NFL Draft: Florida Gators Day Two Mock Draft Roundup
Which Florida Gators prospects will be next to hear their name called in the 2020 NFL Draft?
After cornerback CJ Henderson was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the ninth overall selection on Thursday night, after weeks of speculation that he'd end up a top ten pick, your guess is as good as anyones. With 223 selections remaining, anything is possible.
As things stand, Florida is widely projected to see three former players taken on day two of the draft, in rounds two and three. But in a year where in-person visits and physicals with teams were canceled, the remainder of this draft could be as unpredictable as ever.
But looking at it that way is no fun, so we've compiled day two mock drafts to best guess where several Florida prospects will go - including our own.
AllGators Day Two Projections
Round 3, Pick 86: Defensive end Jonathan Greenard - Buffalo Bills
Analysts are back and forth on which of Florida's two defensive ends, Greenard and Jabari Zuniga, will be the first off the board. While Greenard has the production to warrant a day two selection, Zuniga has the athleticism.
Zuniga possesses elite speed and explosion in his jumps, but Greenard's athletic traits - notably his ability to bend and his burst - appear to be slept on throughout the draft process. Greenard's arm length ranks in the 90th percentile among NFL defensive ends, which is another important note. These are important athletic aspects of being an edge rusher.
In regards to production, Zuniga's performances against SEC competition have been in question for some time and could also be considered. For perspective, Zuniga has recorded 7.5 sacks in 25 SEC games over four seasons. In Greenard's lone season at Florida, he posted four sacks in seven SEC games, more than half of Zuniga's count.
This isn't meant to be a knock on Zuniga whatsoever, but Greenard seems to be the more proven prospect of the two. Zuniga's nagging ankle injury that hampered his 2019 season could also be a factor in when he is selected. I have a feeling Zuniga could possibly slip into day three, given these concerns.
The Bills have a big need on the edge after losing their top two sack leaders from 2019 in Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson in free agency. The Bills' projected starters on the edge entering the 2020 season are Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, who are both on the wrong side of 30 years old. Hughes only recorded 4.5 sacks in 2019, which is also a concern.
Round 3, Pick 93: Wide receiver Van Jefferson - Tennessee Titans
As mentioned with Zuniga, Jefferson has an injury concern that teams could perhaps be troubled by. A Jones fracture was discovered in his foot that required surgery and held him out of NFL Combine drills. Now, the injury was minor and had gone undetected before, so it shouldn't scare teams off too much - but again, in a year where teams can not conduct their own physicals, a slip can not be left off of the table.
Tennessee is dedicated to a smashmouth offense that runs through running back Derrick Henry, but after quarterback Ryan Tannehill re-emerged last season and earned a four-year contract extension, he could utilize more passing game weapons to take the load off of Henry.
A.J. Brown emerged as a big-play threat by averaging 20.2 yards per reception as a rookie in 2019, and could use a complement in the short-to-intermediate game. That's Jefferson's bread and butter as he is an extraordinary route runner with a high football IQ to quickly diagnose zones and get open. Jefferson would be in a position to gain snaps early on as Corey Davis has yet to live up to his No. 5 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Mock Draft Roundup
Sports Illustrated's Kevin Hanson's day two projection
Round 3, Pick 70: DE Jonathan Greenard - Miami Dolphins
Round 3, Pick 93: DE Jabari Zuniga - Tennessee Titans
Round 3, Pick 98 (compensatory): WR Van Jefferson - New England Patriots
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein's second and third-round estimation
Round 3, Pick 68: WR Van Jefferson - New York Jets
Note: Jefferson's father, Shawn, is the Jets' wide receivers coach and New York is in dire need of passing game weapons. This will be a connection to keep in mind.
Round 3, Pick 75: DE Jabari Zuniga - Indianapolis Colts
Round 3, Pick 86: DE Jonathan Greenard - Buffalo Bills
The Athletic's Dane Brugler's day two mock draft
Round 3, Pick 72: DE Jonathan Greenard - Arizona Cardinals
Round 3, Pick 105 (compensatory): DE Jabari Zuniga - Minnesota Vikings
USA Today's Mark Schofield's second and third-round prediction
Round 3, Pick 67: WR Van Jefferson - Detroit Lions
Round 3, Pick 91: DE Jabari Zuniga - Las Vegas Raiders
Round 3, Pick 103 (compensatory): DE Jonathan Greenard - Philadelphia Eagles
