Last week I wrote about the Florida State baseball program and several of its products who have gone on to enjoy successful professional baseball careers.
Well, stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but FSU is also known as a pretty great football school. Over the years the Seminoles have churned out hundreds of NFL prospects — in fact, seven ‘Noles were selected in last month’s NFL draft alone: wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was taken in the first round by the Carolina Panthers, defenders Timmy Jernigan and Lamarcus Joyner (second round, Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams), safety Terrence Brooks (third, Baltimore Ravens), running back Devonta Freeman and center Bryan Stork (fourth, Atlanta Falcons and new England Patriots) and linebacker Telvin Smith (fifth, Jacksonville Jaguars) all graduated to the NFL this year.
And those are just the rookies. This article is the first of a two part series highlighting current ‘Noles who are lighting it up in the NFL. Right now there are 50 former Seminoles occupying roster spots spanning the NFL’s 32 teams. Here I will be highlighting some of the more notable names you will find playing on Sundays in the Fall. *Law & Order sound effect*: These are their stories.
Anquan Boldin, WR: San Francisco 49ers
Anquan Boldin in 2010. Image via flickr user historyhurricane.
Boldin was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2003 after catching 21 touchdowns over three years for the Seminoles. He was also a member of FSU’s 1999 National Championship squad as a Freshman. He spent his first seven pro careers with the Cardinals before joining the Baltimore Ravens for three years where he won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. He was then traded to the 49ers that offseason. This past March Boldin signed a lucrative two-year contract worth $12 million with San Francisco.
He has been named to three Pro Bowls, the NFL’s All-Star game. One of the most successful FSU wide receivers to ever star in the pros, Boldin has set all kinds of records, including most receptions in a rookie season (101) and fastest to record 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 career receptions.
Nigel Bradham, LB: Buffalo Bills
Nigel Bradham in 2011 at FSU. Image via flickr user james_melito.
Nigel Bradham is a hard-hitter, plain and simple. Just ask former University of Miami wide receiver LaRon Byrd. Drafted in 2012 by the Bills, Bradham contributed at first coming off the bench before earning a spot in the starting lineup in week six. He was named a captain of the FSU defense his senior year of 2011 and snagged the Walter Payton trophy, given to the most athletic player coming out of high school in the United States, before his 2008 freshman year in college. He has 108 tackles over his first two NFL seasons.
Antonio Cromartie, CB: Arizona Cardinals
Antonio Cromartie in 2009. Image via flickr user nathaninsandiego.
Cromartie was born in Tallahassee and went to high school at local Lincoln High School. Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2006, one of the great football and track-and-field prides of Tallahassee was an effective player in the NFL from the start. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl in his second season and was named to two more in 2012 and 2013.
An interesting note: Cromartie is credited with completing the longest play in NFL history, after returning a missed field goal 109.5 yards for a touchdown in 2007.
He signed as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals this past March.
Darnell Dockett, DT: Arizona Cardinals
Darnell Dockett in 2010. Image via flickr user catalexiis.
Darnell Dockett is one of the more colorful personalities in the NFL today (no, really, you should follow him on Twitter). The Arizona Cardinals continued their theme of plucking FSU alumni and took him in the third round of the 2004 draft. He has played his entire career with the Cardinals where he has enjoyed three Pro Bowl appearances as well as a trip to Super Bowl XLIII which they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did record three quarterback sacks in the game, and has 40 in his NFL career.
Graham Gano, K: Carolina Panthers
Graham Gano in 2009. Image via flickr user jeffweese.
Kickers are players, too! In fact, Graham Gano was an outstanding kicker at FSU. I have fond memories of watching him pin the Wisconsin Badgers inside their own five yard line like clockwork in the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl, which was the first live FSU game I ever attended. Gano signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent the following offseason. He actually didn’t make the team and ended up playing with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League in 2009, before signing with the Washington Redskins later that year. In 2011 he set the Redskins’ franchise record for longest field goal (59 yards). This February he signed a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.
Sebastian Janikowski, K: Oakland Raiders
Sebastian Janikowski in 2012. Image via flickr user photosbyhuck.
Sebastian Janikowski is, hands down, one of the best kickers in NFL history. He also led the ‘Noles to their 1999 National title before being drafted by the Raiders in 2000. A true iron man, Janikowski has played his entire career with Oakland, a career spanning 14 seasons. His raiders appeared in Super Bowl XXXVII but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2011 Janikowski tied the record for longest field goal in NFL history. His 63 yarder stood for almost two years before being upended by Matt Prater’s 64 yard score on December 18, 2013.
E.J. Manuel, QB: Buffalo Bills
E.J. Manuel in 2013 at FSU. Image via flickr user fanspeak.
Love him or hate him, E.J. Manuel was one of those players in college where you never knew what you were going to get on a given night. At Florida State he would make some great throws and clutch scores to win big games, and would turn around and completely choke a “gimme” game away the next week.
He did, however, lead FSU to its third 12-win season in school history and an Orange Bowl victory as a senior in 2012. He also threw for the second-most yards in team history that year, compiling 3,392 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Manuel was the first FSU QB to be a first round draft pick when he went 16th overall to the Bills in 2013. His rookie season was marred by a knee injury, causing him to miss five games. But the potential is definitely there, if E.J. can just find some consistency and stay healthy.
Lonnie Pryor, FB: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lonnie Pryor in 2010 at FSU. Image via flickr user Daaka2.
OK, this is a bit of a homer pick for me, a Bucs fan. The Orange Bowl MVP in his final game as a Seminole, Pryor stayed local when the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He never played a game for the Jaguars before being plucked off the waiver wire by the Buccaneers.
Pryor scored 18 touchdowns over his four years at Florida State. He should be considered a front-runner for Tampa Bay’s starting fullback position in 2014.
Keep an eye out next week for part two of Noles in the Pros, NFL edition.