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As the numbers in our countdown have neared single digits, the number of offensive skill position players have increased exponentially. 11 is a great example of this as each of the three most recognized No. 11s in Florida State history lined up at quarterback in their time as Seminoles.
That list begins with Casey Weldon, the only ‘Nole to win a national postseason award while donning the garnet and gold 11. Weldon was a two-year starter in Tallahassee but the season that he is remembered for at Florida State is his senior year, 1991. Weldon racked up 2,527 passing yards, good for third most in program history at that time and still good for 19th in FSU history today. His memorable season brought in a number of honors and awards for Weldon, who won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and came up just short of winning the Heisman, finishing as the runner-up to Michigan’s Desmond Howard. Weldon also earned a trio of first-team All-American nods and was named a first-team All-South Independents honor in Florida State’s final year in the conference before joining the ACC. Weldon’s 41 career passing touchdowns puts him at No. 10 on FSU’s all-time list and his 4,628 passing yards over his collegiate career is 12th most in school history. After college, Weldon was drafted in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fellow quarterback Kim Hammond was the first No. 11 of note in school history, earning a pair of second-team All-American spots in 1967, his final year at Florida State, before he was a sixth-round draft pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. More recently, Drew Weatherford was named a Freshman All-American in 2005, totaling 18 touchdowns in a campaign, tied for the 19th most in program history. Later in his collegiate career, Weatherford set a Florida State record that still stands today of 270 consecutive passes without an interception.
There are also a few non-QB No. 11s worth mentioning in this conversation. Devin Bush, a strong safety for Florida State from 1992-1994, was a two-time conference honoree, snagging a third-team All-ACC spot in 1993 before advancing onto the second team in 1994. Despite never earning being recognized on the national level during his time at FSU, Bush is far and away the highest drafted No. 11 in program history as he went 26th overall to the Atlanta Falcons in the 1995 NFL Draft. Immediately after Bush came Dexter Jackson, a skill position player who spent time at quarterback before switching to defense and joining the defense as a safety. Jackson was a three-time conference honoree, an honorable mention in 1996 and second-team spots in 1997 and 1998 on All-ACC teams. Jackson was then drafted in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Professionally, Jackson has the rare distinction of being named a Super Bowl MVP for his stellar showing in Tampa’s sole Super Bowl victory, Super Bowl XXXVII.
The list goes on though as two additional Seminoles were drafted into the NFL even though they went without any recognition during their time at Florida State. Roy Thompson was one of the first Seminoles drafted when he was a 12th round selection in the 1952 Draft and linebacker Vince Williams, older brother of former FSU running back Karlos Williams, was taken in the sixth round of the 2013 Draft.
The other Seminoles to wear No. 11 are:
- Lee Corso (1954)
- Ted Rodrigue (1956-1957)
- Bob Conrad (1959)
- Billy Hampton (1959)
- John Massey (1960)
- Charlie Calhoun (1962-1963)
- H.T. Waller (1964)
- Rick Anderson (1968)
- Duanne Carrell (1969)
- Frank Fontes (1969)
- Fred Geisler (1970-1971)
- Jim Everett (1972-1975)
- Ryale Lee (1976)
- Steve Dykes (1977)
- Rick Stockstill (1978-1981)
- Kirk Coker (1983-1985)
- Wes Hardin (1986)
- Alan Stewart (1986-1987)
- Jared Jones (1999-2000)
- Gerald Ross (2001-2004)
- Sean Maguire (2012)
- John Franklin III (2013-2014)
- Derrick Mitchell Jr. (2013-2015)
- George Campbell (2015-present)
- Janarius Robinson (2016)