2017 was a year to forget for Florida State fans. From barely sneaking into the postseason with a 6-6 mark to the departure of head coach Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M, not much went right this season.
One thing that's still consistent at FSU, however, is the incredible amount of NFL talent on the squad.
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COMPARE: Derwin James vs. Jaquan Johnson | Allenzae Staggers vs. Kalib Woods
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That potential NFL talent will be on display as the Seminoles finish their season against a Southern Miss squad that finished the year 8-4 and is looking to win a bowl game for the second consecutive year.
Here are the top 10 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on during this year's Walk-On's Independence Bowl, which you can catch on ESPN at 1:30 PT ET on December 27. As you might imagine, the majority of the prospects reign from Tallahassee.
| RANK | PLAYER | POS | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Derwin James | DB | Florida State |
| 2 | Tarvarus McFadden | CB | Florida State |
| 3 | Derrick Nnadi | DT | Florida State |
| 4 | Trey Marshall | SS | Florida State |
| 5 | Josh Sweat | DE | Florida State |
| 6 | Allenzae Staggers | WR | Southern Miss |
| 7 | Deondre Francois | QB | Florida State |
| 8 | Ryan Izzo | TE | Florida State |
| 9 | Parker Shaunfield | K | Southern Miss |
| 10 | Ricky Aguayo | K | Florida State |
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Derwin James
The incredibly talented defensive back announced recently that he is leaving FSU to enter the 2018 draft. The first-team, All-ACC selection had 84 tackles and two interceptions this year (one for a pick-six), and he is expected to be taken among the first defensive backs in next year's draft. He actually could go as high as the top 15 overall.
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Tarvarus McFadden
McFadden led the FBS in 2016 with eight interceptions, but didn't nab a single INT in 2017. He did finish the year with 27 tackles and is expected to be a top 5 defensive back selection should he go pro.
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Derrick Nnadi
Rated the number two defensive tackle in the country, Nnadi finished his career with 163 tackles (73 solo) and 12 sacks. Expect him to be a top 50 selection next April.
He's also an absolute beast in the weight room.
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