Florida State football coach Mike Norvell did not mute his praise during the ACC Kickoff last week when he told the ACC Network that he believed he might have the best corners in the conference in Fentrell Cypress and Azareye'h Thomas.

He took it a step further and said they have a shot at becoming All-Americans in this coming season.

"I think we got two of the best corners in the ACC, guys that are All-American type capabilities in Fentrell Cypress and Azareye'h Thomas," Norvell said at the ACC Kickoff.

"Experienced backfield with length, size, ability."

In the last six practices, All Cypress and Thomas have been doing is proving Norvell right. The duo has given FSU receivers strong looks during fall camp, leaving Norvell excited for the two corners this season.

Why does Norvell feel that way? Does he have a point? Here's why Cypress and Thomas might have a chance to be an All-American this season.

Fentrell Cypress, 'quiet, but dangerous'

Thomas calls Cypress a technician. He observes how he plays the cornerback position and what he could take whenever he is one-on-one coverage against a receiver.

“Fentrell, I call him a technician,” Thomas said. "He’s quiet but dangerous. Me and him learn from each other. We just try to tell each other like different pointers and little tools that we can add to our tool book to help each other."

Cypress is all about the fundamentals and little things that come with the territory of being a lockdown cornerback. He puts in the time and effort to sharpen his cover skills and pass them along to his teammates.

“I'm just taking extra time focusing on the technique fundamentals that I want to focus on and having the other people around me that I know should do as well," Cypress said. "So, overall, I'm just taking the extra time and focusing on that when I can.”

Last season, Cypress produced 40 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He received All-ACC honors when the Seminoles went 13-1 that year.

Cypress felt that his biggest improvement was avoid being hesitant and that the more he knew the defense, the better he got as the game slowed down for the senior.

“ Just having to understand the defense and trying not to be hesitant,” Cypress said. “Just play faster, and I feel like this year I can actually have the ability to do that.”

Azareye'h Thomas thrives on being a physical cornerback

Unlike Cypress, Thomas is more of a physical corner, and his size and length match that description at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds.

Being a physical corner is represented in an Adam Fuller defensive scheme and the mindset that DB coach Patrick Surtain Sr. gave to his secondary stuck with him.

“Coach P always says in the meetings that we're only as physical as our secondary because if we get to fit blocks, if we get to snag and release and get off blocks, then all the 10 or nine other guys can do their job,” Thomas said.

"So we can't be physical if we aren't in back end, so that's one thing that I've tried to get better at and try to tell my boys as well.”

Thomas considered himself a complete corner and believed he could play in any coverage. Last season, Thomas played in all 14 games and was second on the team with 10 pass deflections. He also registered 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

Cypress credited Thomas for always looking to improve his game and not being satisfied as he entered his third year with the Seminoles.

“He always wants to learn,” Cypress said.

“He always looking to learn something trying to be better, taking the extra time to work on things that he feels like he needs to be better at, so just taking the extra time and working on and being the best version of himself.”

Thomas is not quite the trash talker, but he will let receivers know his presence. The confidence level was never an issue for the junior as it's always a DB mentality when it comes to taking the ball away from the offense.

"Playing DB, you have to have that confidence," Thomas said. "So when I see the ball in the area, my mindset is it's my ball.”

Other national corners that are ranked ahead of Azareye'h Thomas, Fentrell Cypress

On March 29, ESPN released its top 10 defensive backs to watch for this coming season. Unfortunately, neither Thomas nor Cypress made the cut. Cypress did, however, was an honorable mention who received votes.

Granted, this Thomas will be his first year as a full-time starter after the Seminoles lost three DBs to the NFL.

So who are the top national cornerbacks entering this season?

The first two that come to mind are Travis Hunter of Colorado and Will Johnson. Hunter saw snaps at both corner and wide receiver. After recording three interceptions last year, one can argue that he is a DB rather than a receiver.

Johnson received three first-place votes after being part of a national championship team and the country's top defense. According to ESPN, Johnson allowed a 42-percent completion rate.

Other top cornerbacks nationally

• Denzel Burke, Ohio St; 24 tackles, eight pass deflections, one interception

• Sebastian Castro, Iowa; 67 tackles, eight pass deflections, three interceptions

• Andrew Mukuba, Texas; 42 tackles, six pass pass deflections

• Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon; 46 tackles, 14 deflections, three interceptions

Returning CBs who made 2023 All-ACC team

• Aydan White, NC State; 37 tackles, 10 pass deflections, two interceptions

• Dorain Strong, Virginia Tech; 25 tackles, eight pass deflections, three interceptions

• Quincy Riley, Louisville; 49 tackles, 10 pass pass deflections, three interceptions

Florida State football schedule 2024

• Aug. 24 vs. Georgia Tech *Dublin, Ireland at noon., ESPN

• Sept. 2 vs. Boston College at 7:30 p.m., ESPN

• Sept. 14 vs. Memphis

• Sept. 21 vs. California

• Sept. 28 at SMU

• Oct. 5 vs. Clemson

• Oct. 18 at Duke

• Oct. 26 at (U) Miami

• Nov. 2 vs. North Carolina

• Nov. 9 at Notre Dame

• Nov. 23 vs. Charleston Southern

• Nov. 30: Florida

• Dec. 7: ACC Championship

BOLD = ACC

* = Neutral Site

Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Why FSU football may have the nation's top cornerback duo