FSU's Ja'Bril Rawls regarded as a first-round CB by former NFL scout

Florida State cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls had his best season in 2025. He's currently participating in the Seminoles' fall camp, and he'll be one of the most important defenders for the program in 2026.

Rawls could potentially go the NFL with a healthy and productive season, and one person feels that he's better than most would think. According to former Dallas Cowboys scout and current executive director of the Senior Bowl, Drew Fabianich, Rawls is a player that should be drafted on the first day.

“I put on the tape, and you know I’m going, ‘OK, why is this guy not getting talked about very much?'” Fabianich said via Warchant . “As soon as I watched the tape, I said he’s a first-round corner.”

Rawls missed five games due to a season-ending shoulder injury, but he was still ultra productive. He amassed 40 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. He looked a lot more comfortable in his ability to read and diagnose plays.

Every player can improve, after all, that's what it's all about. Fabianich mentioned he feels that Rawls needs to improve on, and surprisingly, it's not much.

“He needs to improve his strength, overall strength,” Fabianich said. “I’d like him to improve his mass. But seeing him in person, that’s not going to happen probably much more than seven to eight pounds. He’s just a thin-hipped, thin-shouldered guy. You’d like him to be stronger, especially when shedding blocks and when he is in press (coverage).

“But, he’s really good in press. He’s really good in off (coverage). He’s got really good eyes and instincts in zone. There’s not a lot of holes in his game.”

Rawls taking another leap in his play will be essential for FSU's defense this season, and if that happens, their chances of being a better defense go up significantly.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU's Ja'Bril Rawls regarded as a first-round CB by former NFL scout

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