90 days to FSU football: Two elite defenders are top No. 90s in 'Nole history

With 90 days left until Florida State kicks off the 2016 season, today we're wrapping up our discussion of a number of defensive big men before moving on to players who wore jersey numbers in the 80s, primarily comprised of receivers and tight ends. But before we do, we've another stellar pair to lead up the debate as to the best player to wear the No. 90 in Florida State football history.

For me, the leader in the clubhouse is defensive end Derrick Alexander, who sported No. 90 from 1991-1994. Alexander helped the 'Noles to their first national championship in 1993, which was the first of two season for which he earned numerous All-American honors. That year he was a first-team All-American per the Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association, a second-teamer according to the UPI, a third-team AP selection, and a Football News sophomore All-American.

In 1994, he remained an FWAA first-team All-American and moved up to the first team for the AP and Walter Camp. He was a second-team honoree of both the UPI and The Sporting News and received an Honorable Mention from Scripps Howard. It goes without saying that Alexander was a first-team All-ACC selection in both 1993 and 1994. He was the first Seminole taken in the 1995 NFL Draft when the Minnesota Vikings picked him in the first round with the 11th overall selection.

More recently, defensive tackle Eddie Goldman made another strong claim at being the top No. 90 after donning that number from 2013-2014-- but unlike Alexander, his success was focused on a single year, not two of them. Still, what a year it was. In 2014, Goldman was an SI.com first-team All-American and an AP third-team choice. He was also on the All-ACC first team ahead of being a second-round selection of the Chicago Bears with the 39th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Defensive end Greg Spires wore No. 90 after Alexander, from 1995-1997. A solid player, Spires was a second-team All-ACC honoree in 1997 before being a third-round draft pick of the New England Patriots the following year. The first 'Nole 90 drafted was linebacker Bert Cooper, who was the lone Florida State player selected in 1975, when the New York Jets took him in the 12th round. And DE Kevin Emanuel deserves a nod here as well: he was a 2002 ACC All-Academic selection.

The other FSU 90s over the years:

• Bob Stewart (1958)
• Billy McPhillips (1972)
• Louis Richardson (1975)
• Edenbur Richardson (1977-1979)
• Allen Dale Campbell (1980-1982)
• Grady Martin (1984-1985)
• Lamar Williams (1986-1987)
• Eric McGill (1988-1989)
• Billy Glenn (1990)
• Scottie McLauren (1990-1991)
• Aaron Jones (2005)
• Moses McCray (2008-2012)
• Demarcus Christmas (2015-present)

But that's my take-- you can voice your opinion by voting and commenting below.