FSU Football Fans Will Love Why Their Top Transfer Picked This Jersey Number

There has been a fair share of NFL Hall of Famers who donned Garnet and Gold throughout the years alongside All-Americans, Heisman Trophy winners, College Football Hall of Famers, and national champions. Having players like Jameis Winston, Charlie Ward, Deion Sanders, Walter Jones, and LeRoy Butler all leave their stamp on the program creates a legacy tied to the numbers they wore in Tallahassee.

Those players have become idols for aspiring young athletes hoping to follow in their footsteps, and one linebacker on the current roster jumped at the opportunity to wear one of the great numbers in Florida State tradition.

Chris Jones Embraces Legacy of an FSU Great

Junior linebacker Chris Jones transferred from Southern Miss this past offseason after a productive year with the Golden Eagles. Last season, he ranked among the top 10 tacklers in the FBS, recording 135 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two pass deflections, and one interception.

Now, he’ll look to build on that production in the ACC while aiming to follow in the footsteps of former Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks.

"When I got here, I didn't remember which number they were going to try to give me. It may have been five," Jones said to the media on Friday. "Derrick Brooks, he wore number 10 here, and that's a big number here. And I respect that number because in my opinion, the number should be retired."

"He's one of the greatest of all time. One of the guys I watch. So it's an honor to wear that number, and I want to uphold the standard wearing that number, especially because of who wore it here. Derrick Brooks," Jones added.

Long before Jones arrived in Tallahassee, Brooks built a legacy that still resonates throughout the program today.

Derrick Brooks' Legendary Football Career

Aug 28, 1993; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Florida State Seminoles linebacker (10) Derrick Brooks in action against Kansas during the 1993 Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Before Brooks was an 11-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl Champion, Defensive Player of the Year, and Hall of Famer, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner sank his teeth into the gridiron at Florida State.

As a four-year letterman (1991-1994) with the Seminoles, Brooks earned first-team All-ACC honors three times and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 1993, helping FSU to its first national title in program history. He was also a unanimous All-American in 1993 and a consensus All-American in 1994 before being selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. After a Hall of Fame career in Tampa, he was voted the best player in franchise history.

During his career at Florida State, Brooks totaled 274 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks while forcing four fumbles and recovering two. He also blocked two kicks and scored three defensive touchdowns.

Now, Jones will try to carry that legacy forward while wearing the same number Brooks once made historic in Tallahassee.

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