NFL Draft Projections: Early look at when Florida State stars might be picked

The NFL Combine hasn’t happened yet. Neither have any on-campus Pro Days.

Even the premier postseason all-star events, like the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl, have yet to be played. So, clearly, there is still a lot of information to gather before putting too much stock into mock drafts.

Still, going by the early pre-combine prognostications, the Florida State Seminoles should have at least one first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and maybe a second. There’s also a chance for multiple players to be picked on the second day of the draft as well.

Rounds 4-7, at this stage, are anybody’s guess.

So, let’s start with the biggest name: Defensive end Jared Verse.

The two-time All-ACC selection finished his final season at Florida State with nine sacks and was the fourth-most effective pass-rusher in the Power 5, according to Pro Football Focus.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has Verse going No. 9 overall to the Chicago Bears in his current mock draft. Jeremiah calls Verse, “the best power rusher in the draft.”

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com has Verse going to the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 11 pick: “The Florida State standout flashes double-digit potential as a sack artist.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Verse as the No. 19 player in the draft, saying he had showed dominant flashes at times this past season but also disappeared a bit as well.

WalterFootball.com, meanwhile, has Verse going No. 20 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This seems to be about the consensus range for Verse here in late January, anywhere from the edge of the Top 10 to early in the 20s, depending on teams’ needs. As of this moment, he seems to be the second pass-rusher taken in everyone’s mock draft behind Alabama’s Dallas Turner.

Florida State Seminoles defensive end Jared Verse against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. (Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports)

Keon Coleman has a wider variance.

Kiper has the Michigan State transfer as the No. 15 player on his draft board, saying: “With a big frame, he can bully smaller defenders. He didn’t play much out of the slot last season, but he caught four scores out of that alignment this season. His production was up and down during the season, but if we’re projecting him forward, he has the talent to be a WR1 at the next level.”

Most mock drafts currently have Coleman being drafted somewhere in the mid- to late-first round.

Brooks has him going No. 26 overall to Tampa Bay: “Coleman is a pass-catching phenom with outstanding ball skills and leaping ability.”

CBS.com’s Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and Josh Edwards all have Coleman in the first round as well, with the picks ranging from No. 20 to No. 28 overall.

Jeremiah, however, doesn’t have him in his first round at all. Neither does Walter Football, which has Coleman being selected with the No. 34 overall pick by the New England Patriots.

As for the rest of Florida State’s draft-eligible players? Well, that’s where it can get really dicey trying to determine any consensus. Especially here in late January. Most mock drafts at this point don’t go past the first round. But a few do.

WalterFootball.com has a three-round mock draft and both Johnny Wilson and Jaheim Bell were projected to go in the third round there.

Pro Football Focus has Verse as the No. 15 draft prospect, Coleman at No. 39, Trey Benson at No. 81, Wilson at No. 83, defensive tackle Braden Fiske at No. 91, cornerback Jarrian Jones at No. 96, quarterback Jordan Travis at No. 132 and Bell at No. 175.

Players like Renardo Green, Fabien Lovett, Kalen DeLoach and Akeem Dent were not listed in PFF’s top 200 draft prospects, but of course that has no bearing on if — or when — these players actually get selected in the real NFL Draft, which starts on April 25.

Green, Lovett, DeLoach and Jones are all slated to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 1 in Frisco, Texas. Travis is included on the roster as well, and can take part in the interview process throughout the week, but obviously isn’t healthy enough to play in the game.

Meanwhile, Wilson, Bell and Fiske have all been selected to participate in the Senior Bowl, which will take place on Feb. 3 in Mobile, Ala.

Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State football fans on the Tribal Council.

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