FSU Football Star Braden Fiske Identifies Two NFL Teams Where He'd Be Great Fit
Where will the former Seminole land in the 2024 NFL Draft?
The Florida State Seminoles were well-represented at the NFL Combine this offseason. It's no surprise, though. The team went 12-0 in the regular season before defeating Louisville in the ACC Championship to cap off an incredible season. Had Jordan Travis not gone down with a season-ending injury, the Seminoles would have been in the final four-team College Football Playoffs, and they should have been anyway.
One of the team's impact players that also happened to star at the NFL Combine was defensive tackle Braden Fiske, who was a fifth-year transfer for the Seminoles last season. His combine performance has him as one of the 2024 NFL Draft's risers.
READ MORE: FSU Football Legend Returning To Tallahassee As Defensive Analyst
The 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle was among the most impressive at his position doing physical drills at the combine, highlighted by his 4.78 second 40-yard dash. After his perfromance, many mock drafts see him being a second-round draft selection. Beforehand, it seemed he could be drafted as late as the fifth-round.
"I'm not necessarily surprised," said Fiske during an interview with DJ Siddiqi. "That was the expectation going into the Combine. I want to put up great numbers. Did I expect to dominate in every asset? I humbly say yeah, just because I trained so hard for it."
Fiske totaled 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks during his lone season in Tallahassee after transferring from Western Michigan, where he spent four years. The defensive tackle lists two potential NFL destinations where he can envision himself playing. The first of the two he listed was the Las Vegas Raiders.
"The one that stands out to me the most is the Raiders," Fiske explained. "That's because Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins are over there and just the style of play that the Raiders have with coach Antonio Pierce. They get after it on defense and they play with a different type of culture. It fits a lot of the way I play. If I could just add to that, playing next to guys like Crosby and Wilkins, they both fly to the ball and that's a big part of my game."
While the Raiders are the team that stands out most to Fiske, he lists the Texans as another potential good fit. His reason for it, though, is different for Houston.
"Houston, because of how they're going to play football is very similar to how I play ball. I can get after it with those guys," Fiske continued. "That's a young up-and-coming team and everything. It'd be super cool to add to something like that."
Both teams, for different reasons, would pose a fun opportunity for Fiske. They each have different cultures that Fiske could dive into and embrace, which makes them fun potential fits. Evidently, though, Fiske just wants a shot in the NFL, understanding he has full confidence to make things work.
"All 32 teams would be great opportunities, just to get my foot in the door somewhere," Fiske said. "I have full belief I can make it happen. Anywhere is a great opportunity."
It's incredible to watch the former Seminole garner so much interest and respect in the draft process -- having talked to all 32 teams -- and it'll be just as exciting to watch his journey once he's officially in the league.
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