FSU Season Preview: The Seminole Defense

Nov 2, 2013; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Jalen Ramsey (13) celebrates after a defensive stop during the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Secondary

The Seminoles are absolutely loaded in the secondary, but what makes that more remarkable is that Lamarcus Joyner and Terrence Brooks — both standouts last year — are gone and nobody is likely to even notice. Brooks, somewhat prophetically, said this year’s secondary was likely to be even better than last year’s (which was first in pass defense and interceptions) and if the number of interested NFL scouts at Florida State’s practices are any indication — he wasn’t kidding.

PJ Williams and Ronald Darby — despite being underclassmen — are rated as the second and sixth best corners in the country by NFLDraftScout and CBS. Williams is now well known for his heroics in the BCS Championship game last January, but Darby — who really hasn’t been tested in a season and a half — is actually underrated at this point. The duo forms one of the best tandems in Florida State history.

Tyler Hunter returns as the leader of the unit. He missed most of last season with a neck injury but is the 4th rated strong safety in the country according to CBS. Couple that with Jalen Ramsey (CBS’ no. 3 CB in the class of ’17) — who might be the best of the bunch — and Nate Andrews (no. 1 FS in CBS’ c/o ’17) and you start to get the picture of just how the NFL looks at the DB’s in Tallahassee.

But the starters are only part of the story.

Nick Waisome — who really doesn’t fit into FSU’s new defensive scheme as well as he did in Mark Stoops’ — would start at a lot of other schools. Keelin Smith provides good depth at safety. Marquez White — who played football and basketball last season — is emerging as key depth at corner. And Trey Marshall, an early enrollee who has impressed since the day he arrived at Florida State, has drawn rave reviews from his teammates all Summer and could also play early.