Mount Rushmore Mondays: Which four FSU defensive ends belong?

To help the offseason pass a bit faster Tomahawk Nation has been putting together a position-by-position Mount Rushmore, chosen by our readers, to determine the top four Seminoles by weighing everything from stats to accomplishments to historical significance.

Each Monday, we’ll post a poll for the Tomahawk Nation community to choose their top four Seminoles for that week’s position group. On Tuesday, various TN contributors will make their cases in a roundtable format and then finally, we’ll share final poll results each Wednesday to determine that position’s Mount Rushmore.

This week, we’re continuing the series by flipping over to the defensive side of the ball for the first time, kicking things off by looking at the defensive ends.

Check out a brief description under each player to read more about their accomplishments (alongside selections from our previous series revolving around the top 100 players in FSU history and the top 100 plays), then vote for your top four at the bottom and let us know the reasoning behind your choices in the comments.

Let the debate begin!

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Derrick Alexander

Unfortunately for offenses opposing Florida State defenses in the early 1990s, there wasn’t much of a prayer to live on. A big part of that was defensive end Derrick Alexander.

A Jacksonville recruit, Alexander made his way to Tallahassee in 1991 and redshirted before cracking the rotation in 1992. The Seminoles’ national title season of 1993 is when Alexander announced himself on the national scene. In FSU’s opener against Kansas in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Alexander was part of the epic goal-line stand that preserved Florida State’s shutout win over the Jayhawks.

This was arguably the greatest goal line stand ever in college football history:

Alexander and the ’93 defense authored four shutouts that season, tied for the most in program history, including one against 17th-ranked Clemson. But he saved his best for last, recording career-highs with 11 tackles and two tackles for loss against Nebraska in the national championship game.

After his breakout season, Alexander was named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association, a second-teamer per the UPI, and a third-teamer according to the AP. He was also a sophomore All-America selection by Football News, in addition to being a first-team All-ACC pick.

1994 saw Alexander take his game to the next level, maintaining his first-team All-ACC status while also being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and helping FSU to its third consecutive conference crown. The FWAA again awarded him first-team All-America honors, as did Walter Camp and the AP. He earned second-team recognition from the UPI and The Sporting News and gained an Honorable Mention from Scripps Howard. Oh, and Florida State shut out Clemson again.

Alexander chose to forego his final year of eligibility and it paid off: the Minnesota Vikings made him the 11th pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. He was the first of 10 ’Noles taken in that draft, ahead of fellow first-round picks Devin Bush and Derrick Brooks. In 2007, Alexander was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame.

Peter Boulware

The legendary Peter Boulware, hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, redshirted in 1993 when FSU won its first national championship. In his first taste of action the following year, Boulware recorded 37 tackles and five sacks despite only appearing in eight games and starting none.

He then kicked off the 1995 Sugar Bowl with a bone-crushing sack of Florida Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel, just one month after the Choke at Doak. FSU would win the rematch outright, 23-17.

The insanity of Boulware’s sophomore campaign at Florida State in 1995 was two-fold. The Seminoles’ bench was so deep that Boulware only started two games that year, yet he still led the ACC with 10 sacks along with another 46 tackles, eight of which were for a loss. Despite these numbers, Boulware was only named an honorable mention All-ACC player. So the following season, he left them no choice.

Boulware’s nation-leading 19 sacks in 1996 obliterated Ron Simmons’ single-season school record of 12 sacks set back in 1977. His 34 total career sacks are good for second in school history, just shy of Reinard Wilson’s 35.5. The 19 sacks accounted for over 100 yards lost for opposing offenses.

But sacks weren’t all Boulware did that year. He also recorded 68 tackles, 20 of which were tackles for loss. Oh yeah, and he blocked a kick against the Florida Gators.

He was named not only to the All-ACC team, but also as the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year, and the National Player of the Year by Football News. Last but not least, he garnered consensus All-American honors as the American Football Coaches Association, the Associated Press, Football News, the Football Writers Association, College & Pro Football Weekly, and The Sporting News all named him to the first team. Sports Illustrated later named Boulware to its All-20th Century team.

He was selected with the 4th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, where he would stay for his entire career. He won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award on the back of 11.5 sacks, and then in the following seasons collected four Pro Bowl nods, a second team All-Pro selection, and a Super Bowl ring following the 2000 season. The Ravens defense that year is widely considered one of the greatest in NFL history. The following season Boulware led the AFC conference in sacks. Following the 2005 season after issues with injuries Boulware retired as the Ravens’ all-time sack leader, which stood until 2011.

Boulware was elected to the FSU Hall of Fame in 2004, inducted into the Ravens’ Ring of Honor in 2006, and fittingly named a member of the 2010 ACC Legends class.

Everette Brown

Some refer to Florida State football in the 2000’s as “the lost decade.” Whether you agree with that characterization or not, one thing is certain: there was nothing lost about the performance of Seminole DE Everette Brown between the sidelines.

Brown punched his ticket to FSU by way of Stantonsburg, North Carolina, and after redshirting during his first season on campus in 2005, he began etching his name into the ’Nole record books— and it’s still ascribed quite highly therein.

Brown made an immediate impact in Tallahassee during his redshirt-freshman season of 2006. He was a second-team Freshman All-American for both College Football News and Scripps Howard. But 2008 was when Brown really authored a season for the ages.

That year, Brown recorded 13.5 sacks, tied for the fourth most in a single Florida State campaign. He also compiled 21.5 tackles for loss that season, which remains tied for the third most in a year at FSU.

The accolades followed accordingly. Brown was a 2008 second-team All-American for the AP, Walter Camp, The Sporting News, Scout.com, Phil Steele, and Rivals.com. CNNSI.com made him a third-teamer, and College & Pro Football Weekly gave him an honorable mention. Brown was also a first-team All-ACC choice.

Only one Seminole, ever, has wreaked as much havoc as Brown in opposing backfields: his 46.5 tackles for loss remain second only to Darnell Dockett’s staggering 65. Brown’s 23 sacks are still tied for eighth in FSU history.

Brown was the only ’Nole to come off the board in the 2009 NFL Draft, with Carolina grabbing him in the second round. He played five years in the NFL for the Panthers, Chargers, Cowboys and Redskins. He was later an assistant coach with the Panthers.

Brian Burns

Brian Burns possessed two things that coaches covet for defensive ends: length and first step quickness. Despite weighing just 220 pounds his first season in Tallahassee, Burns used that speed to burst onto the scene as a freshman with 9.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick in limited playing time. This led to 1st team freshman All-American selections from numerous outlets including ESPN, USA Today, and Football Writers Association.

Burns would continue to terrorize QBs in 2017 and 2018. His 2 sack/4.5 TFL performance against Clemson as a sophomore was a bright spot in Jimbo Fisher’s tumultuous final campaign. Then as a junior, Burns put up 10 sacks for 94 lost yards, 15.5 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 pass breakups. He recorded 2 sacks or more in 3 different games that season. His exploits earned him 1st team All-ACC and Phil Steele named him a 4th team All-American.

His 24 career sacks rank 5th all time in school history, and only Peter Boulware recorded more sacks in the first 3 seasons on campus. He also finished with 39.5 tackles for loss and 7 forced fumbles, both of which are impressive for any career, let alone a guy who saw double teams during much of his three years as FSU’s teams struggled through coaching changes.

Following his junior season, Burns was selected 16th overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2019 NFL draft. He’s been a standout player during the first four years of his NFL career, including Pro Bowl selections in 2021 and 2022.

Alonzo Jackson

As a true freshman in 1999, Jackson saw action in five games with the Seminoles and finished with 13 total tackles, three solo tackles, one pass break-up, and earned a National Championship ring after the Noles defeated Virginia Tech. Of that magical season, Jackson said “You can never top being number one. It was the only time in my life I walked off the field and knew I was the absolute best, and that was in 1999 when we won the national championship.”

As a sophomore, Jackson played in all 12 games and started four times. He finished with 37 tackles, 16 of which were unassisted, five sacks, six tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. That season he was primarily a backup to the likes of Jamal Reynolds, David Warren, and Darnell Dockett.

As a junior, Alonzo took over the defensive end spot and never relinquished it, starting in the next 24 out of 25 games FSU played. That 2001 season, Jackson led the team with five sacks, 16 hurries, eight tackles for loss, 33 total tackles (19 solo), and earned honorable mention All-ACC. In the Gator Bowl win against Virginia Tech, Jackson tallied five tackles, and two tackles for loss.

In his senior season opener against Iowa State in the Eddie Robinson Classic, Jackson caught the only interception of his career and returned it for 48 yards for a touchdown. That season, Jackson started all 14 games, registered team-highs in tackles for loss (18.5), sacks (13), and quarterback hurries (19), to go along with his 42 total tackles, 34 of which were unassisted, and forced a team high four fumbles. He was awarded ACC-All-Conference - 1st Team.

Jackson played 3 seasons in the NFL after being drafted in 2nd Round of the 2003 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers,

Brandon Jenkins

A homegrown product out of Florida High in Tallahassee, Jenkins appeared in 12 of 13 games during his freshman season in 2009 for one of the worst defenses in college football. He had a modest rookie year for the Seminoles, averaging a tackle per game and working mostly in pass rushing situations. He didn’t break out, but it set the stage for him to do exactly that in his sophomore campaign.

Jenkins entered his first season as a starter as a relative unknown, but that changed quickly as he burst onto the scene. His 2010 season was one of the best any defender has ever enjoyed in the garnet and gold, as his 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss are still each tied for third in FSU history. Jenkins secured 2010 All-American second-team honors from Rivals.com and Scout.com, a fourth-team spot from Phil Steele, and an Honorable Mention per CNNSI.com. He was also a first-team All-ACC selection.

Jenkins followed up his coming out party with a very good season in 2011. On the surface, Jenkins’ productivity as a junior didn’t match that of his sophomore season. After all, he only managed 12 TFL and eight sacks. Of course, the surface doesn’t tell the whole story, and it certainly doesn’t do his performance justice.

Following his 13.5-sack statement in 2010, opposing offenses were better prepared for in 2011. He was no longer lining up and beating tackles one-on-one, but working against double-teams and offensive schemes designed to keep him away from the action. While this opened up doors for his teammates to make plays, it naturally led to a decline in Jenkins’ numbers, and thus a drop from first-team to second-team all-conference.

Regardless of where he finished on the postseason lists, Jenkins’ third year as a ‘Nole was far from a regression. He still managed to get to the quarterback eight times against increased attention from offenses, and his presence was felt more in the run game than it had been previously, thanks in part to some added weight. Jenkins adjusted to the way teams were playing him as the year went on and gathered 4.5 of his sacks over the final four games of the season.

Following his junior season, Jenkins had to decide whether to forgo his senior year in Tallahassee and enter the NFL Draft, where he had a chance of being selected in the first round, or to finish out his time at Florida State. It was reported that Jenkins was very close to making the jump to the professional ranks, but he ultimately decided to stay at FSU for his final season. Unfortunately, his right foot was stepped on by a teammate during the first game against Murray State, and that injury put him out for the season.

Jermaine Johnson II

A transfer from the University of Georgia, Johnson played just one season in Tallahassee. But what a season it was. Long, athletic, and with a motor that didn’t quit, Johnson was simply unblockable for long stretches of the 2021 season. His performance against the Miami Hurricanes was particularly legendary, as Johnson finished with three sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble, all while at times single-handedly keeping FSU in a game that would ultimately serve as a turning point for Coach Norvell’s program.

For the season, Johnson finished with 70 tackles (18 for loss), 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass break ups, and a fumble recovery on which he scored a touchdown. His dominance was recognized accordingly, as he earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year, All-ACC 1st team, and a mix of 1st and 2nd team All-American nods. All the more impressive considering FSU finished just 5-7 and 4-4 in the league. Following the season, Johnson was a 1st round pick by the New York Jets, where he appeared in 14 games as a rookie and looks to have a bright future.

However, beyond the stats, Johnson’s true legacy might still be in the process of being written. In 2021, Norvell’s career at FSU was seriously on the brink of ending before it ever really got going. The COVID year was a disaster and there was very little positivity around the program after the inexcusable loss to Jacksonville State. Johnson’s ascendence over the second half of the season coincided with FSU quietly playing some much improved football. Though the team fell just short of a bowl, his success as a transfer gave Norvell & Co. the proof in the pudding they needed to go out and acquire transfer portal talent that resulted in a 10-win season in 2022, leading to even more top-notch transfers choosing FSU, and now a potential ACC Champion type of team in 2023. Should the Seminoles have the type of success many think is possible this year, it’s not a stretch to say that Johnson is a large part of enabling this success.

Willie Jones Sr.

Head coach Bobby Bowden called Willie Jones “the best player in the country at his position” during his career as a defensive end that included 20 sacks. Jones was one of the main building blocks in Bowden’s move to mold Florida State into a national powerhouse.

A four year starter at defensive end, Jones started in 43 out of the 45 game he participated in, wasting no time getting noticed after getting to campus. During his freshman season, at a time when very few freshmen received playing time, he was named honorable mention for the All-South Independent team.

Willie’s most memorable season was his senior campaign, which saw him rack up 10 sacks, tied for 15th-most in FSU history. Five of those sacks came in one dominant game against Florida, putting him in a tie with Ron Simmons for most sacks in a single game in program history.

Three times he was named to the All-South Independent team, twice as a first teamer. In his final year, he was named to three All-America teams, including AP and UPI, and honorable mention from the Sporting News as well. He was the 1977 Tangerine Bowl MVP and finished his career by taking MVP honors in the 1978 Senior Bowl. Jones was inducted into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.

Jones was picked 42nd overall in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, and led the club in quarterback sacks (10) in his rookie season. He played five years for the Raiders and was a member of the 1981 Raiders’ Super Bowl XV winning team over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Willie Jones Sr. is also the father of former Seminole players Willie Jones (2001-2005), and Christian Jones (2010-2013).

Jamal Reynolds

There’s something to be said about patience and old-fashioned hard work leading to success. Jamal Reynolds, a native of Aiken, South Carolina, spent two long years grinding for a starting position. The results of that patience and hard work were two of the more illustrious seasons for a defensive lineman in Florida State history.

From his recruiting bio:

“Widely regarded as the nation’s top prospect at defensive end...as a senior at Aiken High he recorded 174 tackles (six for loss), two sacks, two caused fumbles, one recovered fumble and one pass break up...has a 405 pound bench press and a 4.5 time in the 40...rated as the nation’s top defensive lineman by SuperPrep and No. 2 national prospect…”

Reynolds spent his freshman year getting experience, appearing in only five games while notching 12 tackles. His sophomore season would be more fruitful, raising his tackle total to 43, along with 4.5 sacks. Nothing to sneeze at, but he still wasn’t technically a starter.

That would change in 1999, when Reynolds would log 53 total tackles and seven sacks, along with two fumble recoveries (one of which would be a scoop-and-score vs. NC State.) He’d play a crucial role for the eventual national champions, especially in the title game. Reynolds served as a key weapon in shutting down Virginia Tech’s Michael Vick, sacking him on three occasions.

In 2000, Reynolds’ senior season, he’d take another step forward. Though he hovered around the same total tackle numbers (58), he increased his sack total to 12 and forced four fumbles. His single-season sack number of 12 is the ninth most in FSU history, and his 23.5 sacks over his career are good for fifth in the Seminoles’ record books (and that doesn’t even include the trio of sacks against the magical Vick).

Though goals of a repeat national championship would fall short in a 13-2 loss to Oklahoma, Reynolds was still a unanimous All-American in 2000, as well as the winner of the Lombardi Award, given to the best defensive player in the country regardless of position.

He’d go on to be drafted 10th in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. Sadly, injuries derailed his career, limiting him to just three seasons in the league.

He’d go back to Florida State to earn a degree in sports management and in 2013, he was inducted to the Florida State Hall of Fame.

Andre Wadsworth

After moving to Miami from St. Croix when he was five years old, Andre Wadsworth became All-Dade in both football and basketball in high school. However, Wadsworth did not receive a single Division one scholarship offer. FSU went into Miami’s backyard and grabbed another future FSU Hall of Famer when Chuck Amato saw him and said “Why don’t you come walk-on at Florida State University?” The rest is history.

Wadsworth was one of the most versatile defensive line players to ever to wear the Garnet and Gold. After redshirting his first year on campus, he started at nose guard throughout 1994, 1995, and four games into the 1996 season before moving and starting at defensive tackle for the remaining eight games.

Then 1997 happened.

Andre Wadsworth moved once again, this time to defensive end where he would explode for 16 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss. It was a season in which he would record three sacks in a game on three separate occasions. It was the second-most dominant pass rushing season in FSU history.

Wadsworth was named a first-team All-American by five organizations and was an NCAA Consensus All-American. He was one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award along with being named the ACC Player of the Year, the ACC Defensive Player of the year, and All-ACC first-team. He was also named the CBS SportsLine Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Lineman of the Year from the Touchdown Club of Columbus, an Outland Trophy finalist, and named one of the 30 Greatest ACC Players by College Football News.

At 6’4” and 280lbs, he was probably the biggest edge rusher of those 1990s ‘Nascar’ Mickey Andrews defenses. His combination of speed, size, power, and pad level made him unblockable.

Wadsworth was widely considered to be the best NFL Draft prospect in the 1998 NFL Draft class. He was selected third overall by the Arizona Cardinals, making him the highest FSU player to go in the NFL draft prior to Jameis Winston in 2015. Wadsworth was selected into the FSU Hall of Fame in 2004.

Wadsworth spent three seasons with Arizona and enjoyed a successful but injury-plagued career. After making the All-Rookie team in ‘98 with five sacks, it looked like he was destined to live up to his lofty draft status. The injury gods decided otherwise. He had four knee surgeries in just 15 months between November 1999 and January 2001, including microfracture surgery, which abruptly ended his NFL career before it could really get started. He totaled 119 tackles, 65 solo, and eight quarterback sacks. He also made three fumble recoveries and one interception in 36 appearances, 30 of which he started.

DeMarcus Walker

DeMarcus Walker attended Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Florida, committing to play college ball at Alabama before switching to Florida State. It was a huge win on the trail for Jimbo Fisher that paid big dividends for years to come.

As a true freshman at FSU in 2013, Walker played in 12 games and started three. He finished that year with 18 total tackles and one sack as FSU went undefeated with a national championship victory. In 2014, FSU again went undefeated in the regular season as Walker’s role increased. He started 11 games, recording 38 tackles, including six for a loss, and another sack.

As a junior in 2015, Walker had his breakout season. He racked up 57 tackles, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, an interception, five pass breakups, and one blocked kick against the Florida Gators (foreshadowing, anyone?).

The crazy thing about his 11 sacks is that Walker didn’t record a single one in his first three games — or in four other games later that season. They all came in just six total games. He was the first FSU player to record double-digit sacks since Bjoern Werner in 2012 and the first Seminole to block a kick since 2010. Walker earned a second team All-ACC nod and co-Defensive MVP of the team for his efforts.

What could Walker do as an encore that could possibly live up to the hype he now had?

How about opening up the 2016 season by sacking Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly four and a half times, along with forcing a fumble, as FSU completed the largest comeback in school history?Walker earned National Player of the Week honors for that performance.

Or how about clinching Florida State’s seventh consecutive win against the Miami Hurricanes by blocking an extra point by a kicker who had made 72 dadgum extra points in a row?

Walker’s crucial block single-handedly launched that game into the annals of history of the storied rivalry; it will forever be known as the Block at the Rock.

Walker was dominant playing both inside and outside, and it didn’t matter where he lined up. He was simply unblockable that season. He finished his final regular season game against the Gators with two fumble recoveries and two more sacks.

In his final game at the Orange Bowl against Michigan, Walker recorded four more tackles for loss and another sack in a wildly entertaining FSU victory. He finished the 2016 season with a total of 68 tackles, including 21.5 for a loss, three forced fumbles, two recoveries, and a remarkable 16 sacks. Oh yeah, and that blocked kick.

Walker was named a consensus All-American for his efforts, along with also being named first team All-ACC, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and a Lombardi Award Semi-finalist.

His 16 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss as a senior were each the third-most ever in a single season at FSU. His sacks were also the second-highest mark in the nation that year. When he left Tallahassee, Walker ranked third all-time at FSU in career sacks with 28.5 and third all-time in career tackles for loss with 45. He went 4-0 against both Florida and Miami. Here’s more of his career highlights.

Walker was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 51st overall pick by the Denver Broncos.

Bjoern Werner

Bjoern (or Björn) Werner was born in Berlin in 1990 and despite only playing two years of high school football, by the time he was a senior his game and his English had improved enough to get multiple FBS offers. He made the right choice in Florida State, picking the ’Noles over offers from Oregon, Miami, and more.

Werner played in every game as a true freshman for the Seminoles in 2010 and was an instant contributor, recording 20 tackles, including six for a loss, and 3.5 sacks.

After Markus White departed for the NFL, Werner moved into the starting defensive end spot and only got better from there. As a sophomore Werner totaled 37 tackles, including 11 for loss and 25 solo, along with seven sacks for what was the nation’s fourth-best defense by S&P+, and fourth against the run. Werner also batted down eight passes at the line of scrimmage and recorded nine total passes defensed, which was second-most on the team. And who could ever forget his pick/fumble-six of Tajh Boyd?

As a junior in 2012, Werner was a star on a loaded defense that led the country in yards per play allowed and was fifth in S&P+. Werner piled on 42 tackles, 30 of them solo and a whopping 18 for a loss. He recorded 13 sacks that accounted for 117 yards in lost field position for opposing offenses, leading the country in yards lost in tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Another eight pass breakups made Werner one of only two defensive lineman in the country to record at least eight.

As if that wasn’t enough, his five tackles for loss against Murray State in the 2012 opener was just one shy of a 45-year single-game school record. And when the Boston College Eagles had first and goal at the FSU one-yard line, Werner rose to the moment by breaking up a pass on first down, making a stop on second for no gain, and completing a QB-hurry on fourth down that gave the ball back to FSU.

He saved his best for last, sacking Florida Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel 3.5 times in the regular season finale to go along with six tackles and a fumble recovery.

For all of his efforts in the Garnet and Gold, Werner was named an unanimous All-American — one of just fifteen in FSU history. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, the Athlon Sports and College Football News’ ACC Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-ACC first team, and finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Werner’s 23.5 sacks in just 27 starts are third-most over a player’s first three years at Florida State, behind only Peter Boulware and Brian Burns. He’s fourth all-time at FSU in tackles for loss in the same first-three-years timespan, and ranks in FSU’s overall top ten for tackles for loss.

Werner was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the 24th overall pick in the 2013 Draft, making him just the fourth European-trained player to be drafted, and the first German-born player to be drafted in the first round. He was asked to play out of position as an outside linebacker with the Colts, but his career was really derailed by knee injuries. Werner announced his retirement in 2017, with 81 total tackles and 6.5 sacks.

Reinard Wilson

Reinard Wilson terrorized opposing quarterbacks from 1993-1996 and is a major reason why no position in all of college football was more feared during the 1990s than that of defensive end at FSU.

Wilson combined a tireless work ethic that followed him from his rural upbringing in nearby Lake City with the upper body strength of a down lineman and the quickness of a linebacker. He was the prototypical college end who could overpower an offensive lineman with strength or beat him with speed, and Mickey Andrews had a blast deploying him against FSU’s opponents.

Wilson flashed immediately after arriving in Tallahassee to collect a national championship ring in 1993. He followed that up by registering double-digit sacks in 1994 while leading the ACC in quarterback sacks. He was selected All-ACC in 1994, 1995, and 1996.

Paired with fellow DE Peter Boulware and considered the best defensive end combination in FSU history, Wilson ran roughshod through the league. As a senior in 1996, Wilson earned First-Team All-American honors from four organizations, joining Boulware to give FSU the rare feat of having both consensus All-American defensive ends coming from the same team.

Wilson led the 1996 team with 105 total tackles and 13.5 quarterback sacks. Over his four-year career he accumulated a school record 35.5 sacks and 234 total tackles while playing on some of the finest defenses in college football history, including FSU’s first national championship team.

In 1997, Wilson was one of four Seminoles selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was chosen 14th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played seven years in the NFL for Cincinnati and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Reinard Wilson’s relentless effort and accomplishments make him one of the greatest defensive linemen in FSU history, and in 2009 Wilson was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame.

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Who are the top four defensive ends in FSU history?

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Previous results

Quarterbacks: Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke, Jameis Winston, Jordan Travis

Running Backs: Warrick Dunn, Dalvin Cook, Greg Allen, Amp Lee

Wide Receivers: Peter Warrick, Fred Biletnikoff, Rashad Greene, Ron Sellers

Tight Ends: Nick O’Leary, Pat Carter, Lonnie Johnson, Melvin Pearsall

Offensive Tackles: Walter Jones, Alex Barron, Pat Tomberlin, Cam Erving

Interior Offensive Linemen: Rodney Hudson, Jamie Dukes, Bryan Stork, Clay Shiver