Florida State vs Florida Roster Battle | Florida State Football | Florida Gators Football

welcome back to another episode of rock boys football Florida State Florida Gators roster battle going position group by position group stacking these two programs D these roster battles have been an absolute blast to do really just purely evaluating the depth chart and talent of both of these programs obviously the game's going to get played out in the fall but sitting here early May it's kind of fun to talk about how these two teams stack up from a talent standpoint what makes the roster battles great you guys getting involved in the comment section whether you agree whether you disagree with the fellas calling us names let it fly in the comment section Let it Fly with the opposing fan bases that is what college football is about we've been having a blast chopping it up with you guys in the comment section of course if y'all do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel and D let's get this one started let's start with the quarterback position and I could already feel the hate in the comment not the hate in the comment section the emotion in the comment section I'm GNA put you on the hot seat first gr merch DJ who you taking here yeah I'm going Graham Merz I just think Graham Merz given like a very tough hand he was dealt last year with the offensive line playing some inexperience at the wide out spot I thought he had an excellent season so efficient didn't make a ton of mistakes and again to me I was I'll be honest I was a preseason hater I was like oh what is this guy gonna do he's gonna be a bridge just get me to lagway no he played really well he played at a level that allowed Florida to frankly win more games they probably would have otherwise indeed DJ on the other hand I think you're still kind of waiting for more consistency and again he really did have a good year I thought at at Oregon state but I thought he had a lot of help they had a really good run game and it was the Pack 12 so again a little different animal in the SEC I dju if he really gets that completion percentage up does a little bit better with being consistently accurate I mean his ceiling is far higher than gr Merz I just don't think you've seen that yet Hunter but you look at the two quarterbacks in 2023 it's hard not to go with graham merch I think Grant Merz was phenomenal in 2023 you talked about completion percentage one of the highest in the country what I'm thinking about with grah Merz is what does he look like with a little bit better of an offensive line in that 2024 year totally agree with you for Florida State fans I know we're gonna catch some Flack in the comments section I I I'm not necessarily arguing with you because you look at dju he's made some steps made a massive Step at Oregon State and I think a lot of Florida State fans including like how I look at it you're probably fired up about what Mike norell can do with dju but we're sitting here in the beginning of May looking at merch dju from that 2023 year give me Graham merch at the quarterback spot Dill another one that is gonna it's going to be flying in the comment section the wide receiver room Florida State the Florida Gator I I'll start off here and put myself on the hot seat I'm gonna go with Florida State and I think right now in the beginning of May who's the best wide receiver on the football field when these two teams play it's probably Eugene Wilson for the Florida Gators that being said how I look at this wide receiver specific specifically with Florida state is when you got six seven maybe eight guys that you are really excited about in terms of taking that next step in 2024 obviously starting with Malik Benson but guys like kentron maybe Hakeem Williams Dustin Hill there are so many names that I think have massive upsides so although you haven't seen that production yet from this Florida State wide receiver room D I'm gonna go Florida State I know I'm gonna catch some flak in the comments section how are you feeling about this one and and I'm going Gators now I'm with you Eugene Wilson best wide receiver on this field in my mind most proven even though he's rather young but I also feel like you're you're acting like Florida doesn't have like talented guys behind I mean you do have really talented guys who are coming into their second year Aiden Melle and some of those other guys from that Year Andy jeene the Florida Gator fans will be on you if you I know I know I got to mention Andy genene but like that class obviously that came in those true those were really talented group of guys so again to me I think you're betting on Malik Benson's relatively proven I think you're pretty comfortable with what he's going to be but I don't think you really know what else frankly a lot of these were wide receivers from either team that's why I'm going Florida because I think they do have the top dog and they I don't think like they have talent too us say Florida State's Got Talent Florida's got a lot of talent just young so I'm gonna float something out there and then we'll move on and I would love to hear from you guys in the comment section on this one is there a Poss possibility come November 30th I believe that's when the game is played that we're talking about Malik Benson being the best wide receiver on the field and I again I you all know I love Eugene Wilson but I think the upside to Malik Benson the guy that ran a 10-4 coming out of high school a big body really good after the catch didn't really get to put it together at Alabama because Jaylen millero was slinging the pill over there I think Malik Benson could really break out especially with What DJ can do working vertically down the field I'll just float that one out there let's move on to that running back room D I'll put on the C first Florida state Florida running back groom who you got here give me the nlls now I love because I love what the nlls have I think they have a good solid group of guys who are like more of your traditional running backs run the ball well royell Williams kaziah holes Lawrence Toof but I look I mean jayen Lucas is such a Difference Maker the way he looked in the spring and and kind of what you knew the way Mike Norvell likes to run his offense with some of those jet sweeps and some of those quick hitters the outside he's just so Dynamic with that he's so I think he's what kind of puts me over the edge I love this Florida State room and I I like Montell Johnson he's really good and frankly you saw the young guys for Florida Play Good ball I just I mean I just love what how it's constructed down in Tallahassee I'm going Florida State too he you got five five running backs that you feel really good about but D I think you hit it on the head like you got a lot of balance right you have your your traditional running backs royell Williams I know Holmes is a massive fan favorite for Florida State not even go true freshman Cam Davis you talk about a physical specimen that can step on the field right away and be productive you feel good about that but then you have a guy like Lawrence and Jaylen Lucas who just fit exactly what Mike norval wants to do and if there's a coach that I trust in the country to unlock a guy like jayen Lucas it's gonna be Mike norval as Big 10 fans like we know what Jaylen Lucas can do you saw some hints of it if you read the spring practice notes Jaylen Lucas taking this program over by storm during spring practice give me Florida State but D you you're right like Florida has some young running backs J B might be a monster I that spring game made me think like do they have like a guy who might be their running back one who's a true freshman I don't know he looked really good but I just right now I look at Florida State they're just really deep really yeah and really Dynamic deeper with a little bit more proven production you look at the offensive line I'll go first tier and I'll preface it with I think the Florida Gators got massively better on the offensive line there's not a Florida Gator fan listen to this that knows it wasn't a problem last year it certainly was though the more I go back and watch Florida from 2023 the more I kind of realize they had one liability in Damen George is the Tackle Spot I think the mere fact that you're moving him to the inside you have three tackles that you feel kind of good about in Austin Barber khaw Dixon and Devin Manuel I think this Florida offensive line is gonna take a massive step in the right direction but I'm going to go Florida State and I think a couple things I want to talk about Florida State one just a ton of guys that have that returning production that proven capability on the offensive line but more importantly this was a Florida State offensive line that I don't think was healthy all year they multiple guys just playing banged up they were just kind of taping it together and trying to get to the Finish Line they did a phenomenal job of doing that what is this offens the line look like if they can kind of stay a little healthier in 2024 The Proven production combined with staying a little bit healthier give me the nles on the offensive line yeah I'll go with the nles too and I I think that's such a huge part of like what college football is especially at that offensive line spot is you can keep that continuity and guys get to play together for an extra year essentially that's so big and I do think Florida like Florida State's offensive Line's not a bunch of road graders and I think you do want to see them play a little bit more physical so they run the ball a little bit more consistently and steadily but they do a really good job of opening up those big holes to create those gash plays and and again those are that's that's part of the game again you want to see them probably cut down on some of those negative runs in some of those runs that are stuffed at the line if they do that this is a really good offensive line because they do do a good job of picking their guys up getting hats on a hat and create increases as much as they are not like dominant road graders moving to the defensive side of the football let's start with the defensive line D I'll give you the T boox first who you got give me the Gators and I know I know you're not gonna like this because because frankly to me I think you're not giving the proper Credence to what James Cameron TJ cersi Kelby Collins what they can be I love that they got a new defensive line coach I thought the development last year was horrific they bring in a new guy I I really like what they're gonna do ja's a dude you've seen Tain really develop guys effectively at a high level so you bring him in if you get those guys rolling I love what you have with your starters I mean Tyreek Sapp I think is wildly underrated and then cam Banks and uh or Cam Jackson and Caleb Banks I think a really underrated defensive tack I think this argument has a lot to do very similar to how we talked about the wide receiver room like if you see uh that jump year two between guys like Cameron James Kelby Collins you probably feel pretty good about this Florida Gator defensive line I like get Florida State and say I just love the edge rushers too much and yes do I lean Florida potentially on the inside of that defensive line because I think they might be a little bit deeper than Florida state but I mean I'm gonna bet on some of these Edge rushes you look at guys like Patrick Peyton and Marvin Jones Jr and say we could be talking about them being top 100 draft picks in 12 months and if I see Daryl Jackson go light it up the first week that might change everything because like we haven't really got to see a taste of him yet as FL like as Florida State observers but you look good in the spring game you see the talent I mean he might be just a monster that people aren't really talking about if he really does something that that might sway me but again I look I think they were a pretty good defensive line last year they kept a fair amount added a couple guys in the p i I like what Florida can be you you talk about Daryl Jackson Jr somebody that just looks the part again we haven't seen him in over a year because he was suspended last year NCAA shout out the guys D another guy I want to quickly shout out son Lea coming over from Oregon State I think he is an absolute monster a little bit of a different flavor than Patrick Payton and Marvin Jones Jr in terms of those guys are like the Ferraris CA llea kind of like a m truck just gonna put offensive tackles right into the lap of the quarterback I I like the different kind of flavors he have as at the edge rusher spot I'm going to go Florida State but again you take a look at cam James a guy like Kelby Collins maybe taking that step TJ seriousy even alj McCrae we could be talking about a really good Florida Gator defensive line in 2024 going to the linebacker spot to me this one is kind of a no-brainer for me and I think a lot of Florida State fans would agree as well you look at the Florida Gators and you say Shamar James pup Howard miles Graham Aiden Charles you're bring in a guy like Ron Roberts to kind of Coach these guys up I think the ceiling for this Florida Gator line backer room is so freaking High especially with Coach Roberts coming in and give me the Gators in that linebacker room yeah I I like the Gators too because I love Shamar James I'm still convinced he's gonna be a really high draft pick and a really good college football linebacker again it's it's there's a development that needs to be done I like that they made some changes to the coaching staff you get him going I love Grayson Howard he looked really good at South Carolina get to see so you got two really good young linebackers and to me I look at Florida State and I love DJ I thought he had a really good year last year but I am kind of looking like who's going to be his running mate I I do think it's going to be Justin CER just my hunch Blake Nicholson obviously has had moments in Florida State fans like him Shawn Murphy coming from Bama but I just don't know that you know who that number two is gonna be and for that reason I'll go to the Gators but again I mean I think Justin Cryer's good I think Lundy's good if if if things shake out they could be a really solid line I've been very vocal that like Florida State's depth chart is extremely complete if there's one question mark I have it is at that linebacker room we'll see how it shakes out there another no-brainer in my mind going to the secondary and I'll preface this was saying I think Florida made some really good moves in the portal like you look at why that Florida Gator secondary struggle last year they were just young you had true freshman starting at the safety spots for a majority of the year I love guys like Thor and Jordan Castell you look at this Florida State secondary room and this is coming from a Michigan fan I I think Florida State secondary room might be the best in the country you look at Daisy Thomas from what you hearing not at Spring practice he might be a top 20 pick in the NFL draft you look on the other side say fentral Cyprus that's another NFL guy that probably could be playing on Sundays in a couple months had he wanted to you look at the Nickelback Earl little Jr I think just kicked greedy Vance off the team now I was talking to the USC fans the other day and say greedy Vance is a ball player he's just a ball player that probably plays on most programs across the country just not the program in Tallahassee I love this Florida Florida State secondary I'm going to go Florida State but again I think Florida Gator probably pretty improved in the secondary as well in this a group I think San's doing an unbelievable J this group I thought they had a really really good last year developed really really well ay Thomas might be one of the best quarterbacks in the country that we're all not talking about I like them adding Devonte Brown in that safety spot but even you look Shen Brown some of those other guys they're really good too so I I'm with you I just think Florida State secondary it's it's going to be certainly top five and I wouldn't be surprised if they're fighting for that number one spot by I'd be remiss to uh just shout out Conrad hussy too I mean I've been banging the table for that cat pretty much all spring I think he's another guy I just want to get the name shouted out so I don't hear from the Florida State fans in the comment section D that'll do it and again light us up in the comment section call us some names we love doing this and and you guys make it so much fun to do it in the comment section appreciate you guys rocking with it again if yall do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel more importantly we'd love to hear some other roster battle ideas that you guys have we love doing the Rivalry ones appreciate y'all and we'll talk to you guys later