FSU football fans will never get over the snub of the 2023 FSU team, especially after watching how defensive play has dominated play in the last two years of the College Football Playoff.
It's what makes the success of the FSU players who were rookies in the 2024 NFL season more damning of the decision to leave FSU out of the 2023 College Football Playoff.
FSU had 10 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and several had outstanding rookie years. Here's how each performed:
- Jared Verse (1st Rd, No. 19 pick): 66 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11 TFLs, 18 QB hits, 2 FF, NFL Pro Bowler, PFWA All-Rookie Team
- Keon Coleman (2nd Rd, No. 33 pick): 29 receptions on 50 targets for 556 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.
- Braden Fiske (2nd Rd, No. 39 pick): 44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 10 TFLs, 2 FF and PFWA All-Rookie Team
- Renardo Green (2nd Rd, No. 64 pick): 61 tackles, 1 INT, 13 passes defended(new team record), 1 FF in 17 games and 7 starts
- Trey Benson (2nd Rd, No. 66 pick): 63 carries for 291 yards and one touchdown, six receptions for 59 yards in 13 games, and one start
- Jarrian Jones (3rd Rd, No. 96 pick): 40 tackles, 1 INT, 2 sacks in 17 games with 4 starts
- Jordan Travis (5th Rd, No. 171 pick): DNP, injured reserve
- Johnny Wilson (6th Rd, No. 185 pick): 5 receptions for 38 yards and one TD. Played in 16 games with four starts. Excellent blocker in the run game.
- Jaheim Bell (7th Rd, No. 231 pick): 2 receptions for 20 yards in 15 games
- Tatum Bethune (7th Rd, No. 251 pick): 7 tackles in 11 games and one start.
As you can see, most of the defensive players got busy, with Jared Verse and Braden Fiske leading and making All-Rookie teams. That duo lived up to the hype in helping the LA Rams into the playoffs. Renardo Green and Jarrian Jones had excellent rookie years, but it was good to see all those guys playing in almost every game unless they were hurt.
It'll be cool to see Verse, Fiske, Coleman, and Johnny Wilson in the NFL Playoffs.