Mock Draft Roundup: Four Gators in SI's Three-Round Projection
Sports Illustrated NFL Draft analyst Kevin Hanson has dropped his latest NFL mock draft, with the annual selection ceremony set to take place in a couple of weeks starting April 23rd.
Within Hanson's projection, a three-round mock draft, four Gators were selected within the top 100 picks. Cornerback C.J. Henderson was placed in the first round, as expected, but the remaining Gators' prospects fell like dominoes later within the projection.
With that being said, where were the four Gators' prospects mocked?
First round, 17th pick: CB C.J. Henderson, Dallas Cowboys
Hanson's analysis: "Not only did Byron Jones leave to become the league’s highest-paid corner in Miami, but the Cowboys tied for the fewest interceptions (seven) in the NFL last season. Critics will be quick to point to Henderson’s inconsistency as a tackler, which needs to improve, but the former Gator is sticky in coverage with an impressive combination of size, length, speed and fluid movement.
Earlier this week in our team fits series, the Cowboys were noted as an obvious team in need of a cornerback early in the draft that could select Henderson for the same reasons Hanson lays out.
The Cowboys fell in love with Jones' athleticism shown at the 2015 NFL Combine, where he broke the broad jump record and tested as an elite athlete in almost every category. While Henderson isn't going to own a spot in the NFL Combine record books, he is arguably the most athletic cornerback in this draft after a great performance in the 40-yard dash and other drills, especially given his size.
Third round, 86th pick: EDGE Jonathan Greenard, Buffalo Bills
As the Bills look to take the next step as a franchise and become a serious contender in the playoffs, they need to continue adding talent to the edge group.
The team's two leading sack artists from 2019, Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson, have both moved onto new teams in free agency. Though the Bills patched those holes by signing Mario Addison and Quinton Jefferson, Addison is on the wrong side of 30 years old and Jefferson has never recorded more than 3.5 sacks in a single season.
Greenard would fit in Buffalo's scheme as a 4-3 defensive end, as he rushed with his hand in the dirt a good bit during his time at Florida. Behind Addison, Jefferson, and in-house option Jerry Hughes (who is also over 30), Greeenard can develop in a rotational role before one day taking on a starting gig.
Third round, 88th pick: WR Van Jefferson, New Orleans Saints
Despite a Jones fracture being discovered in his right foot that kept him from performing in NFL Combine drills, Hanson believes Jefferson will remain within his previously projected day two range.
The Saints already possess one of the most dominant route-runners in the NFL in wide receiver Michael Thomas, who posted a whopping 149 receptions in 2019. Though, while Thomas puts up absurd reception counts, the Saints need to find some more pass-game weapons for quarterback Drew Brees to spread the ball around to.
While Jefferson possesses a similar skill-set to Thomas as a route-runner who wins underneath, rather than providing something different such as a deep-threat or burner speed out of the slot, Jefferson's dependability would be perfect opposite of Thomas as Brees is about to begin his final season in the NFL.
Third round, 90th pick: EDGE Jabari Zuniga, Houston Texans
Zuniga being included within the top 100 picks was a bit surprising after he missed the majority of the 2019 season with a nagging ankle injury, but his dominant performance at the NFL Combine can help make sense of that.
While Zuniga is an undersized defensive lineman on tape, he weighed in 18 lbs. heavier than he was listed on Florida's roster - and yet he posted a 40-yard dash of 4.64 seconds, which ranks in the 93rd-percentile among defensive linemen. His 127-inch broad jump sits in the 97th-percentile.
With that, Zuniga certainly could rise up boards. The Texans deploy a one-gapping 3-4 defensive scheme which could serve Zuniga well. Though Zuniga primarily played strong-side defensive end at Florida, he tends to create consistent pressure when rushing from the interior. The Texans' scheme can create a bit of a hybrid role for him in that respect, playing him a 4-technique to prevent double teams and allowing him to rush vertically with his speed.
