Welcome to part two of my ‘Noles in the Pros Football edition,” where I profile some of the top current NFL players who hail from FSU. You can find part one here.
Christian Ponder
Via flickr user mike–123
The conundrum that has been the professional career of Christian Ponder is somewhat baffling, but let us remember the good times he granted the fans at Florida State. As the starting quarterback for three seasons, Ponder seemingly helped turn around an FSU football program that had scuffled over the past several seasons. In 2008 as a sophomore he lead the Noles to a 9-4 record and a win in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando (I was there! Cool brag.) Then followed an injury-filled 2009 which saw FSU struggle and nearly finish below .500 for the first time since Bowden’s first season in 1976. After Coach retired, Ponder led the Seminoles in 2010 to their first ACC championship since 2005.
Ponder threw for 6,872 yards and 49 scores at FSU and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 with the 12th overall pick. His professional career has been shaky to say the least — 38 touchdowns to 34 interceptions — but he will look to rebound after a tumultuous 2013 season in which he started just nine games.
Xavier Rhodes
Via flickr user birdman6
Born in Miami, where there is a school that I understand doesn’t care for Florida State, Xavier Rhodes burst onto the scene with FSU in 2010 when he won ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. The hard-hitting cornerback capped off his college career with the team’s victory in the 2013 Orange Bowl and declared his intention to enter the NFL draft after his junior year. He was selected in the first round, 25th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013, making him the highest-drafted FSU defensive back since Antonio Cromartie in 2006. Rhodes recorded 48 tackles his rookie season in the NFL.
Kenny Shaw
Via flickr user coachtomshaw
OK, another homer pick from me here. Shaw went to Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, the same alma mater as yours truly. A rookie heading into the 2014 season, Shaw was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent. He was known for his speed and quickness in college and caught 14 touchdown passes for 1919 yards over his four years. Despite becoming a full-time starter as a sophomore, Shaw played in all but three games in his college career.
Hopefully we get to see him catch some balls from Johnny Manziel for a long time to come.
Lawrence Timmons
Via flickr user jbryk
Lawrence Timmons has helped anchor the new age Steel Curtain in Pittsburgh since debuting with the Steelers as a rookie in 2007. He was taken 15th overall that year and was first on the depth chart by 2008, the year the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII. Timmons has racked up 616 tackles over his seven seasons, registering more than 100 three different times. He has also forced 12 fumbles in the NFL, making him one of the more feared linebackers in the league. Understandably, Timmons was rewarded with a six-year, $50 million contract in 2011, ensuring him a lucrative pro career and the likelihood that he will be in that Steel Curtain for a long time.
Leon Washington
Via flickr user JetsTwit
Journeyman running back Leon Washington has floated between several different NFL teams since his rookie season of 2006. He has generated 2,214 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns with the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, new England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, largely as a backup. However he has also been used as a kick return specialist, and a very effective one. Washington shares with Josh Cribbs an NFL record eight kicks returned for touchdowns. He has been to two Pro Bowls and named a three-time All-Pro, while earning NFL Special Teams Player of the Year in 2008.
The veteran was a member of the 2005 ACC Championship team at Florida State.
Dekoda Watson
Via flickr user michael89156
Watson is another player who played for my Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing for my Seminoles. He spent the first four years of his career with the Bucs before moving upstate to Jacksonville after signing with the Jaguars in March, 2014. He’s been an efficient linebacker in his professional career, appearing in all but four games with the Buccaneers and producing 88 tackles and one interception. Watson played four years at FSU where he recorded 113 tackles. His senior class was the last to play under Bobby Bowden, which capped off his legendary coaching career with a win in the 2010 Gator Bowl.
Bjoern Werner
Via flickr user imgacademy
The vicious German-born linebacker was drafted 24th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2013 and named a unanimous All-American in 2012 as a senior at FSU. That year he was also named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the First-team All-ACC squad. While he played just two seasons at FSU, he earned himself a four-year, $7.896 million deal with the Colts as a rookie. He recorded 18 tackles and 2.5 quarterback sacks in a rookie year which saw his team advance to the NFL Playoffs before being eliminated by the New England Patriots.
Kamerion Wimbley
Via flickr user r3mdh
Wimbley has been a workhorse in the NFL since being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2006. The Wichita, Kansas native has 410 tackles and puts all kinds of pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 51.5 career sacks. He has also played for the Oakland Raiders and is currently with the Tennessee Titans, where he has played since 2012. At Florida State Wimbley was primarily a backup his first three years until emerging late in his senior season before being hindered by a knee injury. His senior year of 2005 was good enough to earn him second-team All-ACC accolades.
Those are just a small proportion of Seminoles that currently play in the NFL. The FSU teams of the late 1980’s and 1990’s have produced hundreds of stars that have come and gone, such as Deion Sanders, Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks. And I obviously can’t end this without mentioning Brad Johnson, who won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.