TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As soon as it had all finished, after three rounds of drafting that shaped the rosters for Florida State’s upcoming Garnet and Gold Spring Game, linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen, picked a few minutes earlier by the Garnet team, stood up and delivered a booming message to a room full of newly-minted “free agents.”

“If you’re trying to win,” Nasirildeen said, “come join the Garnet.”

Consider it the opening salvo.

FSU’s spring game won’t kick off until Saturday (4 p.m.), but the competition between Garnet and Gold is now well underway.

About an hour after their second team scrimmage of the spring, the Seminoles gathered in their second-floor meeting room to hold their annual spring game draft.

With head coach Willie Taggart presiding, staffs made up of FSU’s assistants – Harlon Barnett leading the Garnet, Ron Dugans heading up the gold – picked players, one by one, through three rounds of 12 picks.

Selected players then left to join their new teammates down the hall – and to lobby their coaches about upcoming picks.

Rosters will be finalized over the next few days.

“It’s always neat,” Taggart said. “Our players love it. It gives everybody a chance to be on a team, everybody a chance to play.”

The first picks won’t come as much surprise for anyone who follows Florida State football: Junior defensive tackle Marvin Wilson went off the board first, selected by the Gold. He’ll line up across from junior running back Cam Akers, who the Garnet team chose with its first pick.

By the time everything had settled, both veterans felt good about their respective rosters.