Three key juniors at Florida State -- wide receiver Rashad Greene, offensive tackle Cameron Erving and guard Tre Jackson -- will return for their senior seasons, the school announced Wednesday night.
Erving (6-foot-6, 320 pounds) returning is somewhat of a surprise; the athletic left tackle was considered a likely first-round pick by most analysts. Greene and Jackson weren't considered possible first-rounders.
FSU already has lost two juniors, backup tailback James Wilder Jr and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan. Three other key underclassmen -- wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and tailbacks Devonta Freeman and Karlos Williams -- have yet to announce their decisions.
The decisions by Erving and Jackson mean FSU will return four offensive line starters -- all but senior center Bryan Stork. In turn, that means FSU should have one of the nation's top three or four offensive lines next fall.
Erving has been an offensive lineman for just two seasons; he began his FSU career as a run-stuffing defensive tackle, but he has been a revelation at left tackle. While he is still learning some of the nuances of the position, he has excellent footwork, good quickness and solid strength. He could go into next season as the nation's best tackle; at the least, he will be in the top three.
Greene (6-0, 180) was FSU's leading receiver this season and again should be Jameis Winston's go-to guy next fall. He has good speed and is a big-play guy, but he needs to add bulk and strength to improve his NFL stock.
Jackson (6-4, 320) is an athletic big man who can add strength and become better as a pass protector; he already is a top-notch run blocker who can get to the second level when needed.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
