4 reasons NFL fans should watch Florida State S Derwin James vs. Clemson

In the last few years alone, Florida State has sent cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey, Xavier Rhodes and Ronald Darby to the NFL. The school’s next defensive back product may be the best draft prospect yet.

That’s not to say that Derwin James is better than Ramsey or Rhodes — two of the best cornerbacks in the NFL — but the safety has a strong chance at getting a higher grade from teams as a prospect and go higher in the draft order as a consequence.

James is just a sophomore — he received a medical redshirt for his 2016 season that ended early with a knee injury — but he’s eligible to enter the 2018 NFL Draft and his world class athleticism suggests he might.

There’s a good chance James lands in the top five of the draft in April, and his game Saturday against Clemson is a good time for NFL fans to familiarize themselves with a potential future star on Sundays:

1. James can do a little bit of everything

When Jalen Ramsey entered the 2016 NFL Draft, there was debate about what position he’d play in the NFL. The eventual Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback explained that he’s “a corner who can play safety” and there’s a lot of parallels to that in the play of Derwin James.

The difference is that James is more like a safety who can play corner. He does a little bit of everything for the Florida State defense, including stepping down in the box to either blitz or lock down slot receivers:

Earlier in the year, Sports Illustrated put James at No. 1 in its Top 100 players list and raved about his versatility:

James may be the only player in the country capable of lining up virtually everywhere on the defensive side of the ball, and Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher might want to consider dialing up a running play for him or asking him to run a deep route. Billing James as the next Jabrill Peppers is underselling the number of tasks the 6’3”, 211-pound redshirt sophomore can perform on the field at a high level.

Safeties can be hard to find at times during broadcasts, but James is hard to miss. He makes an impact on a weekly basis and will be someone Clemson has to work around.

2. Clemson will test James

Florida State’s 3-5 record is uncharacteristically subpar for a perennial powerhouse, but it’s more of a symptom of a bad offense than an indictment of the defense. The Seminoles score just 18.6 points per game — the 120th scoring offense out of the 130 teams in the FBS.

While the defense isn’t exactly a shutdown unit, it can get the job done. Earlier this year, it did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage against Alabama, but the loss of quarterback Deondre Francois doomed the offense and led to most of the struggles of the last two months.

That’s why — even though Clemson is a 15.5-point favorite — lighting up the FSU secondary won’t be easy.

The Tigers average 442.9 yards and 32.9 points per game, which makes Saturday an interesting test for James and the FSU defense against an offense that’s always dangerous.

3. James is convinced he’s the best player in the nation

A lot of others are convinced of that too, including Pro Football Focus which raved about his rare skill set way back in May 2016. A year and a half later, he’s at No. 2 in PFF’s latest mock draft, behind only Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield.

He was also the first defensive player off the board in the first 2018 mock draft of the year from SB Nation’s Dan Kadar. But James also being confident that he’s the best player in the nation matters.

"I do think I'm the best player in the country," James said at ACC Media Day in July.

Defensive back is unique in its requirement of swagger and James checks that box. He plays with confidence and attitude, and that’s exactly what you want out of a defensive back who is likely to be a top selection in April.

4. James has rare athletic skills

It may be obvious at this point — considering he can do everything and is thought of by many to be the best player in the nation — but he is a rare talent athletically.

You just don’t see many 6’3, 211-pound defensive backs who can bench 400 pounds, jump through the roof, and run with speedy receivers. Ultimately, his 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine isn’t going to blow people away, but he brings rare strength, power and explosiveness to the defensive backfield.

His willingness and his ability to go through offensive linemen makes him a player that really can’t be avoided or nullified unless he’s avoided altogether. And that makes him a very valuable piece for the FSU defense, a fun player to watch, who always makes an impact, and a potential star of the future in the NFL.