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How amazing has the talent been at Florida State? The Seminoles’ all-time sacks leader didn’t crack the top 15 in our countdown of the top ’Noles in program history.
And that’s Reinard Wilson, who terrorized opposing quarterbacks from 1993-1996. Wilson flashed immediately after heading to Tallahassee from Lake City to collect a national championship ring in 1993. He followed that up by registering double-digit sacks in 1994.
As a junior in 1995, much to the detriment of ACC QBs, Wilson continued to show off his effective blend of power and speed, compiling nine more quarterback takedowns. Paired with fellow DE Peter Boulware, the best defensive end combination in FSU history, Wilson ran roughshod through the league. As a result, he was named an honorable mention All-American by the AP and Football News, as well as a first-team All-ACC honoree.
Then came 1996, when Wilson, as a senior, decided to go All-America all over everybody’s asses (that's an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference, and if you don’t get it, you need to readjust your viewing priorities, because it’s pretty much our second language within the TN Slack chat). Not only did Wilson lead the ’Noles with 105 tackles on the nation’s best rush defense, he also racked up 13.5 sacks, tied for the fourth most in a single FSU season.
Accordingly, Wilson was a consensus All-American in ’96, after earning first-team nods from the AP, Football News, the Football Writers of America Association, the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News, and Walter Camp. He also repeated as a first-team All-ACC selection.
Wilson’s production saw him finish his FSU career with 35.5 sacks— the most ever amassed at Florida State. He was one of four Seminoles taken in the first-round of the 1997 NFL Draft, as he was chosen 14th, overall, by the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2009, Wilson was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame.
Check out some of this great Seminole’s highlights in the video below.