NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Brian Burns of Florida State reacts after being chosen #16 overall by the Carolina Panthers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) FSU football was quick to hear the name called of one of the best to wear the garnet and gold – and it turned out to be one of the few names called. In under two hours on Thursday night in front of over 150,000 fans in the streets of downtown Nashville, fans of FSU football got to join the party at the annual NFL Draft when the name of Brian Burns – arguably one of the best recruits to play for the Seminoles – was picked No. 16 overall by the Carolina Panthers. After that, those who are fans of the Noles waited…and waited…and waited all the way into Saturday in the early evening, with the Seattle Seahawks coming in at the end of the sixth round and picking defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas just under 195 picks later. When the 2019 NFL Draft came to an end, the FSU football team lost two players to the professional game, the lowest number of picks that the Noles have had in a single draft period since the 2016 selection meeting when the Seminoles had the same number picked. While there are some that might look at what took place this past season and think that something like this is a warning sign waiting to be read, those who have been paying attention to the Seminoles over the past few seasons know that this news is some of the best that could come out of Florida’s capital over that span. For starters, Burns was the only person who left school early – and let us all be honest for a moment as him staying with FSU football for another season would have been amazing, but we knew that he was going to be successful and get picked in the early parts of the first round so he had to go to the next level. What was going to be a concern was seeing how much other talent was also going to head to the NFL after the first losing season in decades – and no one else went. No one else took the easier route to a paycheck for playing football and helping to keep FSU football working hard just to get back to the level it once was at. With just two players being picked, the Seminoles are now in a spot where they can officially put the disaster that was the 2018 season – from the start of things to the way it ended – to bed and turn the page over to the 2019 season. It’s a 2019 season for the Noles that will see them have a much easier schedule – still plenty of headaches, but not as many (especially toward the end of the season) that will keep FSU football out of a bowl game for the second straight season, something that hasn’t taken place since the mid 1970s. Now, it’s a 2019 season that will have much more hope and promise as – for most likely the first time since the 2014 season – the Seminoles are going to come into a season with many more positives than questions about what the regular season will hold for a Noles team that knows the clock is ticking on head coach Willie Taggart to turn things around. FSU football is hungry to show that what took place last season was a one time thing – and now, they have plenty of talent left wearing the garnet and gold to prove that.<doc-sep>The 2019 NFL Draft is finally here, providing us all with another glimpse of football after the conclusion of spring practice. Florida State will not be as recognized as it has been in the past, but there are still some Seminoles whose names figure to be called in Nashville. Leading the way, of course, is edge defender Brian Burns. We’ve kept you updated on just where Burns, and some other ’Noles, could be headed, via our mock-draft tracker. These projections fluctuate frequently, as the draft process is very much a living, breathing entity. But the Fort Lauderdale product looks like a first-round selection. The road to the league for other ’Noles seems less certain. Here are the FSU players, aside from Burns, who participated in this year’s NFL Combine: Defensive lineman Demarcus Christmas Receiver Nyqwan Murray The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft will transpire on Thursday night at 8 pm. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday, beginning at 7 pm, with rounds four, five, six, and seven wrapping things up on Saturday, at noon. ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network will broadcast the draft, along with commentary and analysis. We’ll post updates in this piece as Florida State players come off the board, with links to separate pieces on those individuals. Be sure to stick around Tomahawk Nation after that, as several Seminoles could sign undrafted free agent deals. Drafted Seminoles:<doc-sep>
The second day of 2019’s NFL Draft has come and gone, and the lone Seminole to hear his name called remains Brian Burns, whom the Carolina Panthers drafted in the first round on Thursday. Things wrap up this afternoon, with rapid-fire rounds four through seven. We knew no ’Noles were going to hear their names called during Friday’s second and third rounds, but now the question for Florida State fans is apparent: will any other FSU players be drafted—and if so, when? With 102 picks of a total 254 already made, defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas seems to have the best chance. CBSSports.com has Christmas ranked as the ninth best interior defensive lineman remaining, with an overall prospect ranking (including players already drafted) of 153rd. NFL.com isn’t as high on Christmas, deeming him the 14th best DT still on the board. I’d be a little surprised if someone didn’t snag Christmas late, but hardly shocked. I would, however, be rather taken aback if any other Seminoles were chosen, because there’s a precipitous drop-off after Christmas. Receiver Nyqwan Murray is overall prospect No. 311, which isn’t ridiculously far from that 254 mark, but he’s CBS’ 30th best WR available, and No. 36 per NFL.com. Center Alec Eberle is right behind Murray, as prospect No. 321, but he has 29 other offensive linemen ahead of him, per CBS. Eberle’s specific background as a center may diminish that number slightly, but NFL.com doesn’t even have him on their radar. Also listed behind 29 other players at his position is running back Jacques Patrick. In this weak year for RBs, Patrick is the 409th prospect, according to CBS. And like Murray, NFL.com believes that 36 players at his position are ahead of Patrick. The longest of Florida State long shots to be ranked: offensive lineman Derrick Kelly II. Kelly is CBS’ 67th best OL player remaining, and the 489th overall prospect. Close behind him is former ’Nole Brock Ruble, as the No. 69 offensive lineman available and prospect No. 496. Ruble left FSU and wound up playing at Toledo. The smart money here would certainly be on Christmas, but remember: it just takes one team to take a flier on a player, especially as a project in late rounds. One good interview, a connection with a coach, reminding a GM of a former player— it can happen; it happens several times in every draft.