31 days to FSU football: Recent safety leads talk about the top ‘Nole 31

Exactly one month from today’s date, on September 5, the Florida State football team will open its 2016 season against Ole Miss in Orlando. Many eyes will be following Seminole running back Dalvin Cook. Others will be trained upon FSU safety Derwin James. And while both have certainly captured national attention, with regard to James, it’s not exactly been a long time since the garnet and gold boasted an elite back-end defender.

And that’s precisely where we begin today’s conversation. Florida State safety Terrence Brooks was an integral part of the Seminoles’ last national title team in 2013, the same season in which he was a first-team All-American per CBSSports.com and an Honorable Mention All-American according to SI.com. Brooks was also a second-team All-ACC pick that season, a year ahead of being drafted in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens.

The only other ‘Nole 31 to secure national honors was end Jimmy Lee Taylor, who in 1953 was an AP Little All-American Honorable Mention. Aside from Brooks, numerous other FSU 31s have been drafted, beginning with defensive back Billy Allen, whom the New Orleans Saints snagged in the fourth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. Up next is running back Marion Butts, a seventh-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1989; two years later, Butts gained Pro Bowl honors. And don’t forget about fellow rusher Lamarr Glenn, a sixth-round choice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1999.

The other garnet-and-gold 31s:

• Dick Peterson (1948-1949)
• Bill Cox (1965)
• Bill Gunter (1966-1968)
• Paul Migalski (1969-1971)
• Randy Kaiser (1972)
• Rudy Falana (1973-1974)
• Gator Cherry (1975-1979)
• Michael Tanks (1985)
• Stanley Hall (1986)
• Lavon Brown (1989-1992)
• Clarence Williams (1993)
• Bryant McFadden (2000)
• Dominic Robinson (2001)
• Thomas Clayton (2002)
• Roger Williams (2003)
• Toddrick Verdell (2006-2008)

Rock the vote: