NFL Draft Big Board: Three Gators in SI's Top 100 Prospects
Despite pro days and top 30 visits being canceled across the nation in regards to the novel coronavirus, the NFL Draft is a-go for April 23rd.
Now, the lack of pro days and top 30 visits hurts, big time. For prospects such as Florida Gators wide receiver Josh Hammond, who is honestly among hundreds of NFL hopefuls who were not invited to the 2020 NFL Combine - although Hammond did post solid athletic testing results at a private session on a later date - his chances of catching a team's attention late in the draft process are now all but out the window.
But for prospects who have proven their worth ahead of the draft and are likely to hear their names called, a debate and analysis-filled month lies ahead as NFL Draft analysts and fans rank prospects prior to the event.
Sports Illustrated has joined that group, as lead NFL Draft analyst Kevin Hanson has released his post-free agency NFL Draft top 100 big board. Hanson states that his grades are weighted towards what he saw on film, given the lack of pro days going forward.
Hanson included the three former Florida players in the top 100, and below we'll analyze each prospect's ranking.
14. C.J. Henderson, cornerback, 6-1, 204 lbs.
After clocking a 4.39 40 yard dash at an ideal size for an outside cornerback at the NFL level, Florida's former shutdown defensive back appears to have locked himself into the top two of consensus cornerback rankings ahead of the draft.
Henderson stands as Hanson's No. 2 cornerback in the class, behind Ohio State's Jeffrey Okudah, seemingly as usual. Though, there are some who believe Henderson's upside, given his athleticism, is worthy of taking over Okudah's presence in man coverage.
Here's what Hanson had to say regarding Henderson as a prospect.
Critics will be quick to point to his inconsistency as a tackler, but Henderson has elite man-coverage skills. His agility, fluid movements and smooth transitions keep him connected to routes in coverage and while the ball production wasn’t there in 2019, Henderson had six combined interceptions in his first two seasons at Florida.
Over three seasons at Florida, Henderson added 20 defended passes, 93 total tackles, four sacks, and eight tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus credits Henderson with allowing only 52.7% of his 110 targets in coverage during that span, not allowing a single touchdown pass his way in 2018.
Analysts have knocked Henderson for his lack of turnovers in 2019 - despite breaking up 11 passes in only nine games - and for his inconsistencies as a tackler, which is a bit more of a legitimate issue. Though, Henderson's high ceiling and athletic ability make these deficiencies not limitations, but rather, coachable issues.
And there will be many defensive back coaches who want to get their hands on Henderson's talent next month.
66. Jonathan Greenard, edge rusher, 6-3, 262 lbs.
At this time last year, Jonathan Greenard was a fresh graduate transfer at Florida from Louisville, looking to serve as a band-aid at the team's BUCK rush end position after the loss of Jachai Polite to the NFL, and while young players were still being developed.
Greenard had previously missed all but nine snaps of the 2018 season with the Cardinals with a serious wrist injury. Though he had put up solid production at Louisville before, Greenard was far from being on the NFL radar prior to his emergence at Florida.
Under his former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who spent three years with Greenard at Louisville before a stop at Mississippi State that led to the same position at Florida, Greenard enjoyed a legitimate breakout campaign with the Gators in 2019.
Leading the SEC in sacks with 10 and tackles for loss with 15.5, Greenard consistently applied pressure against the pass and was also a stout run defender for Florida. Pro Football Focus credits Greenard with a team-leading 47 quarterback pressures, and that consistent pressure was a large part of what earned him SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors four times in 2019.
A strong performance in drills important for edge rushers at the NFL Combine solidified a day two status for the Florida product. Hanson sees Greenard as a prospect on the second-to-third round fringe, and the seventh-best edge-rushing prospect in the class.
100. Van Jefferson, wide receiver, 6-1, 200 lbs.
After commanding the attention of NFL scouts and personnel at the 2020 Senior Bowl, Van Jefferson began to seriously climb up draft boards.
Teams saw his route running prowess and talent at Florida, though it was limited as the Gators spread the ball around so often. Though Jefferson was Florida's leading wide receiver in back-to-back seasons after transferring from Ole Miss, he never topped 50 receptions in a single season during his college career.
The Senior Bowl was Jefferson's opportunity to stand out which he did. Jefferson's sudden footwork at the line of scrimmage allowed him to win one-on-ones consistently during all three practices. Following a week in Mobile, Jefferson was commonly assessed as a day two pick, likely to be taken in the third round given the immense strength of the 2020 receiver class.
Though, at the Combine, doctors found a Jones fracture in Jefferson's right foot, which prevented the 23-year-old from clocking a 40-yard dash or any other athletic tests. The injury is minor, and Jefferson will be ready to compete in training camp - whenever that might be - though it's not hard to see Jefferson's draft stock being impacted. Hanson views Jefferson, currently, as a third-to-fourth round prospect, with the No. 100 spot being in the third round compensatory pick range.
