High School in Pennsylvania. He redshirted his freshman year in 2015 and went on to quickly win the starting role early in 2016 after Bart Houston struggled to begin the season.

He then continued to lead to the Badgers to a 22-4 record in his first two years as a starter. During his best season, the 2017 campaign, Hornibrook led the Badgers to a 13-1 record with 2644 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Though the team lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, the season was one of the best in school history and was due in large part to the job Hornibrook did under center.

2018, Hornibrook’s third season, was when the tides quickly turned for the Pennsylvania product.

Hornibrook appeared in only nine games during the 2018 campaign as he battled concussions and his replacement, Jack Coan, showed promise during his time under center. Hornibrook finished the season with just 1532 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as the Badgers finished the campaign with a disappointing 8-5 record.

After the season concluded Hornibrook announced he was transferring to Florida State University.

Despite stepping on campus in Tallahassee, Fl. with a track record of success and loads of college experience, Hornibrook found himself backing up quarterback James Blackman and only saw the field during five games for the Seminoles.

He finished the season with a completion percentage of 68.9, 986 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions, pretty solid numbers given how little time he got under center.

Then, as the Seminoles prepared for their December appearance in the Sun Bowl, ProFootballTalk reported that Hornibrook and running back Cam Akers were no longer with the program as they began their NFL Draft preparations.

Akers, a top-10 national recruit coming out of high school, received a combine invite and is projected to be selected in the third round later this month.

Hornibrook, on the other hand, did not receive a combine invite and is not projected to be selected in the draft. A path still remains for him to find himself on an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent, though, but his NFL prospects are looking grim at the moment.

Only time will tell if the former Badger signal-caller will find himself on an NFL roster when training camps begin later this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

2020 NFL draft: Cam Akers scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans should know about Florida State running back prospect Cam Akers

Cam Akers | RB | Florida State

Elevator Pitch

Akers was a highly touted prospect out of Mississippi when he signed with the Florida State Seminoles. Despite the inconsistency at the offensive line, Akers has been able to showcase his abilities and is now one of the top running backs in the upcoming draft class.

Vitals

Height | 5-10

Weight | 217

Class | Junior

College Stats

College Bio

Combine Profile

Strengths

Akers shows good burst to fly through the hole when he gets the ball in his hands. He shows good vision for finding open holes behind the line. When the defense penetrates the line, shows the ability to cut back come out the other side. His footwork allows him to make split decisions which turn negative plays into positive ones.

Runs from a good base, with a powerful lower half. Uses his leg power to bounce off would be tackles with great contact balance. Can use his jump cut well for a quick change of direction with little to no loss in momentum. Rare to find a defender take down Akers on the first tackle attempt.

He is more than capable as a receiver, so with Akers you get a dual-threat runner and receiver. Much like when he carries the ball, he will be a threat to take it the distance when he gets into the open field. Scored seven touchdowns as a receiver for the Seminoles. Not just a back to get a dump off in the flats, can excel when asked to run the wheel.

Weaknesses

One of the reasons that will cause teams to be lower on Akers is that he has issues with protecting the football. While his fumble rate isn’t terribly high, Akers averages one fumble every 65.5 touches. His 10 fumbles in three seasons will be cause for concern about him protecting the football.

In terms of being an every down back at the NFL level, Akers needs to work on his pass protection. He will be a liability in protection until he works on his technique and understanding who he is responsible for. Given his size and frame, he definitely has the tools to be a consistent blocker. Being coached up will be key for him.

Projection: Day 2

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Cam Akers, Solomon Kindley amongst notables who’ve met with Jags at 2020 NFL Combine so far

The Jags have met with several at the combine so far, including Jax native Solomon Kindley and FSU’s Cam Akers.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ staff has been hard at work this week on their business trip to Indy, home of the NFL Combine. While waiting for the performance drill portion of the annual event, the team has reportedly gotten to interview several familiar players to fans, including DeeJay Dallas, Cam Akers, Solomon Kindley, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire to name a few.

Dallas, 21, played collegiately with the Miami Hurricanes where he accumulated 1,527 career rushing yards, 317 career receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns. He is a player who the Jags are well aware of as he is a native of Brunswick, Ga., a city just 70 miles from Jacksonville and attended Glenn Academy there. He’s also a player who offers physicality as a runner, and according to draft pundits, he could be selected between the fifth and seventh rounds.

Akers, 20, attended college down the road from Jacksonville at Florida State University. While there he accumulated 2,875 career rushing yards, 486 career receiving yards, and 34 total touchdowns. At 5-foot-11, 212 pounds, he brings a mix of size and shiftiness to the table and is projected to be a second or third round pick.

At 6-foot-3, 336 pounds, Kindley was a force for the Georgia Bulldogs in the trenches and would give the Jags a physical run blocker at guard. While at UGA, he started in 32 games and paved lanes for rushers like Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and DeAndre Swift. He also is a Jacksonville native who attended Raines High School and is expected to be a late first round to early second round selection.

Lastly, Edwards-Helaire is a player who attended Louisiana State and is one of many national champions to enter the draft. At 5-foot-8, 209 pounds, he’s a player who will remind fans of Maurice Jones-Drew as he welcomes contact but also showcases breakaway speed on tape. Most draft pundits believe he’ll be selected in the third round.

The Jags will meet with a lot of prospects over the next few months but it’s still worth keeping tabs on their meetings to reflect back on when the selections are made. We’ll continue to monitor who the Jags speak with this week as more reports are sure to come out.

Louisville at Florida State college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Louisville Cardinals at Florida State Seminoles betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.

The Louisville Cardinals (23-5, 14-3 ACC) will head south to battle the Florida State Seminoles (23-4, 13-3 ACC) at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Fla., at 7 p.m. ET Monday. We analyze the Louisville-Florida State odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

The Cardinals were ranked 11th in last week’s USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The Seminoles were ranked 8th. (Note: The new poll will be released later Monday.)

Louisville at Florida State: Three things you need to know

1. The Cardinals have dropped their past two conference road games, at Clemson and at Georgia Tech, losing by an average of 10.5 points per game.

2. Florida State won the first meeting Jan. 4 by a 78-65 score at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, easily covering as 6.5-point underdogs while the Over (133.5) cashed.

3. The Cardinals rank 10th in the nation in 3-pointer percentage (38.3%), and 13th in defensive field-goal percentage (38.5%).

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Louisville at Florida State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Florida State 76, Louisville 69

Moneyline (ML)

FLORIDA STATE (-139) isn’t a bad play on the moneyline based on their straight-up victory at Louisville (+115) back in early January, and the struggles of the Cardinals in their two previous road contests.

New to sports betting? Every $1.39 wagered on the Seminoles ML will profit $1 if they win.

Against the Spread (ATS)

FLORIDA STATE (-2.5, -106) is a good value at plus-money on their home floor. The Seminoles blasted the Cardinals by 13 in the first meeting, and Louisville has dropped its past two road outings by a total of 21 points. That makes the ‘Noles a nice value in Tally.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 140 (-110) has cashed in eight of the past 12 games overall for the Cardinals, including 4-2 in the past six on the road. The Over has hit in three in a row at home for FSU, and the Over also cashed in the first meeting between these ACC goliaths earlier this season.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Florida State at Duke college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Florida State Seminoles at Duke Blue Devils betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.

The Florida State Seminoles (20-3, 10-2 ACC) travel to Durham, N.C., to battle the Duke Blue Devils (20-3, 10-2) Monday at 7 p.m. ET at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Both teams are coming off emotional wins over rivals. We analyze the Florida State-Duke odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Florida State at Duke: Three things you need to know

1. FSU defeated Miami 99-81 Saturday. The eighth-ranked Seminoles (USA TODAY sports men’s basketball coaches poll) have lost just once since Dec. 3. FSU has been on fire from long distance, racking up nine 3’s per game and shooting a robust 41.1% from beyond the arc since the beginning of January. The triples and a fast pace of play have the Seminoles averaging 86.0 points per game over their last half-dozen contests.

2. The No. 7 Blue Devils are coming off an overtime, buzzer-beater win on the road at North Carolina Saturday. Duke hasn’t played at home since Jan. 28. The Blue Devils have logged an effective field-goal percentage (accounts for 33.3% on 3-pointers and 50% on 2-pointers having the same value) over 55% in 8 of 12 home games this season and in 4 of the team’s last 5.

3. The trey-launching Seminoles have their work cut out for them against a Duke defense which is elite in defending the 3-pointer. Over the Devils’ current five-game win streak, they’ve held foes to a 22.1% accuracy mark from 3-point land.

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Florida State at Duke: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:05 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Duke 82, Florida State 71

Moneyline (ML)

PASS. Duke is too costly at -400 – every $4 wagered on the Duke ML will profit $1 if it wins. Florida State is +310, offering a little bit more than a 3-to-1 profit if it prevails.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The ‘Noles are 0-3 ATS against teams averaging more than 77.0 PPG. The Blue Devils are 10-6 ATS when playing teams over .500.

DUKE -8.5 (-106) is a solid play. Look for a Blue Devils’ advantage on 3-pointers and free throws with the home team piling up enough to cover.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Over is: 4-1 over FSU’s last five road games … 10-3 in Duke home games … a combined 19-6 when FSU or Duke are in games totaled between 140-149.5.

Threes and free throws add up. Look for a total near 150 with 90 seconds remaining. Back the OVER 148.5 (-106).

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Florida State at Virginia college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Tuesday’s Florida State Seminoles at Virginia Cavaliers sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.

The Florida State Seminoles (17-2) visit John Paul Jones Arena to play the Virginia Cavaliers (13-6) Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Florida State-Virginia odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Florida State at Virginia: Three things you need to know

  1. Florida State beat Virginia in their first meeting, 54-50, keyed by the Seminoles sinking eight 3-pointers. The Cavaliers were able to hit only three shots from behind the arc.
  2.  Both teams are coming off thrilling wins against conference opponents—Florida State beat Notre Dame 85-84 Jan. 25, and Virginia beat Wake Forest in 65-63 overtime Jan. 26.
  3.  Florida State’s current No. 5 AP ranking is the school’s highest in Leonard Hamilton’s 18 years as head coach.

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Florida State at Virginia: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Florida State 60, Virginia 52

Moneyline (ML)

The Seminoles have a more talented core at the moment compared to a Virginia program which lost three players to the NBA from last year’s National Championship team. Florida State has played four RSCI Top-100 recruits while Virginia has had only three of their five RSCI top-100 recruits see action.

Florida State is a much more balanced team than Virginia. The Seminoles are ranked 66th in points per game and 71st in opponent PPG. The Cavaliers allow the fewest PPG but 350 schools are scoring more points per game. In three games against ranked opponents, Florida State is 3-0 with a plus-9.3 margin of victory and Virginia is just 1-1.

BET FLORIDA STATE (-110). New to sports betting? Bet $110 on Florida State to earn a profit of $100 if they win outright.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Being that the line is just +/-1.5 points, we are going to PASS on betting against the spread and put our total Florida State-Virginia gambling allowance on the moneyline. If you wanted to take Florida State (+1.5, -121) it would make sense because the total is so low and the road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five head-to-head meetings.

Over/Under (O/U)

The projected total of 115.5 total is comically low in this game and I’m going to PASS. Their combined Over/Under record is 19-19, Virginia’s O/U record is 26-42 since 2015 and in Virginia home games this season the O/U is 4-7. There’s no way I’m throwing money at this total.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Virginia at Florida State college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Virginia Cavaliers at Florida State Seminoles sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.

The Virginia Cavaliers (11-4) travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to battle the Florida State Seminoles (14-2) in a 7 p.m. ET tilt Wednesday at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. We analyze the Virginia-Florida State odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Virginia at Florida State: Three things you need to know

1. The defending national champion Cavaliers lost to Boston College Jan. 7 and then to Syracuse Saturday. Both games were upsets, and UVA hadn’t lost consecutive games since the 2017-18 season.

2. Virginia faces the tough task of trying to rebound from those losses against a strong Seminoles team which has been wearing down foes with their balance and depth. Florida State has won seven straight games. Although not always covering the spread, the ‘Noles have been winning big at home – their average margin of victory in their last five home-court wins is 16.4 points.

3. The last time Virginia logged an effective field-goal mark – a measure of overall shooting accuracy, accounting for the extra point from 3-point range – under 40% in back to back games was in February of 2017. Against then No. 10 Duke ad No. 2 North Carolina. UVA’s last two games were that much of an anomaly.

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Virginia at Florida State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Florida State 61, Virginia 57

Moneyline (ML)

There was no moneyline listed at the time of publishing.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Virginia has disappointed and faltered its way into a nice price. UVA will likely take enough care of the basketball and defend its way into a two-score game. The VIRGINIA (+6.5, -110) line is a profitable one. Florida State is 1-3 ATS over its last four at home. The Seminoles’ normal free-throw advantage gets mitigated here by a UVA squad which doesn’t permit many looks from the charity stripe. A reasonable approximation of what Virginia was doing three, four and five games back benefits those taking the underdog here … because we’re getting a point spread inflated by the Cavaliers’ recent two – and it might be a number to jump on before it heads to five.

Over/Under (O/U)

Both defenses are top-notch, and that makes for a low number here. Play for a bounceback in the Virginia offense and a spiraling back-and-forth affair creating a total closer to 120. Take the OVER 113 (-110).

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Georgia football picks up yet another grad-transfer

Georgia football program picks up yet another grad-transfer in former Florida State tight end Tre’ McKitty

The Georgia football program picked up another much-needed graduate transfer on Monday in tight end Tre’ McKitty out of Florida State.

A 6’4″, 235-pound graduate-transfer, McKitty entered his name in the infamous transfer portal last week, before ultimately deciding to head to Athens and join the Bulldogs.

This is the second transfer portal pick up for Georgia this offseason, with former Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman announcing he too was joining the Dawgs last Saturday.

Now, Georgia has yet another offensive weapon for 2020, to help replace the departing Eli Wolf and Charlie Woerner at tight end. Look for McKitty to step in and make an immediate impact, alongside five-star freshman Darnell Washington.

Whether it’s Newman, Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett or Dwan Mathis under center next season, the Dawgs will certainly have a lot more firepower to work with downfield.