Top FSU Football Players All Time From Central Florida

FSU football has been able to get some of the top recruits from across Central Florida over time – here are some of the best to play for the Seminoles.

Across the 1-4 corridor in the heart of Florida sits some of the most fertile land for growing crops in the entire state – as well as growing college football talent. From Tampa to Orlando and Lakeland to Daytona Beach, the area in the center of the Sunshine State has been very good to FSU football over the last seven decades the Seminoles have played.

While the Seminoles have spent much of that time fighting recruiting battles with the rival Florida Gators in areas where the orange and blue has more alumni and history, Florida State has held their own and, in the process, brought some of the best players to ever where the garnet and gold to Tallahassee to make their name as Seminoles and represent the central part of the state of Florida.

But just which of those players were the best of the best? Here is a look at who we think are the top five players in FSU football history from all of Central Florida.

No. 5 – QB Gary Huff (Tampa Leto)

After arriving in Tallahassee, Huff became one of the first major two sport stars for Florida State, also excelling on the baseball diamond. His name, however, would become famous on the football field – where Huff was twice named an All-American in 1971 and 1972 while leading the nation in touchdown passes both seasons – as well as becoming the school’s first Academic All-American.

No. 4 – K Roberto Aguayo (Groveland South Lake)

Growing up just outside Orlando, Aguayo turned a love for soccer into quite the future with football after being one of the top kicking prospects in high school his senior year. He redshirted his first season in Tallahassee before becoming near perfect in 2013, winning the Lou Groza Award as a freshman and helping to kick the ‘Noles to a national title. He would be named first team All-ACC and All-American each of his three seasons before turning pro.

Florida State Seminoles Football

No. 3 – K Sebastian Janikowski (Daytona Beach Seabreeze)

Before Aguayo ever kicked inside Doak Campbell Stadium, FSU football had one of the game’s first real power kickers when this Polish exchange student, who hadn’t kicked a football until his senior year of high school, arrived and became a two time Lou Groza Award winner as well as a two time consensus All-American – become Florida State’s third all-time leading scorer when he was done.

No. 2 – LB Paul McGowan (Winter Park)

Before there was Marvin Jones, Derrick Brooks and some of the other great linebackers in FSU football history, McGowan was arguably the best to ever play the position. The tough nose player was a dependable force, being named an All-American his senior season and the Butkus Award winner that year as well – becoming the first Seminole to ever win a major award since the program was established 40 years before.

No. 1 – WR Peter Warrick (Bradenton Southeast)

After switching back and forth between quarterback and wide receiver for his high school Seminoles, Warrick came to play for the college version and flourished. Warrick became the lead receiver in 1997, spending the next three years as one of the top receivers in the game – including being named first team All-ACC all three seasons, twice a consensus All American and being named the MVP of the Seminoles’ Sugar Bowl win after the 1999 season as Florida State won the second national title in program history.

Honorable Mention: DT Broderick Bunkley (Tampa Chamberlain), OG Jamie Dukes (Orlando Evans), FB William Floyd (St. Petersburg Lakewood), RB Sammie Smith (Apopka), S / RB Karlos Williams (Davenport Ridge Community)