Ronald Darby Declares for 2015 NFL Draft: Latest Details and Reaction

Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby is one of the many pro-caliber standouts on the Seminoles defense, and he's opted to declare for the 2015 NFL draft as of Friday.

Florida State bid him farewell on Twitter:

Phil Sears/Associated Press

John Taylor of College Football Talk provides a quote from Jimbo Fisher:

"

Ronald was a big part of our success here and helped us reach the next level over the last three years. I’m excited for Ronald and his family. He was a phenomenal player for us here at Florida State, and I think he has a chance to be a great pro.

"

Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal has Darby's representation:

Darby and teammate P.J. Williams combined to form a strong cornerback tandem in Tallahassee, but it will be interesting to see how the former fares as an individual without so much talent around him.

It is a bit surprising that Darby, a third-team All-ACC selection, decided to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility in favor of the NFL. CBSSports.com projects him to be a fourth-round draft pick as only the 16th-best player at his position.

Then again, team needs can help boost Darby's draft stock. The NFL's modern rules make it as favorable as ever for offenses that throw the ball a lot. With Darby's electric speed and uncanny skills in man coverage, he can be an immediate asset to an NFL secondary.

Before he'd even begun his career at Florida State, Darby had run competitively as a youth sprinter, with personal-best times of 10.41 in the 100-meter dash and 21.05 in the 200-meter dash, per All-Athletics.com.

Injuries have harmed Darby's ability to produce consistently, though. He underwent surgery for a sports hernia prior to his sophomore season in January 2013 and then had hamstring, groin and arm issues as a junior.

If he has the chance to get healthy before the draft, the 5'11", 195-pound Darby can boost his stock should he choose to partake in the NFL Scouting Combine or at the Seminoles pro day. That would be a great stage for Darby to outshine some of FSU's other top prospects.

But should Darby not be ready for those tests or should he do worse than expected and slip to Day 2, some fortunate team could stumble on a diamond in the rough to add to its defensive backfield.