TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Two springs ago, Sean Maguire was the afterthought.
EJ Manuel had just graduated after helping Florida State win four straight bowl games. And the quarterback competition would be wide open.
Clint Trickett had experience and was looking to win a competition that included Jameis Winston and Jacob Coker. A number of stories written by local and national media often overlooked or ignored the dark horse, Maguire.
"I've learned so much from two year's springs ago to now," Maguire said. "I mean, I got to see Jameis, Clint and Coker play and take a little bit from each of them."
The quarterback who was dismissed as even a candidate for the job in 2013 is the last of the four still in Tallahassee. And the clear leader in the competition to win the job in 2015.
Coach Jimbo Fisher has been a part of two other quarterback battles in his time at FSU. On both occasions, he kept the competition open and announced a No. 1 quarterback in mid-August.
Fisher has been positive when speaking about FSU's quarterbacks, a group that includes Maguire, redshirt sophomore John Franklin, redshirt freshman JJ Cosentino and early enrollee De'Andre Johnson.
He has consistently praised Maguire for his performance on the field. And for his leadership, from organizing offseason 7-on-7 workouts to speaking up in meetings and on the practice field.
And when he's on the field, Fisher sees plenty that he likes in Maguire.
"He has a very strong arm and makes all the throws," Fisher said. "Very competitive. Moves better than people think he does. He was able to move around as a wing T type guy in high school, throws on the run pretty well. Very intelligent. Gets concepts, gets how to run packages very well."
Maguire is the only quarterback of the group who has college game experience. In two seasons, he has completed 38 passes for 455 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. When Winston was suspended against Clemson, at first for a half and then for a full game, Maguire filled in and threw for 304 yards in an overtime victory.
"It adds to my confidence knowing that I already played in a full game against a very good competitor," Maguire said.
That experience should go a long way. But Fisher has plenty of other options, too.
Fisher feels that Cosentino, who took a redshirt in 2014 and ran the scout team in practice, has made significant progress from last summer when he first arrived. He thinks Cosentino now has a firm grasp of the playbook.
"It's hard for a quarterback," Fisher said. "It's like driving in a neighborhood and you're lost. If you don't know the directions, you can't ever show your ability."
It's clear that Cosentino is doing that now. What's not as clear is how good a grasp Franklin has after frequent shifting last fall between receiver and quarterback. Johnson, meanwhile, has been on campus less than three months and is still learning Fisher's offense.
Scout.com four-star Deondre Francois, part of a heralded 2015 signing class, will enter the mix in the fall. But for now, here's a closer look at FSU's four quarterbacks:
Sean Maguire
Height/weight: 6-3, 225 pounds
Resume: A Scout.com four-star prospect from Sparta, N.J. Has a strong arm, is smart and is more mobile than he has shown.
What he offers: Fisher feels he has all of the tools to play the position. And a start last season against Clemson, one of the nation's top defenses, has helped his confidence.
What he lacks: Because FSU played so many close games in 2014, Maguire didn't get to play very much in the second half of games. Still, he has more experience than the other FSU quarterbacks.
JJ Cosentino
Height/weight: 6-4, 237 pounds
Resume: A Scout.com four-star prospect from Pittsburgh. Cosentino passed for 771 yards and 13 TDs his senior year and he also rushed for 13 TDs in 2013.
What he offers: Cosentino has a strong arm and Fisher feels that he has a grasp on the playbook after spending 2014 learning the scout-team defense.
What he lacks: Experience. He still wears a large, bulky knee brace during FSU's practices, so his mobility remains a question.
John Franklin II
Height/weight: 6-foot, 183 pounds
Resume: A Scout.com three-star prospect from Plantation, Florida. Franklin has made the most noise on the track, where he helped FSU win the ACC title in the 4x100 relay.
What he offers: Mobility and speed. Fisher can diversify the playbook if he chooses to use Franklin as a starter or in spot situations.
What he lacks: Experience. And Fisher has often said that Franklin's future is at receiver. He knows the playbook from both positions but it remains to be seen if he has the decision-making to play quarterback.
De'Andre Johnson
Height/weight: 6-foot, 177 pounds
Resume: A Scout.com three-star prospect from Jacksonville. Johnson won Florida's Mr. Football in 2014, throwing for 3,710 yards and 47 touchdowns to go along with 398 yards and nine rushing TDs. He threw for 11,697 yards in his career at First Coast.
What he offers: A true dual-threat quarterback. He has a strong, accurate arm.
What he lacks: Any real college football experience beyond two weeks of spring practice. Johnson enrolled early but will have to quickly get a handle on enough plays in Fisher's playbook to make an impression.
