Jermaine Johnson expected to be first FSU player taken in first round of NFL Draft since 2019

For the first time in a few years, Florida State should hear the name of one of its alumni called during the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night.

Defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who spent the 2021 season with the Seminoles after previous stops at Georgia and Independence Community College, is expected to be FSU's first first-round NFL Draft pick since Brian Burns in 2019.

Johnson is one of 21 draft prospects who will be in attendance at the NFL Draft in Las Vegas Thursday night. He's also throwing a party back in his hometown of Eden Prairie, Minn. for friends and family.

Johnson bet on himself by leaving the reserve third-down pass-rush role he had at UGA for a larger role at a less prominent program in Tallahassee. This decision was incredibly mutually beneficial for both Johnson and FSU.

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FSU gave Johnson the full-time starting opportunity that led to him becoming the first player in ACC history to win the conference's Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year honor in his first season in the ACC.

Over 12 games last season, he had 12 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and 70 tackles. He was a force both as a pass-rusher and a run-stopper, played a huge role in a few of the Seminoles' wins and nearly helped them secure a few more upset wins at Clemson and vs. Notre Dame.

In Johnson, FSU got a player who helped flip the culture and made the most of his one season with the team.

At FSU, Johnson got the platform that helped his draft stock explode. His film from FSU had him as a fringe first-round pick at the start of the draft process in December. However, a remarkably strong showing at the Senior Bowl and also at the NFL Combine and FSU's Pro Day have cemented his status as a first-round pick.

Where exactly Johnson lands remains to be seen. A few mock drafts from CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated have him going as high as No. 4 overall to the New York Jets. If this happened, he would become the highest-drafted Seminole since Jameis Winston went No. 1 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.

There's no real consensus among mock draft creators as to where Johnson will be selected, but most seem to agree he'll be somewhere between the top 10 and the first 15 picks.

Wherever he lands, how much Johnson has worn FSU clothing during the various television interviews he's done in the lead-up to the draft makes it seem clear he'll be a proud representative for the Seminoles wherever he is.

Who else could hear their name called?

Johnson will be the only Seminole whose name is called during Thursday's first round.

In fact, it's quite possible he's the only FSU player selected during the first two days of the draft, which encompass the first three rounds.

But there are a few other Seminoles who could be selected on the final day of the NFL Draft Saturday, which covers rounds four through seven all the way up to the 262nd and final pick.

The two most likely candidates are running back Jashaun Corbin and defensive lineman Keir Thomas.

Corbin was committed to FSU out of high school, but flipped his commitment and followed Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M as a member of the 2018 recruiting class.

After two seasons at A&M, the second of which was ended after just two games by a severe leg injury, Corbin headed back to his home state and transferred to FSU in Mike Norvell's first offseason ahead of the 2020 season.

In each of his two seasons in Tallahassee, he was FSU's leading running back. He finished his FSU career with 1,288 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 259 receiving yards and 160 kick return yards.

After Johnson, Corbin was the only other Seminole invited to this year's NFL Scouting Combine. He didn't go through drills at the combine, electing to do them at FSU's Pro Day.

While his speed and big-play ability were on display during his time with the Seminoles, his 4.59 40-yard dash and 9-foot-10 broad jump aren't the type of metrics that will especially help his draft stock.

As is often the case with late-round picks, there's a bit of debate as to whether Corbin will be a late-round pick or a priority undrafted free agent. Either way, he'll get his NFL opportunity in some capacity.

Thomas, like Johnson, had just one year of eligibility left when he arrived at FSU and made the most of it. The South Carolina transfer used his COVID eligibility in Tallahassee and earned a third-team All-ACC honor with 6.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries during the 2021 season.

Unlike Johnson, a pure edge-rusher, Thomas has a bit more positional versatility. He worked both on the edge in four-lineman sets and as the interior defensive lineman in three-lineman sets at FSU. This could help boost his value as a potential third-day pick in the draft.

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He may not be taken in the draft or could be a late pick. Either way, he'll get some type of opportunity, like Corbin.

Other potential NFL Seminoles

These three are the FSU alumni most likely to hear their names called in this year's NFL Draft.

But there are a few other draft-eligible Seminoles who should get opportunities as undrafted free agents, a process that begins immediately after the draft ends on Saturday.

Probably the top name on this list is defensive back Meiko Dotson. He was frequently injured during his two seasons at FSU, but he had nine interceptions at FAU in 2019 and had a few performances at Pro Day -- including 25 bench-press reps -- that could raise the eyebrows of NFL personnel.

Additionally, offensive lineman Devontay Love-Taylor, tight end Jordan Wilson, quarterback McKenzie Milton, linebackers Emmett Rice and DeCalon Brooks and wide receiver Andrew Parchment are hoping they'll get NFL opportunities of some sort, likely as UDFAs.

FSU football draft projections

Defensive end Jermaine Johnson (First round)

Running back Jashaun Corbin (Day three or undrafted free agent)

Defensive lineman Keir Thomas (Day three or undrafted free agent)

2022 NFL Draft

When: Thursday, 8 p.m. (Round 1); Friday, 7 p.m. (Rounds 2 and 3); Saturday, noon (Rounds 4 through 7)

Where: Las Vegas, Nevada

TV: ESPN, ABC or NFL Network

Reach Curt Weiler at cweiler@tallahassee.com or follow him on Twitter @CurtMWeiler.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Which Seminoles could join Jermaine Johnson as 2022 NFL Draft picks?