Two Former Gators Named Among Top NFL Undrafted Free Agent Pickups
Photo: Richard Gouraige; Credit: Alex Shepherd
The NFL Draft, itself, featured a lot of attention for former Florida Gators like top-five selection Anthony Richardson and several others, but don't sleep on those who got to choose their team.
The end of the selection process often comes with a flurry of phone calls to the next wave of college players looking for that one chance. A pair of former Gators, among others, got the call and have some buzz attached to their names early on.
After all, nearly 400 undrafted players made Week 1 NFL rosters to open the 2022 season, so the group is far from being overlooked these days.
USA Today’s Draft Wire considered one UDFA to keep an eye on for all 32 NFL teams, with former Florida contributors Richard Gouraige in Buffalo and Mohamoud Diabate in Cleveland among the selections.
OT Richard Gouraige, Buffalo Bills
Gouraige has considerable experience at both guard and tackle from Florida. He’s strong, smart and technically sound–an ideal reserve offensive lineman.
Gouraige of course reunites with fellow Gators trenchman O'Cyrus Torrence in Buffalo as the AFC power looks to invest in protecting Josh Allen as much as possible. UF wideout Justin Shorter was also a Bills selection.
The 24-year-old Gouraige made 42 starts during his college career — 25 at left tackle and 17 at left guard — and allowed just five career sacks across 1,678 pass-blocking snaps with no more than two given up in a single season, according to Pro Football Focus.
LB Mohamoud Diabate, Cleveland Browns
Diabate is a former EDGE who converted to inside linebacker, but he’s built more like a tall safety (he’s 6-3/229). Moves very well in space and can both blitz and cover, making Diabate an ideal sub-package player who offers a ton of potential on special teams units.
Diabate, an Auburn (Ala.) High School product who proved productive at UF before transferring to Utah in 2022, is considered one of the more intriguing UDFA pickups across the league given the $250,000 worth of guarantees in his reported contract.
After posting 176 tackles, six sacks, 14 tackles for loss, an interception, two passes defended and three forced fumbles in 37 appearances with Florida — Diabate helped the Utes to a Pac-12 championship with 58 tackles, five sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Stay tuned to All Gators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @AllGatorsOnFN on Twitter and All Gators on FanNation-Sports Illustrated on Facebook.
Get your Gators football, basketball and other sporting events tickets from SI Tickets here.
