NFL Draft: Four Gators in Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Prospects
The NFL Draft is a mere three days away, and the Florida Gators are expected to be well represented.
It is well known that cornerback C.J. Henderson is a first-round lock, to the point where reports have surfaced that he is the No. 1 cornerback on some team's boards, ahead of Ohio State's Jeff Okudah. Whether he ends up being selected ahead of Okudah or not is another story, but Henderson leads a strong group of Gators prospects into the draft.
But what about the rest of Florida's prospects? Where could they end up being selected?
Sports Illustrated's Kevin Hanson has compiled a 255-player big board, equating to the number of picks in the upcoming draft, and five Gators were included - with four in the top 100 prospects.
13. Cornerback C.J. Henderson
"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 interceptions in his first two seasons combined at Florida." - Hanson
You don't just have to take my word on C.J. Henderson being higher on draft boards than people initially thought. NFL Network draft analyst Lance Zierlein is hearing the same thing from league sources.
Again, this doesn't necessarily mean Henderson will beat Okudah off of the board, but it goes to show how highly coveted Henderson is as a prospect. Following a successful career at Florida and an explosive showing at the NFL Combine, Henderson is the type of cornerback prospect that defensive back coaches can't wait to get their hands on.
69. Defensive end Jonathan Greenard
After posting 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss during his lone season with the Gators, Greenard went from an unknown on NFL Draft radars to, now, a potential second-round pick depending on who you talk to.
Hanson views Greenard as a fringe second-to-third round pick, as day two of the draft feels like his sweet spot. Greenard participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl as a strong-side linebacker, displaying versatility by covering tight ends on top of edge rushing.
The 2020 edge class isn't particularly strong. Ohio State's Chase Young is expected to be the second overall pick by Washington, but the remainder of the class is viewed to have limitations. Greenard's injury history and 40 yard dash time might hold him back, but he has the production and explosion (as seen in other Combine results) that projects to a solid NFL edge rusher.
86. Defensive end Jabari Zuniga
Zuniga's redshirt season was expected to be one for the books. Just ask head coach Dan Mullen.
Who knows what his draft stock would have been if he would have been able to play the whole year or played more last year. His draft stock would probably be way higher than it even is now, so I think that for him is a shame and it would have helped the team. Hopefully we stay healthy.
Despite missing half of his redshirt senior season with a nagging ankle injury and playing a bit undersized, Zuniga could end up being coveted due to his extreme athleticism at the defensive end position. He might not be suited to continue playing strong-side defensive end on a full-time basis, but Zuniga could play on the weak-side and move inside in sub-packages.
Hanson believes Zuniga will be a third-round pick, based on his board. I have a feeling he could slip into day three because of his injury and size concerns, but after posting a 4.64 40 yard dash (93rd percentile among defensive ends), 127" broad jump (97th), and 33" vertical jump (68th), the lacking depth of the edge class could push Zuniga up the board.
98. Wide receiver Van Jefferson
Jefferson sneaks into the top 100 on Hanson's board, after an impressive showing at the 2020 Senior Bowl. Though, like Zuniga, the NFL Combine may hurt Jefferson's draft stock.
After doctors discovered a Jones fracture in Jefferson's foot, he was unable to partake in athletic testing drills. Jefferson's speed has been questioned throughout the draft process and events like the 40-yard dash could have benefitted him with a good result. Instead, teams will have to rely on Jefferson's tape strictly in their evaluation.
On tape, however, Jefferson is one of the most polished route runners in what is being considered a historically deep wide receiver class. On the day two/day three fringe, a team should certainly be interested in Jefferson's ability to get open from the Z and slot receiver position. He may not be a game-changer at the next level, but Jefferson is the type to emerge as a possession receiver and a quarterback's best friend.
145. Running back Lamical Perine
Perine, like Jefferson, stood out at the Senior Bowl. In fact, both players won practice players of the week for the South team.
Entering the 2019 season, there were questions to be had regarding Perine in the passing game, and he answered them while Florida flipped to a pass-heavy offense. Ranking third on the team with 40 receptions and serving as a solid pass protector, Perine emerged as a balanced running back that demanded snaps despite Mullen's normal rotational approach at skill positions.
Perine will likely be a day three selection due to his lack of top-end speed - he posted a 4.62 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. But his patience to allow blocks to develop and growth in the passing game will earn him snaps in a running back by committee, at least.
