The Daily Nole

FSU Football: Draft Stock Report

Jeff Romance/FSU athletics

Now that the Florida State Seminoles are entering the final stretch of the 2016 season, eyes are turning towards what happens after the regular season. Florida State’s bowl status remains up in the air after consecutive crazy weekends in college football at-large.

Seeing which players get increased reps by the end of the year might provide an early preview of the 2017 FSU lineup. Certain players will be entering the NFL Draft while others will choose to give it one more go in Tallahassee. Much of this will happen before December is even over.

Florida State’s record in the draft has been second-to-none over the past few years, with the exception of last year’s fluke that was mainly due to a young team. The 2017 draft will likely feature more selections from FSU now that there are more well-regarded prospects. We’ve gone through most of the draft-eligible players from FSU in order to determine whether or not their draft stock has risen or declined over the course of the 2016 season.

While not out of the realm of possibilities, it is unlikely that the final two games will drastically alter anyone’s draft projection, barring injuries. Not listed are players who have suffered injuries (Nate Andrews, Jesus Wilson) and players who are not consistent starters (Kareem Are, Sean Maguire).

Dalvin Cook, RB
Stock: Up
It’s hard for a player to ascend even higher when they are already in line to break records and become a top 10 selection. Cook has reassured everyone that he still has once-in-a-lifetime burst combined with elite speed and underrated power. After a slow start to the season, Cook rattled off five straight 100-yard rushing games, including a ridiculous 169-yard and 4-touchdown game against a top ranked defense in the Clemson Tigers. Cook is securely a first round selection barring any type of injury or dramatic drop off in the final couple games of the season. While he might fall towards the later end of the first round due to NFL team needs, he continues to prove why he is a special talent that will succeed at the next level.

Marquez White, CB
Stock: Down
The decline in the FSU defense does not stem from Marquez White, but his play at corner is certainly an example of it. While not considered a top 10 cornerback heading into his senior season, White was beginning to make waves and many saw him rising up the draft boards to around the second or third round with a good season. That has simply not occurred. In 2015, White only allowed a 32 percent completion rate, 225 yards, and one touchdown. This season? A 55 percent completion rate, 251 yards, two touchdowns. It’s not a huge drop-off all things considered. But White was in prime position to improve his draft stock and re-enact his role as a shutdown corner. Instead, he’s merely good, which is a disappointment when expectations were higher.

Roderick Johnson, T
Stock: Down
There might not be a single player on this list whose draft stock has taken as hard a hit as Roderick Johnson’s. No, he has not been bad. In fact, he is currently the best offensive lineman on the team. The problem with Johnson is that he simply did not improve like most expected him to. There is not a particular area where Johnson dominates or collapses; instead, it’s the blatant inconsistency in his play that is the most frustrating aspect of his game. He will stand firm one sequence and get knocked on his back the next. This is the exact same issue as 2015, where he was generally efficient in pass protection, but had terrible lapses that hurt how he graded out. Johnson could have put his name into first round conversation if he had progressed. He has not, and it looks more likely that he could come back for his senior season.

Kermit Whitfield, WR
Stock: Neutral
Not much was expected from Whitfield when it came to auditioning for the NFL. He likely does not have any draft grade higher than round 5, due to his small size (5-8, 182 pounds) and one dimensional nature of his game. But it is that one dimension which will likely give him some looks as a kick returner or situational player. Whitfield is one of the fastest players in college football and has been utilized this year in many sweep or screen plays. He is still producing at a lower rate than projected, but anything below maybe 1,000 yards receiving was not going to help his stock all that much.

DeMarcus Walker, DE
Stock: Up
Walker is a big defensive end who is ideal for a 4-3 scheme, but could potentially play in a 3-4 the NFL. Back-to-back outstanding seasons might just be enough to convince a team to pull the trigger early on him in the draft. He’s not first round material, but he will almost certainly be gone by the end of the third. Walker’s 2016 has reiterated his ability to pressure the quarterback (13 sacks) and sniff out where a play is going (59 total tackles). The only thing lacking from his game is a high ceiling, and while that might prevent him from being picked on the first day, he has enough established traits to contribute at the next level.

Travis Rudolph, WR
Stock: Down
To be fair to him, Rudolph has experienced a slight resurgence to close out the year. In the six games before Wake Forest, he had only 19 receptions and 259 yards. In the five games since then, he has accumulated 30 receptions for 485 yards, but the reality remains that almost half of his yards this season came in two contests (Wake Forest and Charleston Southern). Rudolph has oddly contracted a drop problem, which has taken away from the positive parts of his game like his route-running and propensity for yards after the catch. If he had continued to develop, he would have likely been a second round pick and undeniable No. 1 receiver for Florida State. Instead, he would probably be better served coming back for his senior season.

Freddie Stevenson, FB
Stock: Neutral
Fullbacks do not get drafted before at least the sixth round in the modern NFL. Stevenson actually has shown a bit of burst this year (three touchdowns) and does his job well as a lead blocker. But he’s a fullback. He would have to unleash a string of games rarely seen from the position in order to help his stock.

Derrick Nnadi, DT
Stock: Neutral
Out of all the players mentioned, Nnadi and his draft stock were the hardest to gauge at the beginning of the season. Up until the Miami game on Oct. 8, it looked like Nnadi was guaranteed to return for another year. Much like Rudolph however, the latter half of the season has been especially kind. Nnadi played in four games before Miami and racked up a paltry seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. Including the match-up with the Hurricanes and the five games after, his numbers skyrocketed with 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. He still has the raw strength and gap-plugging ability that many had witnessed in 2015. Will it be enough to convince him to try his hand at the draft? That question will likely be answered over the final two games of the season.

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