The NFL looks to Florida State for edge rushers.
The Seminoles have produced five edge rushers who have won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors: Derrick Alexander (1994), Peter Boulware (1996), Andre Wadsworth (1997), Bjoern Werner (2012) and DeMarcus Walker (2017). Reinard Wilson (1995), Boulware, Wadsworth, Woerner and Walker were consensus All-Americas.
The NFL has acknowledged that college productivity by spending nine first-round picks on Florida State edge rushers and eight more on second rounders. Andre Wadsworth was the third overall pick of his draft, Peter Boulware the fourth of his and Jamal Reynolds the 10th overall choice of his draft.
But of those 17 first- and second-round edge rushers drafted out of Florida State, only two went on to become Pro Bowl performers – Boulware and Brian Burns.
Boulware was voted to four Pro Bowls with the Baltimore Ravens, retiring after eight seasons with 70 career sacks and a Super Bowl ring. Burns was voted to his first Pro Bowl in 2021 in his third NFL season and is coming off back-to-back nine-sack years for the Carolina Panthers.
Only one other Florida State edge rusher managed as many as 50 career sacks in the NFL – Kamerion Wimbley with 53 ½. Eight of those edge rushers failed to hit double figures in career NFL sacks.
Here is the all-time Florida State NFL team:
QB–Brad Johnson, 2 Pro Bowls, Super Bowl champion
RB–Warrick Dunn, 3 Pro Bowls
*-RB–Dalvin Cook, 3 Pro Bowls
WR – Fred Biletnikoff, Hall of Fame
WR–Anquan Boldin, 3 Pro Bowls
TE–Lonnie Johnson, 163 career receptions
OT–Walter Jones, Hall of Fame
OT–Tra Thomas, 3 Pro Bowls
G–Montrae Holland, Played 11 seasons
G–Del Williams, Played 7 seasons
*-C–Rodney Hudson, 3 Pro Bowls
DE–Peter Boulware, 4 Pro Bowls
*-DE–Brian Burns, Pro Bowl
DT–Darnell Dockett, 3 Pro Bowls
DT–Corey Simon, Pro Bowl
OLB–Derrick Brooks, Hall of Fame
MLB–Marvin Jones, 4th overall pick 1993 NFL draft
OLB–Kamerion Wimbley, 53 ½ career sacks
CB–Deion Sanders, Hall of Fame
*-CB–Jalen Ramsey, 5 Pro Bowls
S–LeRoy Butler, Hall of Fame
S–Dexter Jackson, Super Bowl MVP
K–Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders’ all-time leading scorer
P–Rohn Stark, 4 Pro Bowls
KR–Leon Washington, 8 career KR for TDs
ST–Dekoda Watson, Covered kicks for 7 seasons
*–Still active
