The Daily Nole

Top 10 NFL Seminoles for 2017

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Football fans anxiously await the month of September, which marks the overlap of both college football and the NFL. For Florida State fans, this means they can watch the Seminoles on Saturday and then watch some of their favorite former players on Sunday.

They have a ton of options for the latter with more than 40 different alums in the league now at almost every position. It is not surprising that a portion of them have turned into some of the best players at their spots.

Recent draft success has meant a resurgence in Florida State talent across the league. That was evident last year with younger guys like Jalen Ramsey and Jameis Winston beginning to emerge. This got us thinking: If you had to choose the best NFL Seminoles, what would your top 10 look like? After looking over the extensive list, here’s who we determined to be the 10 best FSU players in the NFL entering 2017.

A few notes on methodology: If we were to purely rank players by their impact, certain positions would have unfair advantages. Instead, we’ve approached it from the angle of how these players rank in their respective positions. Overall impact does have some sway, but we’ve tried to maintain the former guideline when choosing players.

1. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons –  Who would’ve guessed back in 2014 that Devonta Freeman has an argument as the best Seminole currently in the NFL? It’s a close one, but it’s legitimate. Freeman has now rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has combined for 27 touchdowns on a high-powered Atlanta Falcons’ offense. He’s showcased the exact same versatility that made him reliable at Florida State. His rookie contract is almost up as well, so Freeman is in for quite the payday soon.

2. Xavier Rhodes, CB, Minnesota Vikings – Rhodes looked prime to be a top 3 cornerback in 2015. While 2016 did not progress like it was supposed to for the Vikings, Rhodes still firmly placed himself as a top 10 cornerback who hasn’t necessarily reached his ceiling. He’s a constant selection by Pro Football Focus as a standout defender and in general, a building block of the Vikings’ defense. Rhodes is a ferocious run defender and in general, a physical player. He’s also only in his fourth year; if he improves even slightly from last season, he’s going to be top 5 for the near future.

3. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Much like his college days, few players have polarized opinions of him like Jameis Winston. One group says that he’s barely a top 20 quarterback and that he’s interception prone. Another says he’s top 15 and that his offensive output alone has improved the Bucs immensely. Regardless of how one feels about him, it cannot be denied that he has new weapons around him that will make his job easier. Winston is one of the young exciting players of the league, and he’s leading a team right to the edge of the playoffs. Will he push them over in 2017?

4. Rodney Hudson, C, Oakland Raiders – Part of the reason that Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr had the season he did in 2016was because of his stellar offensive line. Who was at the forefront of that line? Center Rodney Hudson. Ever since he arrived in the Bay Area, Hudson has been one of the best centers in the league. Pro Football Focus has ranked him in the top 5 of his position in back-to-back years. This was punctuated by a Pro Bowl selection in 2016. While it might not have the impact that other positions do, Hudson and his accomplishments warrant a selection when discussing Seminoles in the NFL.

5. Telvin Smith, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars – One of the few highlights for the Jaguars’ defense has been linebacker Telvin Smith. He’s a thumper and a tackling machine, and a consistent one at that. Smith has at least 100 combined tackles in each of his three NFL seasons up to this point. They all add up to 350 tackles, three forced fumbles, and four interceptions. While he might never crack a top 5 list of linebackers in the NFL, he’s still a top 15 type player that will be productive as long as he’s healthy.

6. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars – The only reason Jalen Ramsey isn’t higher on the list is because he’s only had one season to showcase what he can do. If his 2017 is like his 2016 season, he’s going to move up into the No. 2 spot. Ramsey was arguably the best rookie corner and maybe even the best defensive player for Jacksonville. He’s ridiculously athletic with the attitude to boast. Whether it was showing up DeAndre Hopkins or getting the game-sealing interception versus the Tennessee Titans, Ramsey commanded attention. If he improves in the next couple of years, he will be one of if not the best cornerback in the NFL.

7. Ronald Darby, CB, Buffalo Bills – Another cornerback makes the list. Darby was much like Xavier Rhodes in that he had high expectations after his rookie season (2015 Pro Football Focus Defensive Rookie of the Year). Then, a litany of injuries and lowered team play around him caused a bit of a regression. He’s still a good cornerback, and people shouldn’t forget that he was a legitimate lockdown player in 2015. It’s simply a matter of staying healthy and having a semi-competent team around him. Once he has both, he’ll be back with his fellow FSU alumni in the top 15 cornerback rankings.

8. Lawrence Timmons, LB, Miami Dolphins – If this list had been made a few years ago, Timmons would be near the top ranking. Have no doubt however — he’s still a reliable starter at linebacker. While his best years in Pittsburgh are past him, he hopes to make an immediate impact for the Miami Dolphins. Timmons is the definition of a veteran player who doesn’t make mistakes. He wraps up on tackles, executes his assignment, and makes plays when he needs to. It makes one wonder just how good Timmons would have been at Florida State if he was there with a better team or stayed for a senior season.

9. Vince Williams, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers – Oddly enough, Timmons’ replacement is right below him on the list. Williams has been a key rotational piece for the Steelers’ defense for the past four years, playing in 63 out of 64 potential games. He’s only started a handful of times, but those starts produced encouraging results. Now he has full-time duties. Much like during his days at FSU, he’s a hard hitter that provides great run defense. Williams has been groomed for this spot for years, and he could see himself rise in these rankings after a solid season.

10. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers – It’s been widely publicized that Benjamin showed up to the Panthers’ training camp overweight and out of shape. Some of those reports may have been exaggerated. But Benjamin’s issues with effort and consistency are not “fake news”. His injury in 2015 certainly had something to do with that, yet it still doesn’t explain some of the performances he put up. He still possesses immense talent, and even in his down year, he had over 900 yards receiving. Hopefully the Panthers have put last season’s quagmire behind them. If they have, Benjamin might be due for another big year.

Honorable Mention:

Eddie Goldman, DT, Chicago Bears – Injuries have delayed Goldman’s rollout on a Chicago Bears team that desperately needs it. He only played six games in 2016, down from 15 in his rookie season. He has still made the most of the games he did appear in, with seven sacks in 21 contests (a pretty good rate for a nose tackle). 2017 is when he’ll have to prove that he can stay on the field and be the reliable starter.

Chris Thompson, RB, Washington Redskins – The Washington Redskins have figured out how to utilize Thompson to the best of his abilities. Instead of placing him in the workhorse role, the Redskins decided to use him as a change-of-pace back and a weapon in the passing game. It’s paid off: Thompson combined for 700 yards and five touchdowns last year. He’s not going to be on any end-of-year top running back lists, but he knows his role and he does it well.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply