The year changes, but the story stays the same. Florida State dominated the 2015 NFL Draft in ways that few other teams could claim. In fact, no team can claim the most players drafted, as it belongs to the Seminoles with 11.
FSU also broke the 3-year modern draft record with 29 players selected overall, putting them just above the 2002-2004 Miami teams and the 2008-2010 USC teams. This included having a player drafted at every offensive position in a single draft (QB, RB, T, G, C, WR, TE). There’s almost no way the ‘Noles could have had more success than they already did — broken records and leading all schools in selections make a pretty high standard to live up to.
Not everything was peachy though. FSU fans found themselves wondering where their players were many times throughout the draft. Some guys seemed to be all but forgotten by teams while other guys found their names called much earlier than some were expecting. Thankfully, almost all of them found a spot, but it wasn’t without some of the good ole drama we expect from the NFL these days.
With that in mind, we examine: Which guys tumbled, which ones rose, and which selections surprised us:
Josue Matias Went Undrafted
In what was the most surprising draft development for Seminoles, Matias was left on the board at the end of the seventh round. Matias was projected to go anywhere from the third to the fifth round depending on how the rush for offensive linemen went. Him not being drafted sent questions whirling around like whether or not he had a medical problem not widely known or if his combine numbers really did hurt him that much. At the time, many just thought he experienced a draft day fall.
It turns out that the medical problem suspicion had more credibility to it than previously known. Bud Elliot of Tomahawk Nation reported that Matias’ shoulder caused him to fail multiple physicals and was the main reason he dropped out of the draft. In lieu of other explanation, we’re inclined to take his word for it.
Part of the allure with Matias was the fact that he relied on technique over power. A lot of guards and other offensive line prospects glide by on pure size and get a rude awakening when they face their first NFL caliber opponent. While he surely would have had growing pains like anybody else, Matias’ issues could have been solved in the weight room and alleviated with a good offseason training program. It’s disappointing to see him not even get drafted, but a team will be getting a potential starter for the cost of an undrafted free agent. If Matias is to be believed, that team will be the Tennessee Titans.
TALLAHASSEE, FL – SEPTEMBER 20: Rashad Greene #80 of the Florida State Seminoles runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers at Doak Campbell Stadium on September 20, 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Rashad Greene Made It All the Way to the Fifth Round
Many FSU fans wanted to see Greene be a second round pick because of his college consistency, but it’s important to realize that teams value potential much more than most people realize. It wasn’t shocking that he didn’t hear his name called in the second or the third round and many serious draft followers shouldn’t have been all that surprised by it. However, it did start to get worrying when the fourth round rolled by and Greene was still left on the board.
Perhaps it wasn’t so much the fifth round selection that puzzled us — it was probably the guys getting picked over him that raised some eyebrows like Duke’s Jamison Crowder, who is listed at 5’9″ and 175 pounds. We won’t know how the picks pan out for a few years, but it’s not a stretch to say that Greene will provide more value than at least a handful of guys selected before him.
Thankfully, it wasn’t too much of a slip for Greene and he was still selected early in the fifth. The Jacksonville Jaguars needed some help at the position and it looks like they are the perfect team for him to get experience with while contributing early. Many Seminole fans wanted to see their guys be recognized early and can’t see how some players get chosen over them. While it is understood that more athletically gifted guys get looks before him, it is also understood that Greene had the production and technique to impress coaches. There’s a very good chance that this is not the last we hear of him.
during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2015 in Pasadena, California.
Karlos Williams Got Selected in the Fifth Round
It’s always a pleasant surprise when a player gets selected earlier than most expected. It means that a team saw his potential and felt that they could make him into the player they want him to be. Everyone knew Karlos Williams had great athleticism and ability to amaze onlookers, but questions still surrounded his transition to running back and where exactly he would contribute on an NFL team.
The Buffalo Bills, who now have five former Seminoles on their roster, decided that they were the team who could use him most effectively. While he will most likely be used solely on special teams, the fact that Williams was able to impress a team enough to take him in the fifth round is a good sign. Williams might never be the feature back, but he has the opportunity to be a stable part of a team’s roster.
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 07: Wide receiver Kenny Shaw #81 celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Bobby Hart #51 of the Florida State Seminoles in the third quarter against the Duke Blue Devils during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 7, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Bobby Hart Got Drafted
This selection looks even more odd because of Matias not getting drafted at all, which might be a bit unfair to Hart. The main knocks were that he was underdeveloped and playing out of position since he was a tackle at FSU but will project as a guard in the NFL. These are still relevant concerns, but it all goes back to the idea of potential that many teams follow closely. Hart does have room to grow as a guard and that is what matters.
To recap, Hart was fairly good at run-blocking but still couldn’t get his pass protection down. He was often times stiff and had limited range of movement when trying to fend off linemen. Thankfully for him, he’s only 20 years old and has NFL size at 6’5″ and 329 pounds. The New York Giants liked enough of what they saw and felt they could mold him into a professional caliber player, and so they drafted him. It may have shocked us, but it made sense.
Thankfully, there weren’t many shocking developments for Florida State players in the 2015 NFL Draft. The rest of FSU’s eligible prospects were picked within their projected range. That’s the beauty of the draft: Even though you usually know where your favorite players are going to get selected, you’re still excited to see them get picked. Though maybe not as excited as their teammates…
‘Noles fans should celebrate while they can. Although next season might be a bit rough due to the amount of talent departing, it’s important to appreciate the fact that the team was in a position to do so in the first place.
