The NFL has existed in some form for over 100 years and college football has been played for even longer. The landscape of the sport of football has changed considerably over the last century, but a few things never change.
There are hundreds of great college players who never get their chance to shine at the professional level, but many more who do get drafted and play in the NFL. What never changes is that the greatest college players get that shot and Florida State has had plenty of the greats come through their campus.
Over the years, nearly 300 different football players have come through Florida State and been drafted into the NFL. The Seminoles have had a solid football program for much of their history and produced some of the finest football players in recent memory.
With hundreds of former Seminoles with careers in the NFL, there has been a lot of representation for Florida State. Today, we’re significantly condensing that list, identifying the 15 best NFL players who played their college ball at Florida State.
All fifteen of these players are or were excellent football players who made their names known with their play on the field. The focus is specifically on their excellence in the NFL, though we’ll make brief notes about their time in Tallahassee as well. It’s also important to note that there are many players not included who have had great collegiate and NFL careers, but there’s only room for 15 names today.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.15: Samari Rolle
Samari Rolle was a talented defensive back who also returned punts at Florida State, playing for the Seminoles in the late ’90s. He’s got football blood in his veins, as cousins Chad Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, and Antrel Rolle all played in the NFL. His chance came as the Tennessee Oilers took him in the middle of the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft.
After gathering four interceptions in his second season in the pros, Rolle had his best NFL season in 2000. He finished among the league leaders with his 7 interceptions and was named First Team All-Pro. This was also the first and only Pro Bowl appearance of his career, helping the Titans to a 13-win season and a division title.
Rolle remained one of Tennessee’s starting cornerbacks for the next four seasons and had another fantastic year in 2003. He had six interceptions and the only fumble return touchdown of his career during what was his sixth season in the NFL.
In 2005, Rolle signed with the Baltimore Ravens and spent much of the next four seasons as one of their starting cornerbacks, with impressive play early in his tenure in Baltimore. His career would end after the 2008 season, gathering 31 interceptions in an 11-year career.
He was a major factor for the Titans’ defense, played in Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams, and had a few interceptions in the postseason as well. Florida State has produced a fair amount of very talented defensive backs in recent years and Rolle was certainly among that number.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.14: Brad Johnson
A number of prominent quarterbacks have played for the Seminoles but Brad Johnson is a name that stands out for his success and longevity. He actually wasn’t a major piece at Florida State, with just 14 passing touchdowns for the Seminoles between 1988 and 1991, but it was enough to get him onto the national radar.
Johnson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 9th round of the 1992 NFL Draft and was not a factor early in his career. He did not play his first two seasons in the league and played minimally after that. Four seasons into his NFL career, Johnson had zero career starts, but hope was not lost.
Johnson started 23 games over the next three seasons for the Vikings in the late ’80s, winning 13 of those starts with 44 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. Johnson got his chance to be a full-time starter with Washington in 1999 and was voted to his first Pro Bowl that season.
His most prolific success came at Tampa Bay, where Johnson was quarterback from 2001 to 2004. In that second season, he made his second Pro Bowl and helped lead the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. He’d throw a career-high 26 touchdowns the following season before leaving Tampa two years later.
Johnson’s career continued all the way to 2008, starting a few games for the injured Tony Romo with the Dallas Cowboys. There weren’t opportunities early in his career, but he’d start 125 games at quarterback and win a Super Bowl in a 17-year pro career. You won’t be blown away by his career stats compared to today’s quarterbacks, but Johnson was certainly a player.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.13: Darnell Dockett
One of college football’s best defensive linemen back in the early 2000s, Darnell Dockett was a big piece of Florida State’s defense and was actually ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2003. Unsurprisingly, he was drafted in 2004, waiting until the early third round and heading to Arizona.
Dockett would spend his entire NFL career with the Cardinals, the team that drafted him, and he’d make a certain impact up front. He was a starter on that defensive line from the very beginning and would play all but two games for the Cardinals across the next decade.
It’s hard to easily demonstrate Dockett’s importance, but he made three trips to the Pro Bowl in the middle of his career, representing the Cardinals in 2007, 2009, and 2010. He had a pair of fumble return touchdowns in his career and was also Second Team All-Pro in 2009, a season where he had 18 tackles for a loss.
Dockett played in Super Bowl XLIII and was incredible with three sacks, though the Cardinals would fall late to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was by far the finest performance of his career.
He’d play several more seasons before leaving the game at the end of the 2013 season, starting nearly every game for Arizona in the process. For his career, Dockett accumulated 40.5 career sacks, while also forcing 13 turnovers in the regular season as well. A monstrous defensive lineman, he still stands out as one of Arizona’s finest defensive players since the turn of the century.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.12: Dalvin Cook
A former star running back at Florida State in the mid-2010s, Dalvin Cook finished Top-10 in the Heisman voting twice in his career, but that wouldn’t compare to the success he’s had to this point in the NFL.
Cook was drafted 41st overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and spent the last six years as their primary running back. His career got off to a hot start, though his rookie year was cut short after just four games by an ACL tear. Cook has dealt with injury issues a few times in his career, but he hasn’t let that slow him down.
In 2019, Cook had his first 1000-yard rushing season, scoring 13 touchdowns for the Vikings and helping lead them to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He was also voted to the first Pro Bowl of his career, but it certainly wouldn’t be his last.
Cook has been eclipsed 1100 rushing yards and has been voted to the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons. He’s had a pair of 200-yard rushing performances in wins over Detroit (2020) and Pittsburgh (2021). He’s been an essential piece for the Vikings’ offense in the last few years and actually played all 17 games this past season.
However, Cook was cut by the Vikings recently and is still looking for a new team for next season. Regardless, his work has been exceptional and he certainly stands out as one of the greatest running backs in Florida State history.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.11: Peter Boulware
Peter Boulware was a tremendous linebacker who was a star at Florida State in the mid-’90s. He was an All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year and there’s no shocker that he followed that success with a solid NFL career.
He’d become the 4th pick of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and would join a franchise in their second year in existence. Joining Ray Lewis, the Ravens would have an elite linebacking core for years to come and Boulware was a major weapon.
He’d start every game of his first two seasons and was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1997, racking up 11.5 sacks. Boulware was named to four Pro Bowls and was also Second Team All-Pro in 2000, though that wasn’t the biggest highlight of that season, as the Ravens would win their first Super Bowl that year.
The following season saw Boulware hit a career-high with 15.0 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, while a pair of Pro Bowl appearances would follow shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, he missed the 2004 season with a knee injury and was never the same, playing a backup role the following year before being released.
Boulware was a dominant linebacker when he was healthy and right and was part of the Ravens’ incredible defense in the early 2000s. His career came to an end with 70.0 career sacks and a load of other contributions, with the former Top 5 draft pick clearly living up to the hype.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.10: Tra Thomas
Quantifying the success of the offensive line is not the easiest thing to do, but Tra Thomas was an impressive athlete, playing on Florida State’s line in the mid-90s. The Florida native then headed to the Philadelphia Eagles, who took him with the 11th pick of the 1998 NFL Draft; he was the second offensive lineman selected.
Thomas would be the Eagles’ starting left tackle for the next eleven seasons, missing only 11 games during that time. His run in Philadelphia coincided with Donovan McNabb’s best days as an NFL quarterback, with Thomas protecting his blindside.
Left tackle is an important position to get right, and Thomas was there for the Eagles’ success in the 2000s. He started 17 playoff games for Philadelphia, including their loss in Super Bowl XXXIX to New England in 2004.
Thomas was an anchor on that line during that success and was named to three Pro Bowls in the early 2000s. After the 2008 season, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars but only played briefly with them and would not see time in the NFL again after that.
This former Florida State star really settled in with the Eagles and strengthened an offensive line that allowed that franchise that success. He protected McNabb, opened up the potential for running backs like Brian Westbrook, and remains an essential piece in the Eagles’ history all these years later.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 9: Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn was an elite running back at Florida State in the 90s and is the only running back in program history to have his jersey honored, though Dalvin Cook might change that one day. After racking up three straight 1000-yard seasons with the Seminoles, he was drafted in the 1st round of the 1997 NFL Draft.
Dunn was taken with the 12th pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and settled into the NFL game right off the bat. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1997, rushing for 978 yards and making the first Pro Bowl of his career.
By year two, he was a 1000-yard rusher and would eclipse 1200 yards from scrimmage in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. He, unfortunately, would leave Tampa after the 2001 season, just one year before the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl.
His career was far from over, as he was the starting running back of the Atlanta Falcons for much of the next three seasons, including three more 100-yard rushing seasons. He was a Pro Bowler for a third time in 2005 with the Falcons and even had a 142-yard rushing performance in a playoff win over the St. Louis Rams the year before.
He’d briefly return to Tampa at the end of his career and eclipsed 10,000 rushing yards across 12 NFL seasons. Dunn was a major factor for these two franchises, now division rivals, and also scored 64 career touchdowns, 49 on the ground and 15 through the air. His twelve years in the league were legitimately a long career for NFL running backs.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 8: Antonio Cromartie
A great weapon at Florida State back in the early 2000s, Antonio Cromartie was an elite defensive back who played for more than a decade in the NFL. After that success with the Seminoles, he became a 1st round draft pick in 2006 by way of the San Diego Chargers.
Cromartie was a solid backup in the secondary as a rookie but really broke out in his second season, leading the NFL with 10 interceptions in 2007 to earn First-Team All-Pro honors. Cromartie also made the first of four Pro Bowls in his career.
After four seasons with the Chargers, with a total of 15 interceptions, he signed with the New York Jets in 2010. Cromartie was a major weapon for Rex Ryan’s defense across the next four seasons, starting nearly every game and racking up at least 3 interceptions in each of those seasons.
Cromartie had a few interceptions in the postseason and helped lead both the Chargers and the Jets to the AFC title game, but fell just short of appearing in the Super Bowl. He spent the 2014 season with the Arizona Cardinals before returning to the Jets the following season. His career ended in 2016 after appearing in just four games for the Indianapolis Colts.
A consistent weapon in the secondary for a decade, Cromartie was one of the best defensive backs in the game and certainly had incredible hands. That 10-interception still stands out and he certainly emerged as one of the Chargers’ best defensive players of the late 2000s while also doing great work late in his career.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 7: Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey’s football career has seemingly been full of success and accolades. He won a national title as a freshman at Florida State in 2013 and emerged as one of the nation’s best defensive backs later in his career. He became the 5th pick of the 2016 NFL Draft and found his way to the Jacksonville Jaguars where the success only continued.
Ramsey emerged as a shutdown corner for the Jaguars, starting every game for his first three seasons in Jacksonville. He just missed out on Rookie of the Year honors in his first year but was already an All-Pro defensive back in his second year, helping anchor a Jaguars team that made the AFC title game in 2017.
A major name in the NFL world already, Ramsey was traded to the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2019 season for a package that included a pair of 1st round draft picks. He was impressive for the Rams for the next three and a half seasons and had 4 interceptions in each of the last two seasons.
This talented shutdown corner also added a ring to his collection, helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals just a year and a half ago. He’s been a winner and elite weapon in the secondary and will continue that next season with the Miami Dolphins.
He’s been in the last six Pro Bowls and is a three-time First Team All-Pro defensive back. Ramsey is another one of the fantastic defensive backs that have come out of this Seminoles program and his story has not been fully written yet.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 6: Anquan Boldin
Anquan Boldin began his career at Florida State as a quarterback but certainly found his calling as a wide receiver. He won a BCS national title as a freshman and had a 1000-yard receiving season to finish off his career three years later.
Success would follow in the NFL, as Boldin was a late second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals back in 2003. He acclimated well to the professional game, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after accumulating 1377 receiving yards and his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Two years later, Boldin had a career-high 1402 receiving yards, but 2008 was one of his finest seasons in Arizona, helping lead the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. He would sign with Baltimore in 2010 and would actually win the Super Bowl, with 4 touchdowns during the Ravens’ playoff run in 2012, including a 104-yard game in Super Bowl XLVII.
Boldin had five 1000-yard seasons with the Cardinals and would add two more after signing with the San Francisco 49ers near the end of his career. He’d end his career as a Detroit Lion in 2016, drawing to a close a 14-year career where he was a prominent wideout for nearly the entire time.
Not only did Boldin win a Super Bowl and make three Pro Bowls, but he accumulated nearly 14,000 receiving yards in a long successful career, one in which he played with numerous quarterbacks along the way. He’s one of the most successful wide receivers since the turn of the century and definitely stands out as a star from Florida State.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 5: LeRoy Butler
A high school stud from Jacksonville, LeRoy Butler was a pretty great safety at Florida State in the late 80’s before getting his chance at the NFL. Suffice it to say, he took full advantage of that opportunity.
Butler was the 48th pick of the 1990 NFL Draft and spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Green Bay Packers. Though a reserve as a rookie, he’d spent much of the next decade as the Packers’ starting strong safety, including during Mike Holmgren’s entire tenure as head coach.
Butler had four different seasons with at least 5 interceptions and was also named First Team All-Pro four times, getting the honors in 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998. His peak coincided with the Packers’ success, as he played in a pair of Super Bowls while in Green Bay.
He started 14 playoff games with the Packers and was a starter on the team that won Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots, getting a sack of Drew Bledsoe in that victory. At his best, he was one of the best secondary pieces in the 1990s.
Butler was recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honor for one of the finest safeties to ever play for the Packers or at Florida State. He was a major weapon on Green Bay’s electric defense in the 90s and was one of the many impressive defensive players to come out of Tallahassee and succeed in the NFL.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 4: Fred Biletnikoff
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, it was hard to find a wide receiver with more consistency and ability than Fred Biletnikoff. He starred at Florida State for nearly six decades and was drafted by both the AFL and NFL in 1965 before settling in with the Oakland Raiders.
For his first five seasons, Biletnikoff developed into one of the best receivers in the AFL, making his first two Pro Bowl appearances during that time. In 1968, his second trip to the postseason, he had a pair of 180-yard receiving games for the Raiders, including a 3-touchdown performance over the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round.
Biletnikoff caught a career-high 12 touchdowns in 1969, the final season before Oakland joined the NFL, but that certainly wasn’t the end of his production. That was his first year as a First Team All-Pro and one of the six Pro Bowls he’d appear in his career.
He spent most of the 1970s as one of the Raiders’ starting receivers and primary pass catchers. He also was the MVP of Super Bowl XI in 1978. His numbers don’t look as impressive compared to modern-day football, but he was one of the best in the game during his era.
Biletnikoff went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame less than a decade after his retirement, a reflection of 14 impressive seasons in the Raiders’ offense.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 3: Walter Jones
Walter Jones played at the community college level as a tight end and offensive line but really found his footing on the line at Florida State in the mid-1990s. A Second-Team All-American in 1996, Jones moved to the NFL a year early and didn’t regret that decision.
The Alabama native became the 6th pick of the 1997 NFL Draft and would spend his entire NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks. Jones would become Seattle’s starting left tackle early in his rookie season and would not relinquish that position for over a decade.
It could be easily argued that Jones was the best offensive lineman of the early 20th century. He was paramount in Seattle’s success under Mike Holmgren, who was hired before Jones’ third season in the NFL to lead the Seahawks.
Four seasons ended with Jones named First Team All-Pro while he made trips to the Pro Bowl in eight straight seasons, totaling nine bids overall. He was on Seattle’s line for ten playoff games, including their loss in Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jones was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, further proving his importance and worth on Seattle’s offensive line all those years. He effectively protected Matt Hasselbeck’s blindside during some outstanding years for the Seahawks and is undoubtedly the best offensive lineman in Florida State history.
FSU football greatest NFL career No. 2: Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks played linebacker at Florida State in the early ’90s and was pretty good at the gig, winning a national championship and earning a pair of All-American honors. The Seminoles knew they had a major weapon in their strong defense and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly got one as well.
In 1995, the Buccaneers selected Brooks late in the first round of the NFL Draft and he’d become a major presence for them right off the bat. He’d spent 14 years playing with the Buccaneers and never missed a game, starting all but three in his rookie year.
Brooks was a major factor at Tampa Bay and was named to 11 Pro Bowls. He was a five-time First-Team All-Pro, leading the NFL in tackles on three occasions. He gathered 25 career interceptions, forced just as many fumbles, and was a big part of their elite defense.
During the 2002 season, Brooks had an NFL-high three pick-sixes and added a fourth in Super Bowl XXXVII, helping the Buccaneers to their first title in franchise history. He was a full-time starter and major weapon for Tampa and had his moment in the sun with that championship.
It was unsurprising that Brooks became a first-ballot addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and remains one of the most important Buccaneers in franchise history. His career at Florida State was already lights out and he stands out as one of the best linebackers the NFL has ever seen.
FSU football greatest NFL career No.1: Deion Sanders
Affectionately known as Prime Time, Deion Sanders was a major factor throughout his playing career, both at Florida State and professionally in the NFL. A Seminole in the late ’80s, he was a 2-time All-American who won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back, something he’d continue long into his professional career.
Sanders was selected with the 5th pick of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and played there for his first five seasons. He had 24 interceptions in those years with the Falcons, including his first three trips to the Pro Bowl.
Sanders then won back-to-back Super Bowls, spending the 1994 season with the San Francisco 49ers before heading to the Dallas Cowboys. He was a six-time member of the First Team All-Pro team, with three of those monster years coming with the Cowboys in the late ’90s, and was also a legendary kick returner.
His accomplishments are even more impressive when you consider that he was playing baseball as well for most of his NFL career. He signed a long deal with Washington in 2000 but played just a season before retiring, spending three years out of the game before ending his career with the Baltimore Ravens.
There’s a lot to say about this Pro Football Hall of Famer, and we’re talking only about his playing career, not his recent actions as head coach at Colorado. He remains one of Florida State’s most successful players in any sport and certainly carved his own path in an outstanding NFL career too.