FSU Football: Top Five Players to Wear No. 28

The start of Florida State’s 2018 season is roughly six weeks away and there are a lot of newcomers hoping to make an impact. Earlier this month, those newcomers were given jersey numbers.

D’Marcus Adams, a freshman wide receiver, was given No. 28 — a number he’s set to share with linebacker DeCalon Brooks. That’s also a number that cornerback Levonta Taylor holds, according to the media guide, but most speculate he’ll revert to No. 1 by the start of the season.

Here’s a look at the five best players in FSU history to wear No. 28:

5. Keith Jones (1978-80)
Safety
Stats: 107 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 12 interceptions, 1 blocked kick, 1 touchdown
Now an announcer for Florida State’s IMG Network, Keith Jones was an intricate part of Bobby Bowden’s early defenses. Jones was known as a smart player with 31 career starts to his name. Jones led the Seminoles in interceptions in both 1978 and 1980. His 12 career interceptions still ranks sixth in FSU history.

4. Dedrick Dodge (1985-89)
Safety
Stats: 171 tackles, 10 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 2 touchdowns
An accomplished safety, Dedrick Dodge appeared in 48 career games and made 22 career starts for the Seminoles. At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Dodge was a bit on the lean side for safeties, but was excellent in coverage over the top. Dodge recorded at least one interception in each of his final four years and was tied for the team-lead with five in 1988, along with a Jim Thorpe Award winner named Deion Sanders. Dodge capped that season with a pick of Auburn’s Reggie Flack in a 13-7 Sugar Bowl victory. Dodge would go on to play seven years in the NFL and won a pair of Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.

3. Lorenzo Booker (2002-06)
Running Back
Stats: 2,389 yards rushing, 15 rushing touchdowns, 995 yards receiving, 2 touchdown catches
Lorenzo Booker, a native of California, never quite lived up to his hype at Florida State, but was a big play waiting to happen for the duration of his career. Booker spent his career sharing carries with the likes of Greg Jones, Leon Washington and Antone Smith, but remains eighth all-time at FSU in career rushing yards. Booker capped his career in his home state of California with 208 total yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 44-27 Emerald Bowl victory over UCLA.

2. Chris Hope (1999-2001)
Safety
Stats: 200 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 9 interceptions, 1 touchdown
Chris Hope was the complete package at safety for Florida State who started in each of his final 29 career games. Hope could deliver the big hit, but had excellent ball skills as well. During the 2001 season, Hope served as a senior leader for the Seminoles and was named a second-team All-American by the Sporting News. Hope was a 2-time All-ACC selection and was also recognized by the conference for his work in the classroom. Hope would spend 11 seasons in the NFL and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2008 as a member of the Tennessee Titans.

1. Warrick Dunn (1993-96)
Running Back
Stats: 3,959 yards rushing, 6.9 yards per carry, 37 rushing touchdowns, 1,314 yards receiving, 12 touchdown catches
From the moment Warrick Dunn stepped foot on Florida State’s campus, he was a force to be reckoned with. Dunn would leave FSU as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards and total touchdowns — a record he holds to this day. At FSU, Dunn not only put up big numbers, but he was known for big moments. As a freshman in 1993, Dunn had the 79-yard touchdown in the regular season finale that put away rival Florida before coming up with a big reception against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to set up the short game-winning field goal from Scott Bentley as Florida State would go on to win its first national championship. Over his final three seasons, Dunn had at least 100 total yards in 28 of his 36 games and more than 200 twice, including in his Doak Campbell Stadium finale where he accounted for 209 total yards in a 24-21 win over No. 1 Florida. Dunn earned All-American honors in 1996 and was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame in 2002.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson