FSU NFL mock draft roundup: Could the Seminoles make history this week?

Given the down nature of the Florida State football program until the last few seasons, it's not a surprise that the Seminoles haven't churned out many NFL Draft picks over the last few years.

FSU had just one player drafted each of the last two years and nine total players selected in the last five drafts combined.

After a number of Seminole standouts decided to return for the 2023 season, however, leading FSU to a 13-0 regular season and the first ACC Championship since 2014, that should change this week in a major way.

Twelve former Seminoles were invited to February's NFL Scouting Combine -- third-most nationally -- and just about all of them will have the opportunity to hear their names called during this week's draft, which begins Thursday night with the first round, continues Friday with the second and third rounds and concludes Saturday with rounds four through seven.

The FSU record for most players taken in a single draft is 11 in both 2013 and 2015. How close can this year's draft class come to that record?

Here's what a number of extensive mock drafts from national outlets say about where and when the FSU alums could be selected in this week's draft.

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid released his final mock draft Monday, making all 257 selections across seven rounds. In his mock, he has nine Seminoles getting drafted.

That begins with Jared Verse as the first FSU player off the board, as expected at No. 19 to the Los Angeles Rams.

Wide receiver Keon Coleman is next, landing just outside the first round at pick No. 34 (the second of the second round) to the New England Patriots.

Defensive tackle Braden Fiske is the third player picked later in the second round at No. 55 overall to the Miami Dolphins.

Reid also projects running back Trey Benson to come off the board Friday night with the No. 69 overall pick (No. 5 in the third round) to the Los Angeles Chargers. Reid projects Benson as the second running back taken after Jonathan Brooks from Texas.

Cornerback Renardo Green goes just after Benson in Reid's mock, No. 77 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, bringing FSU's tally of players taken on Friday in Reid's mock to four.

After he has no FSU players being selected in the fourth round, Reid has wide receiver Johnny Wilson going with the first pick of the fifth round (No. 136 overall) to the Denver Broncos. Cornerback Jarrian Jones goes later in the fifth round (No. 157 overall) to the Minnesota Vikings.

Fabien Lovett is the eighth Seminole selected with the second pick of the sixth round (No. 178 overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And last but certainly not least, Reid has FSU quarterback Jordan Travis as his Mr. Irrelevant (the title given to the last player taken in each year's draft) with the 257th and final pick of the draft by the New York Jets.

While the title is a bit harsh, it's said lovingly and it bears mentioning that former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant two years ago and just led the 49ers to a Super Bowl.

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter also recently released a full seven-round mock draft. Reuter has the Seminoles tying the program record with 11 players selected in this year's draft, including four third-round picks.

Verse is again first off the board, with the Eagles trading up to No. 16 to take the FSU edge-rusher.

In the second round, Reuter has the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Fiske at No. 48 overall (No. 16 pick of the second round).

In the third round, he has Benson going No. 71 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, Jones going No. 75 overall to the Indianapolis Colts, Wilson going No. 82 overall to the Colts as well and Coleman going No. 84 overall to the Steelers.

Renardo Green is joining Coleman in Pittsburgh as the No. 119 overall pick in the fourth round of this mock.

Tight end Jaheim Bell is mocked to go No. 168 overall in the fifth round to the New Orleans Saints followed by Jordan Travis at No. 185 overall in the sixth round to the Jets and safety Akeem Dent at No. 220 overall with the final pick of the sixth round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Finally, Reuter has Lovett going No. 228 overall in the seventh round to the Baltimore Ravens to round out what he has as a quite busy three days for former Seminoles in the draft.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic also shared a full seven-round mock last week, which projects 10 FSU alums to be drafted.

Verse is again first and again falls at No. 19 overall to the Rams. However, Brugler has Coleman as the second Seminole off the board to the Chargers at No. 37 overall (No. 5 pick of the second round).

Fiske follows behind as the third Seminole taken at No. 61 overall late in the second round to the Detroit Lions.

Benson kicks off FSU's third round at No. 70 overall to the New York Giants, the third running back selected in Brugler's mock.

After no FSU players are picked in his fourth round, he then sees a run of Seminoles in the fifth round. Green is picked by the Jaguars at No. 144 and then Wilson goes the very next pick at No. 145 to the Broncos. After one off pick, Lovett is then picked at No. 147, marking three Seminoles drafted in a span of four picks.

Brugler has Bell going early in the sixth round at No. 182 overall to the Tennessee Titans followed shortly thereafter in the sixth round by Jones at No. 190 overall to the Saints and Travis at No. 192 overall to the Seattle Seahawks.

PFF changed things up a bit by dividing 32 of its draft analysts up and asking them to make selections for one team each. Like ESPN, PFF lands on nine FSU players being taken.

PFF makes it a clean sweep with Verse picked first among the Seminoles but a bit lower than the others at No. 23 overall by the Minnesota VIkings.

After that, Coleman is second off the board at No. 51 overall in the second round as the Patriots trade up with the Steelers to bolster their receiver room.

Fiske goes just a few picks later at No. 54 overall in the second round as the Falcons trade up with the Browns to take him.

Jumping to Round 3, PFF has Green going No. 77 overall to the Raiders to begin a run of third-round FSU picks. Wilson goes No. 93 overall to the Ravens, Jones goes No. 97 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals and Benson goes No. 99 overall to the Rams, giving FSU seven players selected in the first three rounds of this mock.

Bell is the next FSU player off the board at No. 130 overall near the end of the fourth round with the Browns trading up for the pick.

Travis is the final Seminole selected in the middle of the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals at No. 185 overall, with them trading up to make him a potential backup for Kyler Murray.

Follow The Osceola on Facebook

Follow The Osceola on Twitter

Subscribe to the Osceola's YouTube channel

Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Apple