Ashton Daniels has had plenty of time this offseason to settle into his role as Florida State’s offensive leader, but the quarterback’s daily view from behind center has also given him a front-row look at a group he thinks is ready to separate itself.
After going against Florida State’s defense through fall work and two preseason scrimmages, Daniels didn’t hesitate on Wednesday when asked about the Seminoles’ defensive front. He said he believes FSU will have the best defensive line in the ACC.
“I truly believe that we are going to have the best D-line in the ACC,” Daniels said during his post-practice interview. “I think there’s no doubt about that. Just our guys being able to go against that every single day- it’s the iron-sharpens-iron mentality, I think, that is really going to make our team better.”
That confidence comes from living through the reps. Daniels has seen enough from Florida State’s front to know what it’s like to deal with that pressure snap after snap, and he thinks that experience is already paying off for an offense that has five new starters on the line.
He also pointed to the kind of speed the Seminoles are showing up front, saying the numbers on the practice screen have been impossible to ignore.
“At the end of every practice, we put up the top five guys with the fastest speeds, and the Desir twins are on that almost every single day, which is unbelievable to see,” Daniels continued. "Seeing that on the screen every single day- guys who are 20-plus miles an hour- that’s freaky... It’s truthfully scary for a quarterback to sit there and look at that and know that you have that rushing at you every single day.”
Mandrell Desir is listed at 6-foot-4, 270, while Darryll Desir is listed at 6-foot-5, 250 on the current Seminoles roster.
Daniels said the challenge of facing that group every day is helping him sharpen his own game, especially when it comes to pocket movement and handling pressure. He added that the work is helping Florida State’s tackles and offensive line as well.
“They just continue to sharpen me. They continue to sharpen me in my pocket movement, feeling pressure and being able to escape and get out of it,” Daniels said.
“They’re sharpening our tackles. They’re sharpening our O-line.”
Florida State resumes practice Thursday, August 13, as it continues preparing for its season opener against New Mexico State on August 29.
In Other News...
Ashton Daniels Is Giving Florida State A Quarterback Storyline Fans Crave
Ashton Daniels has spent enough time fighting uphill that Florida States fall camp has offered something he has not always had in his career: a clean chance to reset. After earlier struggles at Stanford, Auburn and even in spring practice, the quarterback has settled in and started to look like a player the Seminoles can trust, with Mike Norvell saying Daniels has earned the respect of his teammates while improving his play.
For Florida State, that makes Daniels one of the more interesting developments on campus this month. He was mostly a backup at his previous stops, but his late-season work against ranked opponents hinted at a higher ceiling, and now the Seminoles are seeing whether that confidence can hold through camp and into the fall. The appeal is obvious: a quarterback who has already had to answer doubts and is finally starting to look comfortable doing it. [Read more 🡒]
Xavier Chaplin Is Already Raising The Bar For Florida State
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Chaplin is expected to be Florida States best offensive tackle this season, and the early returns suggest his impact goes beyond just stabilizing the line. His level of play is already raising the standard in practice and giving the Seminoles a tougher daily test up front, which is exactly the sort of ripple effect a program needs from a premium transfer. For a team looking to sharpen every edge it can find, that kind of presence can matter as much as anything he does on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Defensive Line Just Got Put On The Spot
Ashton Daniels has only been around Florida State for a short time, but the transfer quarterback already came away impressed by what he has seen on the other side of the ball. Speaking during an Aug. 12 media session, Daniels pointed to the Seminoles defensive line as the best in the ACC based on the work he has gotten against it in practice, a noteworthy compliment given how much of Florida States season will hinge on the front setting the tone.
The group has the kind of names that make the praise easy to understand, with the Desir twins and transfer Rylan Kennedy among the players drawing attention. Still, practice impressions only go so far, and the real test for that defensive line will come once the games count and Florida State finds out whether its deepest strength can become the backbone of a successful season. [Read more 🡒]