Florida State football most important player countdown: No. 1

Tallahassee Democrat

The countdown to the 2021 Florida State football season is underway.

The Seminoles enter the upcoming season, Mike Norvell's second atop the program, with plenty of questions.

During a pandemic-shortened season which limited the Seminoles to nine games in 2020, FSU finished with a 3-6 record. It was the program's worst record since FSU went 3-8 in 1975, the year before Bobby Bowden's arrival in Tallahassee.

Norvell and his staff inherited a roster that, by season's end, was the youngest in college football in terms of the percentage of underclassmen. To help counteract that, the Seminoles hit the transfer portal hard this offseason, bringing in 10 FBS transfers with plentiful experience.

Entering a critical second season atop the program coming off a much more regular offseason, Norvell will look to lead FSU to its first winning record since 2017.

Here's a countdown look at the Democrat's list of the 40 most important FSU players for the upcoming season, as compiled by beat writers Curt Weiler and Andre Fernandez, concluding today with No. 1.

Redshirt senior defensive end Jermaine Johnson II

It’s only fitting the countdown ends with yet another transfer addition the Seminoles made this offseason.

While quarterback McKenzie Milton figures to be the most impactful such acquisition FSU made on offense, Johnson could have a big say in what kind of a jump the Seminoles’ defense makes this season.

And that could ultimately decide the outcomes of several potential close games on FSU’s schedule.

Realignment:Examining Florida State, ACC's place in uncertain time of college football realignment

More FSU football:After difficult recovery, FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton excited to play a real game soon

All-ACC:Florida State football shut out for the first time ever on All-ACC preseason team

Johnson comes over from SEC powerhouse Georgia where he appeared in 21 games and made four starts, playing mostly as a third-down specialist for the Bulldogs over the past two seasons. During that time, Johnson totaled 36 tackles, including eight for loss with 7.5 sacks and 24 quarterback pressures. His five sacks last season were third among Georgia defenders.

At FSU, Johnson will be taking on a much larger role in terms of pass rush and in run defense where Norvell noted at ACC Kickoff last week that he hopes Johnson can also make positive strides. FSU’s defense desperately needs more pass rushers after mustering only 10 sacks in nine games last season.

Johnson could be that highly-disruptive presence for opposing quarterbacks that FSU was lacking last season and even more so when you pair him with a couple of additional transfer rushers the Seminoles acquired such as Keir Thomas (South Carolina) and Marcus Cushnie (Alabama A&M).

Redshirt senior defensive end Jermaine Johnson, a transfer from Georgia, is ready to make an impact on FSU's defense this season.

Johnson, a consensus top-three JUCO prospect nationally prior to Georgia, recorded 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 20 games at Independence Community College, a school that was featured on the third season of the Netflix series ‘Last Chance U.’

Norvell is counting on Johnson for a lot this coming season in terms of on-field production and off-field leadership which is rare for a player with no previous experience playing for that particular school, but indicative of where the program is currently as it builds homegrown talent in the coming years.