Florida State Football

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 190

HAND: 8⅝"

ARM: 30"

WINGSPAN: 73¼"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.38

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: 4.30

VERTICAL: 39.5"

BROAD: 10'9"

---

POSITIVES

— Positional versatility to align and play out of nickel and outside cornerback.

— Good tackling fundamentals. Wraps up well and brings defenders down with a strong upper body. Rarely allows lower-body tackles to get away from him.

— Twitchy/explosiveness at the line of scrimmage. Triggers quickly to get into backfield for tackles for losses, slot corner blitzes and blowing up screens.

---

NEGATIVES

— Hip tightness can limit his ability to transition out of a backpedal against shiftier receivers.

— Struggles with pad level at times. Can occasionally play tall in man coverage, allowing his leverage to be beaten.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 25 TOT, 5 TFL, 1.0 SK, 3 INT, 3 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR

---

NOTES

— Born May 8, 2001

— 29 career starts

— 4-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— 2023 All-ACC honorable mention

— Transferred from Mississippi State to Florida State in 2020

— Shrine Bowl invite

---

OVERALL

Jarrian Jones is an experienced cornerback who started his career at Mississippi State before transferring to Florida State. In 2023, he was an All-ACC honorable mention, was named the FSU Defense Most Improved Player and received the Bobby Bowden Leadership Award.

Jones does his best work when playing in man coverage. He does a great job staying hip to hip with receivers, has the communication skills to pass off or switch defenders based on alignments and shows very good route recognition when downfield.

Jones has the speed to stay with faster receivers downfield and covers ground quickly. When in zone coverage, he has the vision and football IQ to make plays on the ball with quick reaction and timing.

As a run defender, Jones is a physical player who isn't afraid to get in the mix. He quickly identifies the run and closes ground with proper leverage. When taking on blocks in space, he uses his elusiveness and short-area quickness to beat blocks.

Jones is a solid cornerback with versatility to line up across the field. He has the explosiveness and speed to compete in the NFL. While he likely will provide depth in the beginning, he has a chance to compete for playing time as he gets acclimated to the NFL.

---

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 188

POSITION RANK: CB27

PRO COMPARISON: Brandin Echols

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Former Florida State University quarterback Jordan Travis earned a scouting comparison to the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

"He reminds me a little bit of Dak Prescott coming out of Mississippi State — Dak wasn't a refined passer at the time but he got the job done and was a gamer," one draft evaluator said, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "This kid has some of that to him."

B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen has described Travis an "incomplete prospect with just enough quickness and gumption to stick around in the NFL."

Klassen added that Travis is "a twitched-up athlete who thrives at escaping tight spaces" and "often slips out of the pocket with ease."

Travis suffered a brutal leg injury on Nov. 18 that ended his senior season with Florida State.

Prior to the injury, Travis connected on 63.8 percent of passes to record 2,756 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions in 11 games to mark the best TD/INT ratio of his starting career.

Travis added 176 yards and seven touchdowns on 73 carries.

After leading FSU to a 12-0 record, Travis ended the season ranked fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Although Travis' leg injury caused his name to be left off the B/R NFL Mock Draft and Big Board, the former FSU quarterback removed his walking boot in February and expects to be cleared this month, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Travis has received interest from NFL teams including the New York Jets, per Jordan Schultz.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10⅜"

ARM: 35½"

WINGSPAN: 83⅛"

---

40-YARD DASH: 5.0

3-CONE: 7.56

SHUTTLE: 4.82

VERTICAL: 25.5"

BROAD: 8'5"

---

POSITIVES

— Thick, sturdy build with very good arm length. Good size for an NFL defensive tackle.

— Plenty of pop in his hands to get extension and gain control of the block against solid offensive linemen as a run defender. Can shed blocks when he keeps his hands inside, too.

— Takes on blocks with a wide and strong base. Is hard to move one-on-one.

— Shows flashes versus double-teams where he keeps his pads down and gets physical with the man he's lined up across from to defeat or split the blockers.

---

NEGATIVES

— Not quick out of his stance and has a habit of standing up, which can lead to issues against double-teams.

— Often late and wide with his hands as a pass-rusher and run defender, allowing offensive linemen to get to his chest.

— Doesn't offer much as a pass-rusher. Lacks a go-to move and isn't explosive enough to be a consistent bull-rusher.

— Inconsistent overall and appears to tire easily, likely tied to aforementioned pad level issue.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 22 TOT, 4 TFL, 1 SK, 3 PD

---

NOTES

— Born Dec. 5, 1999

— 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from Mississippi State to Florida State ahead of the 2020 season

— Injuries: 2021 (Shoulder, missed 1 game), 2022 (Foot/ankle, had surgery and missed 5 games)

---

OVERALL

Consistency is arguably Fabien Lovett Sr.'s biggest issue. He'll have plays where he keeps his pads down and hands inside, allowing him to split double-teams and shed blocks, and he'll have plays where he stands up out of his stance and exposes his chest with wide and late hands. He seems to tire easily, which could be the root cause of the issue.

Overall, Lovett can be a quality run defender as a 2i- to 0-technique, as he has plenty of strength and long arms to lock out offensive linemen at the point of attack. However, he doesn't offer much as a pass-rusher with subpar movement skills and poor explosion, limiting his arsenal and effectiveness as a bull-rusher.

---

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 181st

POSITION RANK: DL20

PRO COMPARISON: Otito Ogbonnia

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

A judge on Thursday denied two motions by Florida State to dismiss or stay a lawsuit filed by the ACC, per ESPN's David Hale.

The ruling by Judge Louis A. Bledsoe III of Mecklenburg County "is seen as a significant win for the ACC," per Hale, as the conference is hoping that it will force Florida State to honor its grant of rights agreement and pay the exit fee of over $500 million if it tries to leave for another conference before 2036. The ACC praised the ruling on social media:

pic.twitter.com/SkJAw2rjC3

— The ACC (@theACC) April 4, 2024

Florida State has the option to appeal the ruling.

The ruling clears the path for the legal battle between the ACC and Florida State to take place in North Carolina instead of Florida. The ACC filed its lawsuit in Charlotte in December to get ahead of a lawsuit by FSU, which the school filed the next day after being approved by the board of trustees.

Florida State president Rick McCullough said in August 2023, per The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach, that Florida State would have to consider leaving the ACC if there was not a "radical change" to the revenue distribution.

The Seminoles ultimately did not opt to give notice of their intention to leave by the Aug. 15 deadline. However, after being left out of the College Football Playoff, the school reportedly renewed talks about its future with the conference in December.

Florida State is trying to get out of the grant of rights agreement, which gives the ACC ownership of the school's media rights through June 2036, while the ACC is seeking to have the rights upheld.

Florida State argued that the ACC's lawsuit should receive a stay or dismissal based, in part, on sovereign immunity, as the school believes it is covered since it is a state institution. The ACC's attorney said during hearings on FSU's motion to dismiss that the university's legal team's tactics to get the conference's lawsuit thrown out were like "a game of whack-a-mole."

In addition to Florida State, Clemson has also filed a lawsuit against the ACC in South Carolina arguing against the conference's grant of rights and deeming the exit fee of three times the conference's annual revenue to be "excessive." The ACC filed a countersuit against Clemson a day later in Charlotte.

HEIGHT: 5'11½"

WEIGHT: 229

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32⅜"

WINGSPAN: 78¼"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.77

3-CONE: 7.03

SHUTTLE: 4.35

VERTICAL: 30.5"

BROAD: 9'7"

---

POSITIVES

— Decent instincts to occasionally put himself in a good position to make plays.

— Has solid acceleration to shoot gaps and make unblocked tackles near the line of scrimmage. Also isn't afraid to throw his body around and bring some force when coming downhill.

— Uses his hands well to disrupt routes in coverage.

— Shows some quickness, which is most noticeable as a pass-rusher to help win around the edges of offensive linemen.

---

NEGATIVES

— Below-average size and underwhelming athletic testing, leading to a 3.95 RAS out of 10.

— Poor awareness in zone coverage. Often leaves receivers in his area wide open and gets caught staring in the backfield.

— Lack of speed leads to issues carrying faster tight ends and running backs on deep routes and limits his range against outside runs.

— Doesn't bring his feet and likes to dive at ankles when tackling, leading to misses.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 GM, 70 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 0 SK, 1 INT, 3 PD

---

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from UCF to Florida State ahead of the 2022 season

— Injuries: 2023 (Arm, missed bowl game), 2021 (Concussion, missed 1 game)

---

OVERALL

Tatum Bethune is a physical linebacker who likes to hit people in the running game and can lay the wood. However, he lacks NFL size and didn't test well enough to suggest he can overcome that athletically.

He projects as a late-round pick to an undrafted free agent who will have to make a name for himself on special teams to land on a 53-man roster.

---

GRADE: 5.4 (Backup/UDFA with Roster Potential — UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 243

POSITION RANK: LB21

PRO COMPARISON: Hardy Nickerson Jr.

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell relived the moment when the Seminoles learned they missed out on the College Football Playoff despite finishing the 2023 regular season unbeaten.

"We had a great story," Norvell said to ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "I still believe to this day if we were given an opportunity, it could have been really special to compete for a championship. I just felt grief. It was immediate heartbreak for that team."

In what was the most contentious decision of the playoff era, the selection committee placed one-loss Texas and Alabama ahead of fifth-place Florida State in its final rankings.

There was a broad acknowledgement the Seminoles were no longer one of the four best teams in the country after star quarterback Jordan Travis was lost for the season with a leg injury.

But fans expressed concern over the message the CFP committee was sending by omitting an undefeated champion of a Power Five conference.

yeah if it wasn’t already clear, the committee drove home the message today: the ACC isn’t respected enough to get the benefit of the doubt. https://t.co/FeiAhkvfnT

— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) December 3, 2023

The committee members weren't explicitly saying the regular season doesn't matter — something long cited as a potential consequence of instituting a playoff in college football — but they clearly weighed Florida State's regular-season résumé less than the current strength of its roster.

There were also the optics of punishing a team for a circumstance beyond its control. Shortly after the playoff field was finalized, Travis wrote on X, "I wish my leg broke earlier in the season so y'all could see this team is much more than the quarterback."

devastated. heartbroken. In so much disbelief rn, I wish my leg broke earlier in the season so y’all could see this team is much more than the quarterback. I thought results matter. 13-0 and this roster matches up across any team in those top 4 rankings. I am so sorry. Go Noles!

— Jordan Travis (@jordantrav13) December 3, 2023

"We followed the format and we didn't get the outcome we wanted," offensive lineman Maurice Smith said to Adelson. "That's the toughest part."

Thanks to a mass exodus of players before the Orange Bowl, Florida State never stood a chance against Georgia. The Seminoles only trailed 7-0 after the first quarter, but their lack of depth was quickly exposed as the Bulldogs put 35 more points up before halftime.

For the players that returned to Tallahassee for the 2024 season, the disappointment of missing the playoff probably still stings. Maybe FSU can channel that into another big year, one that leaves no doubt as to its championship credentials.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 200

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31⅜"

WINGSPAN: 76"

---

40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: N/A

BROAD: N/A

---

POSITIVES

— Above-average line-drive thrower. Can pin the ball right on a spot.

— Very good quickness and escapability. Nimble, explosive mover.

— Shows the ability to run around and create outside the pocket. Quality scrambler with flashes of good ability to throw on the move.

---

NEGATIVES

— T-rex throwing motion with poor natural core strength. Struggles to drive the ball without maximum effort.

— Problematic ball control as a result of poor throwing mechanics and strength. Struggles to add touch on throws.

— Regularly plays a beat or two late when throwing intermediate routes. Does not anticipate route breaks.

— Middling pocket presence. Doesn't excel at buying space and throwing over a sea of bodies in the pocket.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 11 GM, 207-324 (63.9%), 2,756 YDS (8.5 AVG), 20 TD, 2 INT; 73 ATT, 176 YDS (2.4 AVG), 7 TD

---

NOTES

— Born May 2, 2000

— 3-star recruit in Louisville's 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from Louisville to Florida State in 2019

— 38 career starts

— 2022 second-team All-ACC, 2023 first-team All-ACC

— Season-ending broken leg late in 2023

---

OVERALL

Jordan Travis is an incomplete prospect with just enough quickness and gumption to stick around in the NFL.

Travis' arm is not very enticing. While he has decent velocity and can throw some pretty line drives, he lacks overwhelming arm talent. He does not have standout velocity, arm elasticity or ball control. In fact, Travis lacks the natural core strength to throw with ease, which means he strains when he throws and often loses accuracy as a result.

Travis also plays late from the pocket. He operates well on simple, quick-game concepts, but he struggles when asked to throw intermediate. Travis does not anticipate route breaks and throw early. He instead waits to see routes break, which often means he ends up late and the window closes. Travis' jittery pocket presence plays a factor there as well.

With that said, Travis brings a little something as a scrambler. He is a twitched-up athlete who thrives at escaping tight spaces. Travis often slips out of the pocket with ease, and he has enough speed and vision to be a nuisance in the open field. Travis also has the creativity to find unusual throws and plays when things break down.

Travis is a backup quarterback whose athletic profile and moderately intriguing scrambling are the foundation of his game. There's almost nothing about Travis' profile that suggests he is a long-term starting NFL quarterback, though. That's especially true when considering his age and size.

---

GRADE: 4.9 (Developmental Prospect — UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 225

POSITION RANK: QB10

PRO COMPARISON: Trace McSorley

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

On December 22, Florida State filed a lawsuit challenging the ACC's "grant of rights" agreement, which "irrevocably and exclusively" gives the conference control of each school's media rights through 2036 regardless of whether they remain with the league.

Per ESPN's Andrea Adelson, the school's board of trustees has now filed an amended complaint, claiming ex-ACC Commissioner John Swofford lost member schools "millions of dollars" in media rights deals with Raycom Sports, where his son, Chad, once worked as a vice president and general manager.

The new allegations add on to previous complaints regarding the ACC's alleged "chronic fiduciary mismanagement and bad faith" in FSU's original lawsuit.

The amended complaint dropped roughly two weeks after the ACC filed an amended complaint to its own lawsuit against FSU, claiming "serial breaches of critical legal promises and obligations," per Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde.

As far as FSU's latest amended complaint goes, FSU said Swofford, who ran the conference from 1997 to 2021, insisted Raycom be included in any discussion on media right deals.

Per Adelson:

"Florida State contends that Swofford insisted in conversations with potential bidders for ACC media rights in 2010 that Raycom Sports be included in any new deal the ACC signed.

"Raycom had a long partnership with the ACC but was struggling financially, and it needed to keep a package of ACC media rights for survival, according to the complaint."

FSU further claims that millions of dollars are going to third parties instead of the ACC because of these deals.

Per the lawsuit (h/t Adelson): "Approximately $82 million of rights fees for ACC Tier II and Tier III games going to third parties each year rather than the ACC and $50 million in rights fees paid by Raycom Sports to ESPN for sublicensing a package of ACC games (which in turn Raycom Sports licensed to Fox Sports Network/Bally for a substantial profit not shared with the members)."

Ultimately, FSU is looking to leave the ACC, which it has called home since 1992. SB Nation's Tomahawk Nation explained why in greater detail, but in essence, the team's omission from the College Football Playoff despite a 13-0 record and an ACC championship appear to be a big reason the school is looking for an exodus.

Adelson noted that the snub was seen as "essentially the last straw after a year spent voicing their displeasure with the conference."

Ultimately, both FSU and the ACC are digging their heels into the ground, and both are prepared for a legal fight here as the never-ending college sports conference chaos carousel continues to turn.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 292

HAND: 9⅜"

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: 75¾"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.78

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE: 4.37

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 9'9"

---

POSITIVES

— Good overall athlete with impressive movement skills and quickness for a defensive tackle.

— Very fast off the ball and can get penetration with his get-off when he times up the snap count.

— Sets up his pass-rush moves well by getting to square on the offensive lineman during the stem phase of the rush and has the agility, quickness and hip mobility to get back on an edge.

— Has a solid arm-over move that he can win with.

— Physical at the point of attack against the run and has shown the upper-body strength to get extension on blocks when he does land his hands.

---

NEGATIVES

— Has a habit of standing up out of his stance, which causes issues against offensive linemen with good leverage and double-teams/combo blocks against the run. Makes his bull rush inconsistent as a pass-rusher, too.

— Use of hands is a work in progress. Often late and wide with his hand placement, exposing his chest. Also impacts his ability to shed blocks and is currently limiting his pass-rush arsenal.

— Could afford to add some lower-body strength to improve his base as a run defender.

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 43 TOT, 9 TFL, 6 SK

---

NOTES

— Born Jan. 18, 2000

— Transferred from Western Michigan ahead of this season

— 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2023 (Upper body, offseason surgery and missed spring practices)

---

OVERALL

Braden Fiske has the potential to become a good 3-technique defensive tackle in the NFL, especially as a pass-rusher, primarily due to his blend of strength and athleticism.

Fiske shows a lot of impressive movement skills and hip mobility to grow as a rusher, and he's effective as the looper in line games with good agility to gain ground vertically while moving laterally. Against the run, his lightning-quick get-off allows him to get penetration, and he has pop in his hands to win at the point of attack.

The biggest problem with the Western Michigan and Florida State product is his poor use of hands. He far too often gets caught with his hands down by his waist, allowing offensive linemen to make the first significant contact in the running or passing game. If that improves, he can add to his pass-rush arsenal and be more consistent against the run.

However, it is concerning that Fiske is a sixth-year senior and still has this technical flaw. He'll be a 24-year-old rookie, which already hinders his draft stock, and he is a bit of a project, so teams could view him as a lower-ceiling prospect. His traits are worth betting on, but he will need to be paired with a good developmental defensive line coach.

---

GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 54

POSITION RANK: DL5

PRO COMPARISON: Jerry Tillery

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 244

HAND: 9 7/8"

ARM: 32 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 79 3/8"

---

40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

---

POSITIVES

— Good speed in the open field. Can win the footrace versus linebackers and safeties.

— Above-average ability. Quick, nimble mover for the position.

— Above-average YAC threat.

— Flashes of impressive ball-tracking and flexibility to find the ball.

---

NEGATIVES

— Short, lean build. Cannot be a Y in the NFL.

— Very poor blocker. Regularly overwhelmed at the point of attack.

— Poor strength and physicality; struggles to shield the ball and win in traffic

---

2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 39 REC, 503 YDS (12.9 AVG), 2 TD

---

NOTES

— Born June 14, 2001

— 3-star recruit in South Carolina 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— Transferred from South Carolina to Florida State in 2023

— 21 career starts

— 2023 second-team All-ACC

---

OVERALL

Jaheim Bell is a movable offensive piece who is only a tight end in name.

At 6'3" and 239 pounds, Bell is not a traditional on-the-ball tight end. He is more of a wing or H-back player who lines up off the ball, in the backfield and in the slot. Bell even played a little bit of running back at South Carolina in 2022.

Bell's best traits are his movement skills in space. Thanks to his lean build, he's a quick, comfortable athlete in the open field. He glides across the field and has a relatively threatening top speed, making him useful on crossers, wheels and seam routes.

Bell can make some plays with the ball in his hands, too. He isn't a creative or explosive ball-carrier, but he changes direction fairly well and flashes some decent contact balance.

With all of that being said, Bell has some serious issues linked to size and strength.

Bell is unplayable as a blocker by NFL standards right now. He lacks the physical demeanor you want, and he far too often gets blown up at the point of attack. Bell has some use as a moving blocker in space, but he can not be a point man in any run scheme.

Likewise, Bell struggles to win with physicality at the top of routes. That is only exacerbated by his short arms. Bell will likely struggle to fill the "security blanket" aspect of tight end play.

Bell is an interesting idea for coaches who want an athletic H-back with receiving skills. However, it's hard to imagine Bell sticking as a starting tight end given his size and strength limitations.

---

GRADE: 6.1 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 150

POSITION RANK: TE8

PRO COMPARISON: Stephen Anderson

---

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.