Gators produce lowest number of NFL Draft picks since 2012

On3 imageby:Nick de la Torre•04/30/22•

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The Florida Gators had three players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. That’s the lowest number of selections the school has produced since 2012.

That year the Gators saw just two players — Jaye Howard and Chris Rainey — hear their names called. Neither player stuck around the league very long. With a first-round pick in Kaiir Elam, along with Zach Carter and Dameon Pierce going to great situations, that should be a different narrative this draft class.

Not all news is bad news. When Elam was selected 23rd overall it put the Gators in rare air. Florida is one of only three schools that have had at least one player selected in every year of the modern draft era (1967).

Elam became the Gators’ 54th first-round draft pick since 1967 (common draft era), which ranks second-most among the SEC and fifth in the NCAA. The pick also marked the third-straight year with a first-round pick out of Florida. He is Florida’s sixth DB drafted in the first round since 2010, which is tied for second-most in the SEC.

Gators draftee projected salaries (per Spotrac)

  • Kaiir Elam – $13.69 million over 4 years (5th-year team option), $7.1 million signing bonus
  • Zach Carter – $5.06 million over 4 years $864,000 signing bonus
  • Dameon Pierce – $4.47 million over 4 years, $815,000 signing bonus

Gators run the state

The Florida Gators have the most NFL Draft picks of any in-state school in the last 10 years.

Florida63
FSU 49
Miami43
UCF19

Gators left undrafted

The one player that could have been expected to have been drafted but wasn’t was Jeremiah Moon.

The talented prospect battled injuries throughout his college career. Moon had season-ending injuries in 2016, 2019, and 2020. Moon is an edge player and his size and speed will give opposing offenses fits. However, after an injury to Ventrell Miller, Moon played his final season at inside linebacker. It was a new position for the super senior but shows his dedication to the team above himself.

At the end of the day, it’s better for a player to go undrafted and pick their spot rather than being taken by a team in the last round and viewed as expendable. Moon will have a lot to prove with whichever team he signs win.

Here is a list of other Gators hoping to get a shot in the NFL

  • RB Malik Davis
  • DL Tyrone Truesdell
  • OL Jean Delance
  • DL Daquan Newkirk
  • DL Antonio Valentino
  • OL Stewart Reese
  • K Jace Christmann
  • LB Lacedrick Brunson

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