2020 NFL Draft: Daniel Jeremiah Talks Gators Prospects Henderson, Greenard

The 2020 NFL Draft is only six days away, and there has been plenty of speculation surrounding where former Gators cornerback C.J. Henderson and pass rusher Jonathan Greenard might end up.

On Thursday, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah spoke to the media for the first time since shortly after the NFL Combine to give his thoughts on how the draft may play out, and how he would grade individual prospects.

Henderson, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, has been a major topic of discussion and has recently been viewed as a potential top-10 pick. Jeremiah echoed that sentiment yesterday suggesting there is a possibility of Henderson going in the top 10, and currently he has placed Henderson as his 21st overall prospect heading into the draft itself, stating Henderson is "clearly the second corner".

"My issues with him, why I see the difference between him and (Jeffrey) Okudah. He's a better athlete than Okudah, but Okudah is a better football player," Jeremiah said while comparing the two prospects.

"Okudah is tougher, Okudah tackles better. He finds and plays the football a little bit better. Henderson has got all the upside in the world, I think you'd say even more upside than Okudah, but man, he's got to clean up his tackling and he's got to get a little bit more consistent playing the ball down the field"

The NFL draft analyst also stated, however, that Henderson is athletically talented, fluid, and smooth. Henderson ran a better 40-yard dash time than Okudah, 4.39 seconds to Okudah's 4.48 seconds.

Much has been made regarding Henderson's tackling ability, which has been fair, the cornerback has not made a great impression on draft analysts around the country in that area. However, he makes up for it in his coverage ability, able to play press-man or zone with ease.

Jeremiah also spoke on Greenard, who played the Gators' BUCK defensive end position last season after transferring from Louisville, stating he has him rated as his 104th best player in his top-200 list.

"Greenard is a real smooth, fluid rusher. He can really bend at the top of his rush. I have him at this point in time at the end of the process here, he's right around 100, so he's I think the 104th player, so that's where that puts him," said Jeremiah.

He notes that Greenard disappointed him a bit in his 40-yard dash time at the combine, clocking in at 4.87 seconds, but states he's "real slippery", reiterating his bending ability. Later in the call, Jeremiah suggested the New York Jets, a pass-rush needy team, as a team that could possibly select Greenard later on in the draft.

"I think that probably puts him in that -- I think you'll see his name come off the board in that third, fourth-round range."

This is a bit of a difference from where some analysts have Greenard slotted, usually appearing in rounds two, or at worst round three. It is possible that Greenard does end up going in the fourth round, most likely due to his athletic testing, however, with this year's class being weaker in the edge-rushing department, it would not come as a surprise to see Greenard go earlier than Jeremiah anticipates.

The NFL Draft is officially less than a week away, and many Gators players are expected to be selected including Henderson, Greenard, wide receiver Van Jefferson, defensive end Jabari Zuniga, and running back Lamical Perine to name a few.