Florida State Seminoles 2013: Great Expectations for WR Kelvin Benjamin

By B.L. Lippert
Kelvin Benjamin
Melina Vastola-USA Today Sports

At Florida State‘s Fan Day on Sunday, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin continued to tantalize Seminole fans with spectacular, acrobatic catches. It’s nothing new for the redshirt sophomore, who has a reputation with Seminole fans for appearing superhuman at times.

Since arriving on campus in 2011, Benjamin has been one of the most talked about players in recent memory. Florida State supporters seemed mesmerized by his incredible height, weight and speed combination, and had visions of him tearing apart ACC secondaries for years.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t materialized… yet.

Heading into 2013, head coach Jimbo Fisher needs Benjamin to live up to his considerable hype. For one, he’s needed now more than ever. It’s unknown what Greg Dent‘s status for the season will be following his legal issues, so Benjamin’s role is likely to expand in his absence. Secondly, with a new starting quarterback — Jameis Winston — Fisher would love to have Benjamin emerge as a reliable target, particularly in the red zone. Ideally, he could serve as the security blanket for the rookie quarterback.

There’s no question he has the skill set to do just that.

Despite measuring in at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds, Benjamin still has great speed and athleticism with the ball in his hands. He has shown flashes of his prodigious talents, but hasn’t done so consistently enough. He had a brilliant 64-yard run on a jet sweep where he weaved his way through the Clemson defense, but then failed to catch a pass in the following game against South Florida. It’s that inconsistency that drives coaches like Fisher crazy.

Fisher has lauded Benjamin’s offseason efforts, noting that he looks much more comfortable in Fisher’s complex offense. In addition, wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey has worked with him on improving his ball skills, something that can sometimes be erratic for Benjamin.

With only a few weeks until the opening game, Benjamin seems primed for the breakout year that Seminole fans have been waiting for.

In 2013, the myth needs to become a reality.

B.L. is an ACC Football writer for Rant Sports and can be followed on Twitter @coachlip or on Google.

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