Warchant Top 40: FSU football players ranked No. 31-35
As the summer arrives and temperatures soar into the 90s in Tallahassee, that can only mean one thing for Warchant subscribers: The return of the Warchant Top 40, where we break down the top 40 players on the Florida State football team.
This is not necessarily a listing of the 40 most talented players on the Seminoles’ roster, but the players we believe will have the opportunity and capability to make the biggest impact this season. And this year’s group might have been the most difficult to determine in the decade-plus history of the ranking.
Partly because Florida State has brought in another impressive group of newcomers and partly because the overall roster is so much deeper than in most years, settling in on a Top 40 was exceedingly difficult. But over the next couple of weeks, we will break down each player who made the list and count our way all the way up to No. 1.
This year’s voting panel consisted of Warchant staff members Gene Williams, Ira Schoffel, Corey Clark, Jeff Cameron, Tom Lang, Aslan Hajivandi and Matt LaSerre. The list of players ranked No. 36-40 was released earlier in the week.
This latest installment is for players ranked No. 31 to 35.
34 (Tie) – Defensive back Omarion Cooper
The last time Omarion Cooper was playing in a Florida State uniform, he appeared much higher on this list. He was coming off a breakout freshman season for the Seminoles and seemed poised to be one of the best cornerbacks in the conference heading into the 2022 season. But Cooper was injured that August, tried to play through it and wound up having a subpar season (especially with the lofty preseason expectations) while never being fully healthy.
He wound up transferring to Boulder and was part of Deion Sanders’ first season at Colorado in 2023. Now Cooper has portaled his way back to Tallahassee, and he gives the Seminoles another veteran presence in the secondary. Cooper has played in 29 games in his college career with 16 starts, including nine last year with the Buffaloes before missing the final three games with an injury.
Though he has played primarily cornerback, Cooper might get a look at multiple positions this August, including the vacant safety position opposite Shyheim Brown.
VOTING BREAKDOWN: Gene – NR; Ira – 25; Corey – NR; Jeff – NR; Tom – 29; Aslan – 24; Matt – NR.
Former starting Florida State cornerback Omarion Cooper is back with the Seminoles. (Gene Williams/Warchant)
34 (Tie) – Linebacker Blake Nichelson
According to head coach Mike Norvell, the sophomore linebacker was one of the rising young stars of the spring for the Seminoles. The athletic California native has added muscle and mass to his frame and could very well be in the mix to get a lot of playing time — and even start — at linebacker this season. His ability to cover has been talked about essentially since he arrived in Tallahassee as a freshman, and now he’s got a real chance to make an impact for the Seminoles in 2024.
Nichelson is listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, and is noticeably bigger than he was when he arrived on campus. He’s still doesn’t have prototypical size for a linebacker however, so he probably has more bulk to add. But there’s no doubting his playmaking and athletic ability.
The true sophomore played in all 14 games last year for the Seminoles, making his mark mostly on special teams, where he was named Newcomer of the Year by the FSU coaching staff. He will face plenty of competition at the position, but with his athleticism and added size, Nichelson figures to be very much in play to make the two-deep in Adam Fuller’s defense in 2024.
VOTING BREAKDOWN: Gene – NR; Ira – 20; Corey – NR; Jeff – 16; Tom – NR; Aslan – NR; Matt – NR.
Sophomore linebacker Blake Nichelson makes a call during the Florida State spring showcase. (Ben Spicer/Warchant)
33 – Offensive lineman Keiondre Jones
The Auburn transfer was a pivotal part of the Florida State offensive line in 2023. While he only started one game — the regular-season finale at Florida — he played in all 14 games for the Seminoles a season ago. Position coach Alex Atkins has no problem rotating offensive linemen in and out during the course of a game, and there were multiple instances a year ago in which Jones came off the bench to help the FSU offense.
This year, of course, Jones is hoping to be a starter for Atkins’ unit. But even if that doesn’t happen, and with the transfers the Seminoles brought in at offensive guard it’s definitely not a guarantee, Jones figures to once again be a critical piece for the Florida State offense in 2024.
After spring practice, Norvell said he thought the Seminoles were up to 10 linemen on the current roster who could potentially start this year. Jones is one of those 10. And as a redshirt senior, he’s another veteran presence in a position room full of them.
VOTING BREAKDOWN: Gene – 32; Ira – NR; Corey – 28; Jeff – 40; Tom – 39; Aslan – NR; Matt – 30.
Auburn OL transfer Keiondre Jones played in all 14 games for Florida State in 2023. (Gene Williams/Warchant)
32 – WR Jalen Brown
He’s one of the wildcards on the 2024 Florida State roster. Brown was considered one of the top prep wideouts in the country in 2023 and wound up signing with LSU out of high school. But he played sparingly — the Tigers had some serious talent at receiver — and wound up transferring to Florida State after the season. He appeared in just three games for the Tigers while redshirting.
So, the Miami native has very little experience at the Division-I level. But he’s got a whole lot of speed. And he should help give the Florida State offense a deep-threat element it was missing a season ago. That is, if Brown can get on the field. Nothing is certain heading into fall camp. Brown had some nice moments during his first spring as a Seminole, but there also were also days where he didn’t seem to be much of a factor at all. Which is to be expected from someone with such little experience.
There’s no doubt the talent is there. He’s wiry but very, very fast. And smooth in his route-running. If Brown can get his footing at this level, he might end up being one of the most important and impactful players for the Seminoles on offense this fall.
VOTING BREAKDOWN: Gene – 36; Ira – 28; Corey – 32; Jeff – 26; Tom – NR; Aslan – 36; Matt – 37.
Florida State wide receiver Jalen Brown goes through individual drills during practice (Gene Williams/Warchant.com)
31 – Punter Alex Mastromanno
The Punter from Down Under is back for one last year in Tallahassee. Mastromanno has proven to not only be one of the best punters in the ACC, but in the entire country. He was a second-team All-American and a finalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2023 after averaging 45.5 yards per punt. He had 19 punts of at least 50 yards, including a season-high 59-yarder in the win at Clemson.
And perhaps most impressively and importantly, he had 26 punts downed inside the 20-yard line with only three touchbacks. He was the main reason the Seminoles were third in the nation in net punting average. In short, Mastromanno is a weapon. And he’s an invaluable tool in a close game because of his ability to not only boom the ball but make sure it’s not returned for any real yardage. He forced seven fair catches in the ACC Championship win over Louisville.
Florida State figures to be in at least a few close games this season, some that will come down to just one play here or there. Being strong in special teams is critical in that case. And having one of the best punters in the United States should be a huge help in that regard.
VOTING BREAKDOWN: Gene – 35; Ira – 29; Corey – 36; Jeff – 34; Tom – 32; Aslan – 34; Matt – NR.
LOUISVILLE, KY – SEPTEMBER 16: Florida State Seminoles punter Alex Mastromanno (29) punts the ball during the college football game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Louisville Cardinals on September 16, 2022, at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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