![A crew paints Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium Monday, Dec. 2, 2019. [Tori Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat]
Syndication Tallahassee](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_493,w_5326,h_2995/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/270/01kq3t2xng0jns2jj502.jpg "A crew paints Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium Monday, Dec. 2, 2019. [Tori Schneider/Tallahassee Democrat]
Syndication Tallahassee")
Florida State has had over 300 NFL Draft picks selected in its young history, compared to other colleges that have been around forever. The 2026 NFL Draft made it 43 consecutive years that a Florida State player heard his name called. That’s an amazing number, but the only problem is that Darrell Jackson Jr. was the only player drafted.
That’s not shocking news to Florida State fans, because most who follow closely knew he was the only realistic option, with a handful of others potentially signing as undrafted free agents. Jackson was selected early in the fourth round with the No. 103 pick overall. It’s the third time in the last five drafts that Florida State has only had one player drafted.
🍢 43 straight seasons with a #NFLDraft pick
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) April 25, 2026
🍢 58th FSU d-lineman picked all-time
🍢 303rd all-time pick from FSU
🍢 5th time in the last 6 drafts the @nyjets have picked a Seminole
🔗: https://t.co/OYnehrKsja#NFLNoles | #NoleFamily pic.twitter.com/4W44PlKlzG
Florida State has been an afterthought during the NFL Draft over the past two years and that's unacceptable.
Florida State only had two players drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. The outlier was the 2024 NFL Draft, which saw 10 Florida State players drafted.
Florida State fans were not following this year’s draft, and a large percentage have checked out after the last two seasons. However, having one player drafted and a handful of UDFA’s signing with teams is a stark reminder of where this program is. Jacob Rizy, Squirrel White, and Jerry Wilson have signed as UDFA's.
They have had talent on the roster. However, it’s the lack of talent at the most important positions that’s been holding the program back. Poor quarterback, offensive line, and defensive end play has affected nearly every other position on the field. It’s affected the win/loss record and the ability to attract top talent.
When you think of that 2022/2023 stretch of success. Florida State had good players at all of those positions, and it made all of the other position groups better and more effective.
If we look into the future, Florida State looks poised to be in the same boat during next year’s draft, with Duce Robinson as the only sure-fire draftee. Jabrill Rawls and a couple of others could hear their names called with a strong season in 2026.
However, the days of having four or more guys drafted every year look like a distant memory, just like winning on the field.
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