How Each Drafted FSU Player Fits Into New Team

With the 2017 NFL Draft now over, the results for Florida State players are in. Four Seminoles got drafted: Dalvin Cook, DeMarcus Walker, Roderick Johnson, and Marquez White. While none were first round selections, it was still along the lines of what most fans expected going into the draft.

What was mainly shocking were the teams that actually selected them. Not many mock drafts predicted the surprises like Cook going to Minnesota or Walker going to Denver.

It’s hard enough keeping up with college football, much less how all 32 teams in the NFL plan to use their draft picks. That is why we’ve listed below how each of the new draftees will fit onto their new teams. From this perspective, it was a very good draft for FSU players as three of them are going to a team that fits their skill set and expectations perfectly.

While having a raw number of draft picks certainly looks nice for recruiting purposes, how those players actually perform in the league can help just as much. These FSU players are in good hands if that is the case.

Dalvin Cook, RB – Minnesota Vikings
Fit: Immediate Starter

The draft day slide may have been a blessing in disguise for running back Dalvin Cook. Minnesota provides the perfect opportunity for Cook to become the immediate starter and focus of the offense. It’s been rough for the Vikings when it comes to that side of the ball: Adrian Peterson left and signed with the New Orleans Saints, while quarterback Teddy Bridgewater attempts to recover from a devastating knee injury sustained over a year ago. They finished near the bottom of most offensive statistics and needed a playmaker in the backfield. They got just that in Cook, who was regarded as a legitimate first round talent. While he might not be a work-horse at the very beginning of his career (and will likely split carries with Latavius Murray), he is going to make an impact from day one.

DeMarcus Walker, DE – Denver Broncos
Fit: Situational Player/Future Starter

Keeping company with players like Von Miller and Derek Wolfe can only do wonders for one’s pass-rushing ability. Questions about DeMarcus Walker’s position fit in the NFL were seemingly answered with this selection. The Broncos will bulk him up and put him as a defensive end in their 3-4 alignment. Walker can then either be put as an edge or interior pass rusher, which is perfect because he is a “tweener” when it comes to size. The Broncos have had a lot of success with those types of players in the past. The most recent is Malik Jackson as he had a breakout season when Denver switched to their current defense.

Walker will still need time to fully become a starter however. Walker needs to put on weight and learn behind veteran players in front of him. But as he keeps getting rotational experience, expect him to factor into the defense more each game. It would not be surprising to see him starting in a few years.

Roderick Johnson, T – Cleveland Browns
Fit: Development Player

Will Johnson ever take the next step? It was a question that got answered “No” at Florida State, but clearly the Browns felt that they could help him reach his potential. Right now, Cleveland does not need Johnson to become an immediate starter at offensive tackle. They have future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas on the left side and at least three players battling it out on the right side. Those three players are Shon Coleman, Spencer Drango, and former FSU All-American Cameron Erving, and none of them are clear favorites at this point. With that in mind, it is highly unlikely that Johnson sees the field much in the next couple of years, barring an injury bug necessitating it. But if Thomas decides to retire soon or any of the aforementioned players get shuffled around, Johnson could be a serious candidate to start at one of the tackle positions. That still depends on him actually utilizing his athleticism and becoming the tackle that he could have been at FSU.

Marquez White, CB – Dallas Cowboys
Fit: Depth/Rotation

Dallas made it abundantly clear that they needed depth in the secondary: the Cowboys drafted three cornerbacks and one safety, with a sixth round selection being used for Marquez White. The team experienced a bit of an exodus this offseason, losing all of starting safety Barry Church, backup safety J.J. Wilcox, starting cornerback Morris Claiborne, and starting cornerback Brandon Carr to free agency. That doesn’t mean White is going to immediately compete for a spot however; they still have Orlando Scandrick, Byron Jones, and Anthony Brown returning. But it does mean that White is going to be a rotational piece early on. The Cowboys did a great job of developing players in the secondary the past few years, with multiple “raw” prospects like Jones turning into good starters for the team. That is exactly the type of development that White needs, as he possesses interesting physical traits (length, speed) but has not put it all together yet.