One of the best linebackers in college football, the top defensive tackles and the consensus best safety available are all still on the board heading into the second day of the NFL draft.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – True freshman Jeff Sims, who was once a Florida State commitment, threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as Georgia Tech defeated the Seminoles 16-13 in both teams' season opener on Saturday night. Cornerback Asante Samuel had two interceptions and two pass break-ups for Florida State. A NEW-LOOK OFFENSEJeff Sims’ 24 completions are the most by a Georgia Tech quarterback since Reggie Ball had 27 vs. Duke on Nov. 8, 2003. Florida State officials had expected between 19,000-20,000, roughly 25 percent of the capacity at Doak Campbell Stadium. Georgia Tech plays host to UCF on Saturday.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Mike Norvell has waited nine months to coach his first game at Florida State. After the coronavirus-disrupted offseason, Norvell believes the Seminoles are ready to play their first game Saturday when Georgia Tech visits Doak Campbell Stadium. He has some impressive performances as a true freshman in 2017, coach Jimbo Fisher’s final season with Florida State, and again last year. “The main thing that coach Norvell hit on every day was just responding,” Blackman said. “I’m super excited going into my final year at Florida State,” Wilson said.

Mike Norvell has a relatively easy act to follow. Norvells first season at Florida State should be an upgrade from the Willie Taggart era, which was one of college footballs biggest coaching debacles in recent years. It was so obvious that Taggart was in over his head that Florida State cut ties midway through his second season, a rarity in college athletics. He posted four consecutive winning seasons at Memphis before taking over in Florida's state capital. Before he even coached a game, Norvell was on the brink of a revolt in June after he claimed to have spoken to each of his players individually about George Floyds death and the ensuing protests against racial injustice.

Parsons and Oregon tackle Penei Sewell are among 11 players selected who are not slated to play this fall. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and Oregon tackle Penei Sewell are among 11 players selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America first team who are not slated to play this fall. Tackles x-Penei Sewell, junior, Oregon; Alex Leatherwood, senior, Alabama. Linebackers y-Micah Parsons, junior, Penn State; x-Hamilcar Rashed Jr., senior, Oregon State; Dylan Moses, senior, Alabama. Safeties x-Jevon Holland, junior, Oregon; Trevon Moehrig, junior, TCU.

Several other prominent FSU players spoke up in defense of the program, saying that they feel safe. During the entire week of camp I have been lied to multiple times about the conditions of other players health as well as mine, Thompson wrote. Weekly testing has not taken place and many players have tested + and yet told to remain silent! Weekly testing has not taken place and many players have tested + and yet told to remain silent! Im not going to control the players social media, everybody has a platform they can use.

The Florida State football team met with coach Mike Norvell on Thursday after a star player accused the coach of lying about personally connecting with each player to discuss the police killing of George Floyd and ensuing protests against racial injustice. I want to tell you that coach just finished a closed team meeting with the football team, Coburn told the board. On Thursday, some support for Norvell was turning up on social media from Florida State players. Linebacker Kevon Glenn tweeted: We love our coach and we are together as a team.___AP freelance writer Bob Ferrante in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report. Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and https://appodcasts.com/category/ap-top-25-college-football/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Over a tense few hours, Norvell and Florida State players and administration held meetings and were able to work through things and, as players said, move forward. Seminoles defensive tackle Marvin Wilson took issue with that statement, saying that Norvell didnt have one-on-one conversations with players. There was no one on one talk between us and coach," Wilson tweeted. Several other Florida State players seemingly tweeted in reaction to Wilsons statement. After the flurry of tweets Thursday morning, Norvell held a closed team meeting with players and staff.

Guarantee games, or buy games, are essential to many athletic departments that field Division I football teams but have far smaller budgets than those at Power Five schools. This season, 39 major college football schools have scheduled a total of 49 buy games worth an estimated $65 million. The pandemic has made everything about the coming college football season uncertain. If the season is cut short or rearranged, conferences will prioritize playing conference games, which usually have more value both financially and competitively. Kent State, from the Mid-American Conference, has three guarantee games this season with Alabama, Kentucky and Penn State worth $4.95 million.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The All-ACC team was announced today and two local products were named to the first team. Shaq Quarterman out of Oakleaf and Michael Pinckney out of Raines who both play for Miami are first team linebackers. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson 243. AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College 154. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State 1Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.