'Noles in the NFL Draft: The 2000s

Fresh off a decade in which the Seminoles won two National Championships, FSU had a plethora of talent for NFL teams to use to fill out their rosters. Down from the 65 chosen in the 90s, 56 'Noles saw their dreams realized when their names were called on draft day in the 2000s. The "Lost Decade" hampered Head Coach Bobby Bowden's ability to maintain the pace set early in the decade, as the last 3 years saw only 9 players taken, but it was a very impressive period for the program, nonetheless. Let's take a look.

2000

Round 1, Pick 4 by the Cincinnati Bengals-- Peter Warrick, Wide Receiver: After a collegiate career that featured myriad awards and accolades, the Bengals picked Warrick in hopes that he could, along with quarterback Akili Smith, turn around the franchise's fortune, and bring the first winning record since 1990. The challenge proved to be too great, however, and Warrick, who fought injuries, was never able to dominate at the pro-level like he did in college. He played in the NFL for 6 years, with all but one being with Cincinnati (the Seattle Seahawks being the other). He wrapped up his career with 3,906 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns.

Round 1, Pick 6 by the Philadelphia Eagles-- Corey Simon, Defensive Tackle: Simon had a nice tenure with the Eagles before rounding out his playing following seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and then the Tennessee Titans. Simon was a member of the Super Bowl XLI Champion Colts team, and compiled 32 sacks and 246 tackles in his career.

Round 1, Pick 17 by the Oakland Raider-- Sebastian Janikowski, Kicker: When it comes to kickers, one would be hard-pressed to find one with a more impressive overall resumé than Janikowski. A high school All-American, a National Champion, 2-time Lou Groza Award winner and 2-time consensus All-American in college, and an NFL career that included a Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro selection. Janikowski had an 18-year career with the Raiders, before playing his last season with the Seattle Seahawks. In those 19 years, he made 436 field goals, and tallied an 80.4% success rate. One of the kicks he made in 2011 tied a then NFL record for distance; he booted the ball 63 yards against the Denver Broncos. Two years before that, he made a 61-yard field goal in a game against the Cleveland Browns. One of the strongest legs ever, Janikowski was the rare occurrence of a kicker being worth a first-round pick.

Round 3, Pick 66 by the Cincinnati Bengals-- Ron Dugans, Wide Receiver: Head Coach Bruce Coslet and Offensive Coordinator Ken Anderson were determined to jumpstart the Bengals offense, and grabbed two FSU receivers in the same draft. Dugans joined teammate Warrick, and much like the latter, wasn't able to translate his collegiate success to the pros. Dugans played 3 season in Cincinnati, and finished with a stat line of 89 catches, 797 yards, and 3 touchdowns, with his yardage output decreasing each year. After hanging up his cleats, Dugans found himself in the coaching ranks, and in 2019 made his way back to Tallahassee, where he currently serves as the Seminoles' wide receivers coach.

Round 3, Pick 78 by the New York Jets-- Laveranues Coles, Wide Receiver: The speedy Coles was able to find the most success in the NFL of the 3 FSU receivers taken in the 2000 draft, as he played 11 seasons, and made the Pro Bowl in 2003. During that time, he played 8 seasons with the Jets (though not all consecutive), 2 seasons with the Washington Redskins, and, like Warrick and Dugans, he found himself a Cincinnati Bengal, as he signed with them in 2009 and played 1 season. During his career, Coles had 8,609 yards on 674 catches, with 49 of those being for a score.

Round 4, Pick 101 by the Denver Broncos-- Jerry Johnson, Defensive Tackle: Johnson was with the Broncos for 2 years and recorded 5 tackles in that span.

Round 6 Pick 180 by the Dallas Cowboys-- Mario Edwards, Cornerback: Edwards had a career that covered 6 years, and was a member of the Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins. During his career, he had 180 tackles and 4 interceptions, the first of which he returned 71 yards for a touchdown. After wrapping up his playing career, Edwards got into coaching, and served as the Director of Player Development for his alma mater from 2012-2019. His son, Mario Edwards, Jr., followed in his footsteps by winning a National Championship with the 'Noles and making it to the NFL.

2001

Round 1, Pick 10 by the Green Bay Packers-- Jamal Reynolds, Defensive End: An injury-plagued beginning prevented Reynolds from living up to his expectations, and he recorded only 3 career sacks in 3 seasons.

Round 1, Pick 28 by the Oakland Raiders-- Derrick Gibson, Strong Safety: Gibson's 6-year career featured 3 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 194 tackles.

Round 2, Pick 42 by the St. Louis Rams-- Tommy Polley, Linebacker: Polley was a 6-year pro that played for the Rams and the Baltimore Ravens. He was responsible for 386 tackles, 6 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 4 interceptions as a pro.

Round 3, Pick 67 by the San Diego Chargers-- Tay Cody, Cornerback: Cody played 3 seasons for the Chargers and grabbed 2 interceptions to go along with 66 tackles. He also had a 4-year CFL career, playing with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Round 3, Pick 77 by the Kansas City Chiefs-- Marvin Minnis, Wide Receiver: "Snoop" played 2 seasons with the Chiefs, and had 34 catches for 515 yards and a score. He then played a season for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

Round 3, Pick 83 by the St. Louis Rams-- Brian Allen, Linebacker: Primarily a special teams player, Allen spent one season with the Rams, and 3 with the Carolina Panthers.

Round 3, Pick 85 by the Miami Dolphins-- Travis Minor, Running Back: Minor played in Miami for 6 years, before closing out his career with a 2-year run with the St. Louis Rams. He scored 8 touchdowns and ran for 1,230 yards in his career.

Round 4, Pick 106 by the Carolina Panthers-- Chris Weinke, Quarterback: The 1999 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback didn't have the same amount of success in the NFL, but he did have a 7-year career. He spent 6 seasons with the Panthers before playing his last season for the San Francisco 49ers. He thew for 3,904 yards and 15 touchdowns as a pro. Weinke began his coaching journey in 2010, and now serves as the quarterbacks coach for the team that FSU played in the 1998 BCS National Championship game, the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

Round 7, Pick 242 by the Dallas Cowboys-- Char-ron Dorsey, Tackle: Dorsey was in the NFL for 2 years, with that time being spent with the Cowboys and the Houston Texans.

2002

Round 1, Pick 20 by the Green Bay Packers-- Javon Walker, Wide Receiver: Walker turned his first-round selection into an 8-year career, which included two 1,000+ yard seasons and a Pro Bowl selection. He played with the Packers, Denver Broncos, and the Oakland Raiders while in the pros, and finished with 4,011 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Round 3, Pick 94 by the Pittsburgh Steelers-- Chris Hope, Free Safety: A 2008 Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XL champion, Hope played 11 seasons in the League, recording 20 interceptions, 4 sacks, and 716 tackles. He was a member of the Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and the Atlanta Falcons during his time as a pro.

Round 6, Supplemental Pick by the Houston Texans-- Milford Brown, Guard: A 7-year veteran, Brown started 47 of the 53 games he played for the Texans, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

2003

Round 2, Pick 54 by the Arizona Cardinals-- Anquan Boldin, Wide Receiver: Coming out of the gates with 217 yards receiving in his first NFL game, Boldin would go on to win the 2003 NFL Rookie of the Year Award. He didn't stop there, however, as he then assembled a resumé that is sure to land him in the Hall of Fame. The 3-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl XLVII champion, and 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner is 9th all-time in receptions with 1,076, 14th all-time in receiving yards with 13,779, and tied for 24th with 82 touchdowns. Boldin played 7 seasons in Arizona, 3 with both the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, and his last season with the Detroit Lions.

Round 2, Pick 59 by the Pittsburgh Steelers-- Alonzo Jackson, Linebacker: Jackson was primarily a special teams player in his 3-year career with the Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants.

Round 4, Pick 102 by the New Orleans Saints-- Montrea Holland, Guard: Holland was a 9-year pro for the Saints, Denver Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys. He started 60 of the 99 games in which he played.

Round 4, Pick 113 by the Kansas City Chiefs-- Brett Williams, Tackle: Williams played in 5 games during his two seasons with the Chiefs.

Round 7, Pick 225 by the Tennessee Titans-- Todd Williams, Tackle: Williams played in 7 games during his 3-year career.

Round 7, Pick 231 by the New Orleans Saints-- Talman Gardner, Wide Receiver: Gardner recorded 4 catches for 52 yards in his 2-year NFL career. He also played with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL and the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League.

2004

Round 2, Pick 53 by the Seattle Seahawks-- Michael Boulware, Strong Safety: Just like big brother Peter, Michael would follow up his strong FSU career by getting drafted into the NFL. The younger Boulware would go on to have a 4-year career and accrue 186 tackles, 11 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 3 sacks. He played 3 seasons for Seattle before finishing his career in Houston with the Texans.

Round 2, Pick 55 by the Jacksonville Jaguars-- Greg Jones, Fullback: Jones would find success in the NFL at the fullback position after playing running back for FSU. His 9-year career included being a Pro Bowl selection in 2007, the year after he missed an entire season due to an ACL injury. Jones tallied 1,384 total yards and 13 touchdowns in the pros. After spending the first 8 years in Jacksonville, he played his last season with the Houston Texans.

Round 3, Pick 64 by the Arizona Cardinals-- Darnell Dockett, Defensive Tackle: Dockett turned his 3rd-round pick into a 10-year career, which included 3 Pro Bowl selections and one 2nd-Team All-Pro choice. He tied a record for most sacks in a Super Bowl with 3 in Super Bowl XLIII, and recorded 40.5 sacks for his career, which was played entirely for the Cards.

Round 4, Pick 107 by the Indianapolis Colts-- Kendyll Pope, Linebacker: Pope was with the Colts for 2 seasons.

Round 5, Pick 164 by the New England Patriots-- P.K. Sam, Wide Receiver: Sam was with the Patriots for 2 seasons before shifting his career to the CFL, where he played for the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders.

2005

Round 1, Pick 16 by the Houston Texans-- Travis Johnson, Defensive Tackle: "Trap" played 6 seasons in the NFL with the Texans and the San Diego Chargers. He recorded 136 tackles and 3 sacks as a pro.

Round 1, Pick 19 by the St. Louis Rams-- Alex Barron, Tackle: After 5 seasons with the Rams, Barron played his final NFL year with the Dallas Cowboys. He started 75 of the 87 games in which he appeared.

Round 2, Pick 62 by the Pittsburgh Steelers-- Bryant McFadden, Cornerback: McFadden captured 2 Super Bowl rings during his 6 seasons with the Steelers, and also played a season with the Arizona Cardinals. He snatched 9 interceptions to go along with his 295 tackles and 4 sacks in his career.

Round 4, Pick 105 by the Seattle Seahawks-- Ray Willis, Tackle: Willis had an 8-year career, only seeing playing time with Seattle. He started 26 of the 44 games in which he played.

Round 4, Pick 116 by the Kansas City Chiefs-- Craphonso Thorpe, Wide Receiver: After bouncing around the league on various practice squads, Thorpe saw his only game action with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007. He also played in the CFL and UFL.

Round 4, Pick 117 by the St. Louis Rams-- Jerome Carter, Safety: Carter was a 4-year pro with the Rams, where he grabbed 2 interceptions, before playing with the Florida Tuskers and Virginia Destroyers of the UFL.

Round 4, Pick 128 by the Atlanta Falcons-- Chauncey Davis, Defensive End: Davis was an 8-year veteran of the NFL, playing for the Falcons and the Chicago Bears. He amassed 10 sacks in his career.

Round 5, Pick 152 by the New Orleans Saints-- Adrian McPherson, Quarterback: McPherson had an interesting journey after leaving FSU. He played a season in the Arena Football League before the Saints drafted him, and won the AFL Rookie of the Year Award. He spent two years in New Orleans, before leaving the NFL for a return to the AFL, where he had a very solid career. He threw for 11,108 yards, 193 passing touchdowns, rushed for 1,266 yards, and had 73 rushing touchdowns in his time in the AFL. He also had 2 stints in the CFL, where he won 2 Grey Cups with the Montreal Alouettes.

Round 6, Pick 186 by the New York Giants-- Eric Moore, Defensive End: Moore played 7 seasons for the Giants, New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, and the New England Patriots, and also had two stints with the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL during that time. While in the NFL, he made 45 tackles and recorded 4 sacks.

2006

Round 1, Pick 9 by the Detroit Lions-- Ernie Sims, Linebacker: Tallahassee native Ernie Sims still remains the highest rated recruit to play for the 'Noles, and he turned that into an 8-year NFL career. After 4 seasons in Detroit, Sims played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and Dallas Cowboys. His NFL run saw him make 622 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and collect 6 forced fumbles.

Round 1, Pick 13 by the Cleveland Browns-- Kamerion Wimbley, Defensive End: Wimbley played for 3 teams during his 9 seasons in the NFL; the Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Tennessee Titans all benefited from his pass-rushing abilities. By the time he retired, he had brought down opposing quarterbacks 53.5 times.

Round 1, Pick 14 by the Philadelphia Eagles-- Brodrick Bunkley, Defensive Tackle: Like his FSU defensive line comrade Wimbley, Bunkley had a 9-year NFL career. He played for the Eagles, Denver Broncos, and New Orleans Saints, and recorded 8.5 sacks from the interior.

Round 1, Pick 19 by the San Diego Chargers-- Antonio Cromartie, Cornerback: Another Tallahassee native, Cromartie had a very productive NFL career. He was a 4-time Pro Bowl selection and made first-team All-Pro in 2007, when he led the league in interceptions with 10. "Cro" also is tied for the longest play in NFL history, after he returned a missed field goal 109 yards. His 11-year career with the Chargers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Indianapolis Colts was highlighted by his 31 career interceptions.

Round 3, Pick 95 by the Pittsburgh Steelers-- Willie Reid, Wide Receiver: Reid saw limited playing time in 2 seasons with the Steelers.

Round 4, Pick 117 by the New York Jets-- Leon Washington, Running Back: One of the most dangerous special teams weapons of all-time, Washington is tied for the NFL record for kickoffs returned for a touchdown, with 8 in his career. He played 9 seasons in the League, spending time with the Jets, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans. He accumulated 3,557 combined rushing/receiving yards on offense and 20 total touchdowns, but had 9,346 yards between kickoff and punt returns. Washington is currently a part of the Detroit Lions coaching staff.

Round 5, Pick 138 by the Dallas Cowboys-- Pat Watkins, Safety: Antonio Cromartie's high school and collegiate teammate also joined him in the NFL, as Watkins played 4 seasons in Dallas, and one in San Diego. After his NFL stint went flat, he found himself in the CFL, where he played 5 seasons between the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos. He was a 3-time CFL All-Star and a 2-time Grey Cup champion.

Round 5, Pick 157 by the Cincinnati Bengals-- AJ Nicholson, Linebacker: Nicholson was with the Bengals for 1 season, and then spent 2 seasons in the Indoor Football League.

2007

Round 1, Pick 15 by the Pittsburgh Steelers-- Lawrence Timmons, Linebacker: 10 of Timmons's professional seasons were spent with the Steelers, as he was with the Miami Dolphins for his last season. Timmons won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers, and was selected to the Pro Bowl and 2nd-team All-Pro in 2014. His career tallies are 1,065 tackles, 35.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, and 12 interceptions.

Round 3, Pick 69 by the Arizona Cardinals-- Buster Davis, Linebacker: Davis never played for the Cardinals, but did make appearances for the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts over 2 seasons. He also went on to play in the United Football League and the National Arena League.

Round 3, Pick 71 by the Miami Dolphins-- Lorenzo Booker, Running Back: Booker had stints with the Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota Vikings over his 6 years in the NFL. He also had a brief spell in the UFL in 2010.

Round 3, Pick 91 by the Oakland Raiders-- Mario Henderson, Tackle: Henderson had a 5-season NFL career with the Raiders and San Diego Chargers, and started 28 games. He then had a 4-year arena football run.

Round 4, Pick 128 by the Tennessee Titans-- Chris Davis, Wide Receiver: Davis was in the NFL for 3 seasons, then played in 4 different professional football leagues.

2008

Round 3, Pick 87 by the Detroit Lions-- Andre Fluellen, Defensive Tackle: Primarily a backup, Fluellen spent time with the Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills in his 8-year career.

Round 5, Pick 152 by the Minnesota Vikings-- Letroy Guion, Defensive Tackle: Despite leaving FSU early after starting only 14 games in 3 years, Guion was able to enjoy a 9-year NFL career. Guion started 66 games for the Vikings and Green Bay Packers, and recorded 8.5 sacks for his career.

Round 6, Pick 175 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-- Geno Hayes, Linebacker: The undersized, hard-hitting Hayes played 7 seasons in the NFL for the Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He recorded 401 tackles, 10 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, and 6 interceptions as a pro.

2009

Round 2, Pick 43 by the Carolina Panthers-- Everette Brown, Defensive End: A direct result of the "lost decade", the Seminoles saw Everette Brown as their only selection in the 2009 draft. Brown played for 5 teams over his 7-year career: the Panthers, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins. Brown was never able to make much of an impact on the field in the NFL, but is working on finding success on the sideline; he has been an assistant linebackers coach since 2019.

The other pieces in this series: