GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators have had 360 players selected in all-time professional football allocation drafts, dating to the first in 1938. They're one of three programs (along with Southern California and Michigan) to have at least one player taken in every draft since 1967. UF has produced 57 all-time first-round picks (all but two since '67) and twice in the last three drafts have had players taken in the overall top five.
Ricky Pearsall
Such won't be the case when the 2024 NFL Draft commences Thursday night in Detroit. In fact, this draft is expected to feature the fewest UF products selected certainly since 2012, when defensive lineman
Jaye Howard (4th round) and running back
Chris Rainey (fifth) were third-day picks, and maybe since 1980 when the Gators had just one pick after going 0-10-1.
Thank goodness for
Ricky Pearsall.
Pearsall, the athletic and gluey-handed wide receiver who caught 98 passes for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns in his two UF seasons, looks like he may be the lone Florida player drafted over the next three days, which speaks to the talent (of lack thereof) that Coach
Billy Napier inherited in 2022 (not unlike those lone two in '12 was an indication of what
Will Muschamp walked into when he took over the "broken"
Urban Meyer program). By all accounts, the Gators' current talent level is on the uptick, but the last weekend in April is a time to spotlight outgoing players with a future in the bigs.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Pearsall, a Napier transfer portal acquisition by way of Arizona State, projects nicely as a slot receiver at the next level and is expected to come off the board during Friday's second or third round.
Florida has a rich history of sending wideouts to the NFL, with its 44 since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 the most (albeit barely) at any position, with defensive backs and linebackers a single player behind, respectively. Offensive line checks in fourth and has an outside shot of adding to its all-time total if
Kingsley Eguakon (a possible late-round selection) is taken Saturday.
Here's a look at Florida players, by position, selected by the pros since the two leagues joined forces 54 years ago.
CHARTING THE GATORS
Most drafted position players since the NFL-AFL merger of 1970.
| Selections |
Position |
1st-rounders |
Highest pick |
Best of the bunch |
| 44 |
Wide receiver |
7 |
Wes Chandler
(3rd overall to New Orleans in 1978) |
Chandler was a 4-time Pro-Bowler; 559 receptions, 8,966 yards, 56 TD; averaged 21.1 per catch with San Diego in '82. |
| 43 |
Defensive back |
10 |
Joe Haden
(7th overall to Cleveland in 2010) |
Haden was a 3-time Pro-Bowler; started 148 of 158 games over 12 seasons; 29 INTs; made $121 million during career. |
|
Linebacker |
7 |
Dan Fowler Jr.
(3rd overall to Jacksonville in 2015) |
Wilber Marshall (1st round '84) was the greatest defensive player in UF history; 3-time All-Pro; Super Bowl champ with Chicago and Washington. |
| 36 |
Offensive line |
6 |
Lomas Brown
(6th overall to Detroit in 1985) |
Brown played 18 seasons (11 with Lions), made 7 Pro Bowls; blocked for Barry Sanders; won Super Bowl as backup with Tampa Bay. |
| 29 |
Running back |
5 |
Fred Taylor
(9th overall to Jacksonville in 1998) |
Emmitt Smith (1st round '90) still holds the NFL's all-time rushing record (18,355) that he broke 2002. Rushed for 164 TD. Six-time All-Pro; NFL MVP in '93; 3-time Super Bowl champ with Dallas. |
| 28 |
Defensive line |
11 |
Gerard Warren
(3rd overall to Cleveland in 2001) |
Jack Youngblood (1st round '71) amassed 151.5 all-time sacks with the LA Rams; one of two Gators (along with Smith) in Pro Football Hall of Fame. |
| 11 |
Tight end |
1 |
Kyle Pitts
(4th overall to Atlanta in 2021) |
Jordan Reed (3rd round '13) totaled 355 career catches, 3,602 yards, 28 TD over 7 seasons (all but one with Washington); 1 Pro Bowl. |
| 8 |
Quarterback |
4 |
Anthony Richardson
(4th overall to Indianapolis in 2023) |
Slim pickings at this spot, but Rex Grossman (1st round '03) threw 56 TD, 60 INT over 9 seasons with three teams); started for 2006 Bears in Super Bowl loss to Peyton Manning and Colts. |
|
Specialist |
0 |
Jeff Chandler
102nd overall to San Francisco in 2002 |
Evan McPherson (5th round '21) tied Hall-of-Famer Adam Vinatieri's record of 14 straight postseason field-goal makes on way to Super Bowl as rookie in Cincinnati. |
