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FSU Football: Website Ranks Derwin James Among Most Irreplaceable

By Jason Parker

Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Derwin James (3) celebrates after a play in the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Camping World Stadium. Florida State Seminoles won 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Derwin James (3) celebrates after a play in the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Camping World Stadium. Florida State Seminoles won 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /
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FSU football saw last season just how valuable Derwin James is to the team – now, one website is putting him among the most valuable in the country.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed for the defense FSU football was going to put out on the field during the 2016 season. When Derwin James, arguably the best player on the whole team, went down with a knee injury in the second game of the season against Charleston Southern that sidelined him for the entire season, his value was shown in what the defense looked like for the next month and a half.

Over the next six games, in which the Seminoles limped to a 3-3 record over that span, the defense gave up nearly 33 points a game over that period – including 63 points against Louisville and 37 a piece against Clemson and North Carolina. While that all can’t be placed on the loss of James, there is no doubt his absence played a major roll in their collapse.

It’s that value that has CBSSports.com putting the redshirt sophomore as one of their most irreplaceable players for the 2017 season. Of the 17 players ranked, James came in at No. 3 on the list and the highest ranked defensive player on it:

"He is a unique defender because he thrives at all three levels. He’s built like a linebacker, has exceptional closing speed in pass coverage, lays the wood in tackling and can effectively rush the backfield. Put it this way: If there was one player I was drafting to build a defense around, it would be Derwin James."

It’s insight like this why some people say Derwin James has a chance of being the top overall player taken in the 2018 NFL Draft, which would make him the second FSU football player all time to accomplish that.

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In the spring, James was all over the place during practice and played virtually every position on defense while looking like he was completely healed from surgery. With the growth of players like Brian Burns, Tarvarus McFadden and so many more who played lights out over the final five games of the season, adding a physical beast like James could make FSU football one of the best defenses in college football this coming season.

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