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College Football: 25 breakout players to watch in 2016

By John Buhler

Nov 27, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Desmond King (14) enters the field before the game at Memorial Stadium for the contest against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. King has been suspended from the first quarter of play due to a team violation. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Desmond King (14) enters the field before the game at Memorial Stadium for the contest against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. King has been suspended from the first quarter of play due to a team violation. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /
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Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) celebrates a touchdown during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) celebrates a touchdown during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /

While he is probably the best running back in the ACC, finishing seventh in the 2015 Heisman Trophy race as a sophomore, junior Dalvin Cook could very well be the fourth Heisman Trophy winner in Florida State history and the first to do so from the tailback position.

Cook has already had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Seminoles, with 2,699 rushing yards on 399 career attempts for 27 scores. He’s already a better version of another star running back for the 2013 National Championship team in Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman. Should Cook be the catalyst for a College Football Playoff team in Tallahassee this fall, he’ll be more beloved by Seminole Nation than even Warrick Dunn.

What helps Cook to being the biggest breakout star in the Power 5 this season is that the Seminoles don’t have elite play at starting quarterback. Sean Maguire will be missing some time with an injury and Deondre Francois isn’t an experienced starter.

An upset victory over division rival Clemson, knocking off in-state rival Miami out of the Coastal, and arch nemesis Florida at the end of the year could have the Seminoles in prime position to make its second trip to the College Football Playoff in three seasons.

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Cook may not have the national notoriety of LSU’s Leonard Fournette or Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey coming from the running back position, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him win the Doak Walker Award this fall and represent Florida State as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Florida State will be as good as Cook allows his team to be this year as the Seminoles’ best player.

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