Three Former FSU Standouts Appear In NFL Analyst's Top 50 Draft Prospect Rankings

Jared Verse, Keon Coleman, and Braden Fiske all transferred to Florida State and blossomed into stars.

Three former Florida State football players have appeared in the recent top 40 NFL Draft prospect rankings from NFL Media analyst, Daniel Jeremiah.

Defensive end Jared Verse comes in at #14 on the list, wide receiver Keon Coleman landed the #36 spot, and defensive tackle Braden Fiske found himself in the #45 position.

Writing about Verse, Jeremiah labels the former Albany transfer as a “twitched-up edge rusher.”

He states, "Verse is a rugged, twitched-up edge rusher with a thick/powerful build. At Florida State, he moved around the defensive front. Against the pass, he explodes off the edge and tries to run right through offensive tackles, doing so in two different ways: 1) He will stutter to get OTs off balance and then charge right through with his hands; or 2) he'll simply bury his head into the blocker's chest and walk him right back to the quarterback.”

Jeremiah continues, “He has also been effective using a chop/swim move and occasional inside counter. He doesn't have elite bend at the top of his rush. When aligned inside, he relies more on his quickness to work the edge of an offensive guard. Against the rush, he is stout at the point of attack. He closes the back door quickly on runs away from him with great speed and effort. Overall, Verse is not only a productive pass rusher -- he's a violent tempo setter for the defense.”

Verse’s career at Florida State was filled with dominant play and an impressive stat sheet to go alongside it. In 15 games played for the Seminoles, Verse recorded 45 solo tackles, 89 total tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, and 18 sacks. He posted 4.5 sacks, 12 total tackles, and six tackles for loss in his final two games against Florida on the road and Louisville in Charlotte (ACC Championship Game).

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While discussing Keon Coleman, the NFL Media analyst described the former FSU wide receiver’s play as “nuanced.”

“A big, physical wideout with average play speed, Coleman has the versatility to play inside and outside. He is a smooth and fluid route runner with some nuance to his game. He understands how to use his body to keep defenders on his back and attack the ball in front of his frame. He doesn't have ideal vertical speed, but he can play above the rim and make contested catches. He also might have the best highlight reel in this draft class, with one-handed wow catches littered throughout his tape.

“After the catch, he is competitive to fight for extra yards and will occasionally hurdle defenders. He's an excellent athlete. Overall, Coleman lacks ideal speed to separate, but he makes a lot of big plays in crowded environments and should be a red-zone menace at the next level,” said Jeremiah.

During his time at FSU, Coleman recorded 50 receptions for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Of Braden Fiske, Daniel Jeremiah said that he was "disruptive in every game" that he's analyzed.

"Fiske is an explosive, versatile defensive lineman. He aligns up and down the defensive front and he’s very disruptive in every game I’ve studied. As a pass rusher, he has a quick first step and he jolts blockers with his powerful hands. He doesn’t have long arms, but he still keeps blockers away from his chest. He flashes the ability to bull rush, but most of his wins come by working through the edges of opponents and not through their chest. In the run game, he has the balance/strength to hold up against double teams and the quickness to shoot gaps for negative plays. I love his effort/tenacity. Overall, Fiske is a competitive, athletic and impactful defensive lineman capable of starting right away," wrote Jeremiah.

During his first and only year in Tallahassee, Fiske recorded 43 tackles, six sacks, and nine tackles for loss.

His most impressive game on the stat sheet was the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. The Western Michigan transfer had nine total tackles, three sacks, and four and a half tackles for loss. The Seminoles won 16-6. Fiske and Co. deserved a lot of the credit for the win as the offense sputtered with third-string quarterback Brock Glenn making his first start.

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