TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State’s leading tackler last week, Derwin James, tallied nine stops and provoked the home crowd to rise to its feet after slamming down a quarterback.
The Seminoles’ top solo tackler against NC State on Saturday, Javien Elliott, was routinely tested on the boundaries with receiver screens and flares. He was challenged to beat a block and make a tackle in space. He always did.
James is a 6-foot-3, 212-pound five-star mega-talent, a freshman whose reputation preceded him. Elliott was an unrecognizable former walk-on until a few weeks ago when he was moved into the starting lineup.