Florida State: Top 5 Defensive Backs Ever to Come out of Seminoles' Program

Florida State v Pittsburgh
(Photo : Justin Berl/Getty Images) PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - Conrad Hussey (#12) of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates with Greedy Vance Jr. (#21) after forcing a fumble in the fourth quarter during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium.

The Florida State Seminoles football team just landed another huge recruit. This was after the Seminoles reportedly drew the commitment of a blue-chip defensive back, Jamari Howard.

Howard is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back who plays for Norland High School in South Florida, per Tomahawk Nation. He is currently ranked 123 nationally by 247 sports.

It was a surprising development, considering Howard had previously committed to Michigan State. He backed out in May. He ended up picking the Seminoles over other suitors. One reason may be the success of other defensive backs that Florida State has produced.

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Here are some defensive backs from the Florida State Seminoles football program.

Terrell Buckley

Buckley was known to be an absolute ball-hawk. He remains the record-holder for most interceptions in a game at 21. Even more impressive is that he achieved this despite playing only three years at FSU.

His performance carried on in the NFL. He was initially drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1992 before jumping on to several teams. In 1991, he was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award and was part of the New England Patriots team that won Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, per Sporting News.

Ron Simmons

Although he is now known as one of the NFL players to succeed in Wrestling entertainment, Simmons made his mark as one of the great defenders for the Seminoles.

Simmons still holds the record for career and season tackles for loss. He is credited for leading FSU to back-to-back Orange Bowl appearances, a reason why he was named a consensus All-American in both seasons. He is the first defensive player admitted to the FSU Hall of Fame.

He hardly gained attention in the NFL despite being drafted in 1981. He suited up for the Cleveland Browns from 1981 to 1982 via Sportscasing.com.

Bobby Butler

Despite being undersized, the 5-foot-10 Butler did his share on defense while still donning the Garnet and Gold. He is ranked seventh in the interceptions category of FSU and was part of several Orange Bowls.

After his football career, Butler transitioned to athletics. He joined Florida State's track team, helping them to a third-place finish in 1980.

Corey Sawyer

Another FSU product who took some time before getting his break is Corey Sawyer in the 90s. It was in his second year, learning from Buckley, that he made his mark.

When that sophomore season ended, Sawyer ended with seven interceptions - tied for 5th in most in a single FSU campaign. In his final year, Sawyer capped his college football run with a national championship. He made the consensus first-team All-American as well.

Sawyer started his career with the Cincinnati Bengals and then the New York Jets before ending his career in the NFL.

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders needs no introduction when it comes to what he has done as a football player. He was hailed as the top defensive back in his senior year and is considered by many as the finest cover corner in college football.

His talent resulted in two Super Bowl championships when he jumped to the NFL. Aside from that, his accolades include being hailed as Defensive Player of the Year in 1994 and eight-time Pro Bowler.

Sanders was also involved in other sports, such as baseball and athletics. Coach Prime continues to be a household name these days as a coach for the Colorado Buffaloes.

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