5 reasons Florida State makes the 2019 College Football Playoff

TALLAHASSEE, FL - MARCH 21: Quarterback Deondre Francois #12 of the Florida State Seminoles throws a pass during the first day of spring practice at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on March 21, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

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TALLAHASSEE, FL – NOVEMBER 18: Florida State Seminoles defensive end Brian Burns (99) comes off the edge during the game between the Delaware State Hornets and the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL on November 18th, 2017. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. New group of defensive playmakers ready to take over

The defense will need to be rebuilt, but they have plenty of resources. The Seminoles consistently brought in top five recruiting classes under Fisher. Despite the losses of Derwin James, Derrick Nnadi, and Josh Sweat, Florida State has more than enough to field a good, if not elite, defense in 2018. They are brimming with young talent.

The key player on the defense will be defensive end Brian Burns, a junior who led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss last season. Burns was named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation’s best defensive player. Rushing the passer is the most important factor for any defense, and Burns is the Seminoles’ best source of quarterback disruption with 4.5 sacks in 2017.

Opposite Burns will likely be Joshua Kaindoh, a five-start recruit from the 2017 class. He had four sacks in the 2017 game against Delaware State and earned the conference defensive player of the week award for his effort.

Junior LeVonta Taylor is a lockdown cornerback. According to Pro Football Focus, Taylor was in coverage for 398 opponent pass plays in 2017. In those 398 plays, opposing quarterbacks only threw to his man 35 times, and he only allowed 13 receptions for 155 yards. That comes out to a passer rating of 28.5. All of those numbers place Taylor in the top three in the country among cornerbacks eligible for the 2019 NFL draft.

Stanford Samuels III is the most likely suspect to replace James’ playmaking abilities from the secondary. As a freshman in 2017, Samuels intercepted two passes, broke up five more, forced a fumble, had three tackles for loss and one sack. Samuels could line up as a cornerback across from Taylor in 2018, or move to safety and let five-star freshmen A.J. Lytton and Asante Samuel, Jr. go man-to-man with opposing wideouts.

Taggart’s choice to coordinate the sizable amount of defensive talent was Harlon Barnett, who has spent the last 11 seasons with Michigan State. Barnett initially served as the defensive backs coach for the Spartans, but eventually added co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach to his titles in his time in East Lansing.

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