Heading into 2017, Florida State has just 11 scholarship seniors, including four who played on the 2013 national championship team. That tends to bode well for the future, but programs always have players that don’t stick out the extent of their eligibility.
Some decide to transfer, some are dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons. For a program as prominent of FSU, there are always some who decide it’s time to try their hand at the next level. With that said, here are the five FSU players most likely to declare early for the NFL Draft following the season:
1. Derwin James, S
Although redshirt sophomore safety Derwin James has just 15 games under his belt, he’s already being projected as a top 10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. At 6-3 and more than 210 pounds, James is a phenomenal athlete, a unique talent and perhaps the nation’s most versatile defender. While James missed 11 games to a meniscus tear last year, he has received no shortage of preseason hype and looked like himself during the spring. Even though he was given a redshirt for last season, the odds of James staying past this season are very slim.
2. Tarvarus McFadden, CB
Junior cornerback Tarvarus McFadden is another Florida State player who will likely be inquiring about agents as soon as the 2017 season ends. At 6-2 and nearly 200 pounds, McFadden showed excellent technique in coverage last season as he went on to lead the nation with eight interceptions. McFadden was beat a handful of times early as a sophomore, but as the 2016 season went on, he was close to a lockdown defender.
3. Josh Sweat, DE
Once the nation’s top high school player, Josh Sweat hasn’t had that All-American type season that many expected, but all the attributes are there. Sweat has gone from under 230 pounds to about 250 pounds without compromising his speed, quickness or athleticism. Sweat finished with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season, but with DeMarcus Walker gone, Sweat could hit double-digits when it comes to his sack total as a junior.
4. Auden Tate, WR
After making little impact as a freshman, Auden Tate burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2016 with 409 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Tate has some work to do when it comes to his footwork, but at 6-5 and 225 pounds, Tate is a match-up nightmare out wide. If Tate is able to fine-tune his game as a junior, his size could make him an intriguing option to NFL teams. Tate, at this point however, is far less likely to declare than any of the three listed above.
5. Demarcus Christmas, DT
Derrick Nnadi is getting most of the attention heading into 2017, but his partner in crime at defensive tackle is a very good one as well. Demarcus Christmas didn’t put up the numbers that Nnadi did last season, but at 6-4 and nearly 310 pounds, has all the intangibles to be an outstanding player on the interior. Christmas was solid against the run last season, but if he improves as a pass rusher, he could be inclined to make the jump.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
Mitch White/FSU athletics
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