Throughout the summer, Nole Nation will be counting down the 40 players we're projecting to make the biggest impact on the Seminoles' 2013 season, taking into consideration everything from experience to potential to their spot on the current depth chart.
Next up: No. 39 Nile Lawrence-Stample
Position/Class: Defensive tackle/redshirt sophomore
What he's done: After redshirting in 2011, Lawrence-Stample showed flashes of his potential in 2012. A victim of a numbers game as much as anything, he played in just eight games and recorded 10 tackles -- including a career-high four against Boston College. But all that time in the shadows of his more established teammates on the interior line only served to hide the progress he was making. Lawrence-Stample enjoyed a breakout performance in FSU's spring game, recording nine tackles, including four for a loss.
Where he's at: All those big numbers from FSU's spring game certainly managed to open some eyes within the fan base, but it's still a question as to how much it helped Lawrence-Stample climb his way up the depth chart. He remains solidly behind more established veterans such as Timmy Jernigan and Demonte McAllister, and he has ample competition from youngsters such as Eddie Goldman and Derrick Mitchell. But Lawrence-Stample's spring at least opens the door to a more intriguing fall camp.
What's to come: The numbers still don't favor Lawrence-Stample taking a major step forward in 2013, as Florida State is well stocked at defensive tackle. But while was destined for the margins of the Seminoles' roster in 2012, this year he's shown he can play his way into a larger role. At the conclusion of spring, Jimbo Fisher raved that no defensive lineman had made more progress than Lawrence-Stample, and if that trend continues into the fall, new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt will find playing time for him regardless of how much talent surrounds him on the depth chart.
