With the college football season now officially behind us, the focus will continue to shift on who will be coming back in 2018. Florida State defensive end Jalen Wilkerson will not be playing on Saturdays next fall. He is now officially ready to try landing a job in the NFL.
Wilkerson announced his decision to turn pro with a bried message on Twitter, in which he tahked Florida State fans for the support during his time in Tallahassee.
Some people will never know why you have to make the decisions you make, but I will forever be thankful for the opportunity to play for nole nation. You guys are amazing and God bless 🙏🏾✌🏾
— Ja Bo (@88Dreamchaser) January 9, 2018
Wilkerson’s decision to enter the NFL Draft this spring comes as a mild surprise, but given his size and potential, a good showing at the scouting combine or at a pro day and private workouts could give him enough of a boost to make the jump to the NFL worth it.
Wilkerson ended the 2017 season having recorded 19 tackles in 13 games, including six tackles for a loss. Wilkerson came to Floriuda State to play tight end for the Noles after being recruited as a four-star prospect at the position, but he made the conversion to defensive end to help pad some depth on the roster. It will be interesting to see if any NFL team contemplates trying him out at tight end leading up to the draft. Having that flexibility may come in handy at some point as Wilkerson looks to impress scouts moving forward.
Helmet sticker to Tomahawk Nation.