Daniel Lyons Out To Prove He's 'That Guy' For FSU Football

Over the last four years, the Seminoles have had five defensive linemen selected in the NFL Draft; Jermaine Johnson II, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Joshua Farmer, and Darrell Jackson.

Redshirt senior defensive tackle Daniel Lyons played side-by-side with four of those former Seminoles. He watched each of them put in the work off the field and perform on the field to make it to the professional level, while becoming difference-makers for Florida State in the process.

Lyons was close by whenever Verse and Fiske delivered a combined 15 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks to push Florida State to a 16-6 victory against Louisville in the 2023 ACC Championship, clinching a 13-0 season.

Going into his final campaign in Tallahassee, Lyons is hoping to follow a similar path. He's committed himself to the game, even bringing in a private chef to tweak his diet. Lyons is in the best shape of his career with the 2026 season waiting in the wings.

Daniel Lyons Out To Prove He's 'That Guy' For Florida State

On Friday, Lyons was a dominant force during Florida State's first practice in pads. He's the elder statesman in the room, and one of the most experienced Seminoles on the entire roster.

Lyons understands FSU is looking for him to be a key player on defense, and he's hungry to answer the call.

"I got a lot to prove still," Lyons said. "A lot to prove to me, people in the building, my coaches, my teammates, and people in my room."

As far as what exactly he wants to prove in the preseason and throughout the fall, Lyons wants to show everyone how good he can be.

"That I'm that. That I'm really like that. I'm that," Lyons said. "Relentless, everything. I'm just that player, I'm just that guy."

With over 60 new players on the team, Lyons has stepped into a leadership role. He tries to set an example for everyone else, but isn't afraid to use his voice when necessary, and he says others do the same thing.

"Being a leader, I just lead by example. As an example, I work hard. I try to push everybody," Lyons said. If I see somebody slacking, I'll say something to them. Even if they see me slacking, say something to me. It's vice versa."

One major thing that Lyons pointed out, and something that has been a common denominator among other Seminoles, is that there are no egos.

That makes it a lot easier for players to have tough conversations without people getting their feelings hurt.

"It helps us. There's no "ME" guys," Lyons said. "If I say something to you, it's not that I'm trying to criticize you or down talk you, I'm trying to make you better because we've got to be one."

"I should be able to talk to you and say something without you getting mad, and you should be able to say something to me," Lyons added. "Old, young, no matter what."

Last season, Lyons totaled a career-high 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. He was named FSU's most improved player on defense.

During his four years with the Seminoles, Lyons has appeared in 42 games, and made 13 starts. He's recorded 71 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, and 1 forced fumble.

Lyons noted that he believes redshirt freshman defensive tackle Kevin Wynn is ready to contribute this season. He's also confident in the progression of true freshmen Franklin Whitley, Jaemin Pinckney, and Judah Daniels.

Florida State practices for the fourth time this preseason on Sunday.

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