Florida State’s defense had several solid individual performances against the Clemson Tigers, but the bottom of Pro Football Focus’ report also showed where the Seminoles had serious trouble.
FSU allowed 36 points in the Halloween night loss, and some of its lowest grades came from players handling significant roles in the front seven and secondary. The Seminoles held Clemson to 351 total yards, but the Tigers rushed for 162 and delivered the decisive blow when quarterback Tait Reynolds broke free for a 79-yard touchdown with 3:17 remaining.
Here are Florida State’s 10 lowest-graded defenders from the 36-24 loss.
10. Ricky Knight III — 61.6
Knight played just three defensive snaps, including two in coverage. His 60.8 coverage grade and 60.0 run-defense mark placed him just inside
FSU’s bottom 10.
9. Chris Jones — 61.5
Jones’ grade was one of the more uneven profiles on the defense. He earned an excellent 81.7 run-defense grade and a 70.2 tackling mark across 63 snaps, but a 40.2 coverage grade pulled his overall number down considerably.
8. Jordan Crutchfield — 61.4
Crutchfield played only two defensive snaps, both in coverage. PFF gave him a 60.9 coverage grade, making his placement difficult to compare directly with players who handled full-game roles.
7. CJ Richard Jr. — 60.7
Richard carried one of the defense’s largest workloads with 79 snaps, including 39 in coverage. He graded well as a tackler at 77.8, but his 58.0 coverage mark and 64.9 run-defense grade lowered his overall score.
6. Cam Brooks — 60.4
Brooks made his season debut with six snaps after suffering an Achilles injury over the offseason. He earned a 73.0 tackling grade, but his 57.1 pass-rush mark kept his overall grade closer to average.
5. Donny Hiebert — 60.3
Hiebert appeared for only four defensive snaps, making his grade one of the smallest samples on the report. Three of those plays came against the run, where he earned a 60.0 mark.
4. Mandrell Desir — 57.8
Desir logged 36 snaps along the interior but was unable to generate pressure on 18 pass-rush opportunities. His best mark came as a tackler at 69.7.
3. Deamontae Diggs — 56.2
Diggs played 21 snaps off the edge, including 13 as a pass rusher. He finished with a 53.8 pass-rush grade and did not record a pressure.
2. Kevin Wynn — 55.1
Wynn played 41 snaps at nose tackle and struggled most as a tackler, earning a 28.0 grade in that category. He did create two quarterback hurries and finished with a 60.4 pass-rush mark.
1. Rylan Kennedy — 51.6
Kennedy received FSU’s lowest defensive grade despite generating three pressures on 22 pass-rush snaps. His 30.6 coverage grade was the biggest drag on his overall mark, while he still earned a 74.7 tackling grade.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU’s lowest-graded defenders against Clemson
