Although NFL Drafts for Florida State football in recent years haven’t been what they had in years past, FSU is becoming a pro sports factory across the major sports spectrum.
In 2019, FSU was among just five programs to have multiple players selected in the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball Drafts. In the first two mentioned, the Seminoles had first-round selections.
Back in April, defensive end Brian Burns and defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas each heard their names called over the 3-day NFL Draft. Burns was selected in the first round 16th overall by the Carolina Panthers. It wouldn’t be until the sixth round when another FSU player was selected when Christmas went 209th overall to the Seattle Seahawks.
Last month, four players from Florida State were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft and all were taken in the first nine rounds. Drew Mendoza, a junior third baseman, was the first player off the board when he went in the third round to the Washington Nationals with the 94th overall pick.
One round later, 2-way player J.C. Flowers, also a junior, was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 124th overall pick. Junior left-handed pitcher Drew Parrish was taken by the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round with the No. 229 overall pick. Senior infielder Mike Salvatore was the final FSU player selected when he was taken in the ninth round by the Seattle Mariners with the 276th pick. All four players have signed.
Late last month, forward Mfiondu Kabengele and slasher Terance Mann were each selected in the NBA Draft and now are both members of the Los Angeles Clippers. Kabengele became the third FSU player in four years to go in the first round when he was selected by the Brooklyn Nets 27th overall and traded to the Clippers. Mann went in the second round to the Clippers with the 48th overall pick.
The other schools to have multiple players selected in each of the three drafts were Virginia, Michigan, Kentucky and Washington. Kentucky was the only school to have a player selected in the first round in each sport. Only FSU, Kentucky, Washington, Michigan, Duke and Georgia had a player selected in the first round of both the NFL and NBA Drafts.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login