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FSU Football: Derwin James plummets in first Mel Kiper mock draft

By Jason Parker

ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts in the first half against the Mississippi Rebels during the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on September 5, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts in the first half against the Mississippi Rebels during the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on September 5, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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FSU football could hear the name of one former Seminoles star heard early in April’s draft – but one expert thinks it won’t be as early as first thought.

In just over three months, over 250 former college football players will hear their names called during the section process commonly called the NFL Draft. For FSU football, there is no question that several names will be called repping the garnet and gold – including all-world safety Derwin James, who could be the first Nole picked.

After a monster freshman season that was followed by missing almost all of 2016 with  knee injury, James bounced back for the Seminoles and was an instrumental on a defense that finished in the top 30 nationally. Though his interception and deflection numbers weren’t as high, he finished second on the team in tackles before deciding to go pro.

It was a no brainer that James was going to make the decision to leave FSU football after three years at the school considering he was a sure fire top pick in the first round. Almost all the mock drafts had him going in the top part of the round – and while he slipped in some recent mocks,  majority still had him going in the top 10.

Well, one of the foremost experts on the NFL Draft released his first mock draft of 2018 and isn’t high on James at all. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. revealed his first 32 names on Thursday – and has the former Seminoles going in the second half of the first round.

Now, putting my personal thoughts on James to the side (still not a fan of him skipping the bowl game along with several other FSU football players), I find it hard to believe that there are 17 other players in this year’s group who are better all around athletes than Derwin James.

Next: ESPN says FSU one of biggest losers to NFL Draft

Some of this could be tied to the fact that other underclassmen came out and it changed things to where Derwin will have to work in the combine and pro day to prove himself again, but I wholeheartedly believe that when it is all said and done, FSU football will see another former star taken quite high in the first round.

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