Picture: Dameon Pierce; Credit score: Alex Shepherd

The 2022 NFL Draft arrives this week and a handful of Florida Gators are anticipated to listen to their names known as when it does.

With cornerback Kaiir Elam main the pack, at the very least three Gators are anticipated to be drafted this yr. That quantity may double if groups purchase into the athleticism a number of Florida prospects showcased at occasions just like the Senior Bowl, NFL Mix and UF’s Professional Day over the previous few months.

Under, we have compiled our remaining Gators-centric mock draft forward of the choice ceremony, which takes place Thursday via Saturday. We have additionally outlined some gamers that will not get picked however signal shortly after the draft with groups as free brokers.

For reference, the AllGators‘ remaining 2021 mock draft precisely projected Kyle Pitts and Kyle Trask‘s group alternatives, though Trask went one spherical forward of our prediction to Tampa Bay. Of Florida’s eight prospects drafted a yr in the past, AllGators projected seven together with three of their eventual spherical of choice, whereas one other two gamers included within the mock signed with groups as undrafted free brokers.

CB Kaiir Elam: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, first spherical, twenty ninth total

The Chiefs entered the offseason with cornerback as, arguably, their greatest want. Kansas Metropolis addressed nearly each different want it has in free company however didn’t signal a nook, indicating that the Chiefs will use one in every of their back-to-back first-round picks on a participant on the place.

As we outlined in our earlier Gators’ mock draft, Elam is a perfect slot in Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s man coverage-heavy scheme.

Standing at 6-foot-1.5, 191 kilos with 30 and seven/8-inch arms, Elam possesses the prototypical measurement of a press-man cornerback and nice athleticism to pair, which he proved this yr with a 4.39-second 40-yard sprint (83rd percentile amongst cornerbacks) and a 37.5-inch vertical leap (seventieth %tile). 

Elam is bodily on the level of assault and mirrors routes extraordinarily effectively, abilities that contributed to his 5 interceptions and 20 defended passes in 30 video games. 

Attributable to his stellar mix and professional day outcomes, Elam is a candidate to be chosen earlier than Kansas Metropolis’s first-round picks inside a projected run on cornerbacks. But when Elam is accessible when the Chiefs are on the clock at No. 29 and No. 30, it’d nearly be stunning to see them go on him.

Different potential touchdown spots: New England Patriots (1.21), Buffalo Payments (1.25), Cincinnati Bengals (1.31)

DL Zachary Carter: Baltimore Ravens, third spherical, a hundredth total

Athletically and bodily, Carter is a tweener prospect who may play defensive finish and/or sort out within the NFL based mostly on the scheme he is in. 

There aren’t many schemes that might maximize the strengths and abilities of Carter’s recreation higher than Baltimore’s, because the Ravens are recognized to rotate their defensive linemen between completely different methods on account of being a number of with their fronts.

Carter break up time between five-technique defensive finish and three-technique defensive sort out all through his profession at Florida. He emerged as a starter during the last two seasons and produced 66 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 20.5 tackles for loss, a pressured fumble and 4 batted passes in that span.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 282 kilos, Carter is not large enough to play defensive sort out on a full-time foundation within the NFL. However his 4.99-second 40-yard sprint (74th %tile amongst defensive tackles), 110-inch broad leap (77 %tile) and 4.3-second 20-yard shuttle (ninety fifth %tile) recommend he may flourish as a late-down, pass-rushing sort out to start his profession whereas both including weight to play inside full-time or rotate on the sting at his present measurement on early downs.

Beginning defensive finish Calais Campbell turns 36 this September and signed solely a two-year extension with Baltimore this offseason, that means the Ravens will quickly search for the longer term Corridor of Fame lineman’s eventual alternative. From a scheme perspective, it might make plenty of sense for Carter to develop behind Campbell and play in a rotation till he is prepared to begin within the execs.

Different potential touchdown spots: Jacksonville Jaguars (4.106), Cleveland Browns (4.118), Inexperienced Bay Packers (4.132)

RB Dameon Pierce: Houston Texans, fourth spherical, 107th total

With a plethora of picks this yr on account of a number of trades together with the Deshaun Watson blockbuster, Houston is seeking to improve nearly each place on its roster via the draft.

The operating again room — frankly, each place on the Texans’ offense — wants some younger expertise, even after re-signing one and signing two veterans in free company to cheap offers. Houston’s speeding offense ranked lifeless final within the league final yr and wishes large enchancment.

Pierce presents good worth within the fourth spherical when the Texans personal back-to-back picks, particularly since Houston is ready to have made 5 picks by this level.

Pierce developed into a particularly well-rounded operating again at Florida through the years. He at all times impressed as a bodily, downhill rusher who had a knack for making defenders miss, however Pierce grew immensely as a receiver and go protector in the course of the 2020-21 seasons when he took on a bigger function within the Gators’ offense. In 2021, Pierce scored a landing each 7.4 instances he touched the ball.

His mix and professional day numbers principally hover round common for operating backs — fortieth %tile 40-yard sprint, 51st %tile vertical and 54th %tile broad jumps — however Pierce’s 86 %tile 10-yard break up (1.51 seconds) will catch groups’ eyes. So will his max lifts throughout his time at UF — 390 kilos on the bench and a whopping 705 kilos squatting.

Pierce’s sudden explosion will enable him to win on the line of scrimmage within the execs, and as seen in school, he’s able to operating over and round defenders on the second stage. Add in Pierce’s enchancment within the passing recreation, and you have got a starting-caliber NFL operating again ready to be found.

Different potential touchdown spots: Detroit Lions (3.97), New York Giants (4.112), Atlanta Falcons (4.114)

OT Jean Delance: Los Angeles Rams, sixth spherical, 212th total

Did Delance attain his potential throughout his 5 year-career at Florida? He struggled in go safety through the years however made a reputation for himself in 2021 as one of many Gators’ prime run blockers when the offense relied on its speeding recreation, so the reply is not clear.

NFL evaluators would possibly are inclined to consider Delance can proceed to develop based mostly on his athletic and bodily profile, nevertheless. Delance measured in with 36 1/4-inch arms (97th %tile amongst offensive tackles) on the East-West Shrine Sport, which led to interviews with at the very least 25 groups all through the week of the occasion. 

The 6-foot-4, 296-pound proper sort out proceeded to put up a seventy fifth %tile 20-yard shuttle, a 54th %tile vertical leap and a 52nd %tile 40-yard sprint at Florida’s professional day. Mix a stable body with unbelievable size, plus athleticism and expertise (37 SEC begins) as an offensive sort out, and professional groups will come calling.

The Rams misplaced two beginning offensive linemen after profitable Tremendous Bowl LVI, one to retirement and the opposite to free company, and their depth is predicted to be shaken up because of this. Los Angeles snags Delance within the sixth spherical on this train because of this, and the Rams would hope that his greatest days on the sphere are forward of him after an up-and-down profession at UF.

Different potential touchdown spots: Minnesota Vikings (6.191), Arizona Cardinals (6.202), Cincinnati Bengals (7.227)

Late spherical/undrafted free agent candidates

LB Jeremiah Moon: If it weren’t for accidents persistently getting in the best way of Moon’s potential, he’d nearly actually hear his identify known as within the NFL Draft — it even may have occurred a yr in the past when he earned a Senior Bowl invitation however determined to return to highschool.

Moon is the uncommon kind of linebacker prospect that groups have more and more coveted within the trendy, pass-happy NFL: He is tall (96th %tile top amongst linebackers), lengthy (99th %tile wingspan/arm size), and stuffed out (84th %tile weight) with elite leaping athleticism (98th %tile broad leap, 96th %tile vertical leap) and above-average explosion (53rd %tile 10-yard break up) and suppleness (fifty fifth %tile 3-cone).

Nevertheless, Moon performed at Florida for six seasons, regularly making an attempt to show himself and by no means absolutely having the ability to take action on account of quite a few accidents. 4 had been season-ending to numerous levels, one from 2020 lingering into the next spring camp final yr and one other on the finish of the 2021 season that brought about him to overlook the 2022 Senior Bowl.

To make issues worse, Moon pulled up, injured, throughout his 40-yard sprint at Florida’s professional day. If not for the newest incident, Moon had confirmed sufficient to be chosen within the later rounds of the NFL Draft, however at this level, groups will probably contemplate him injury-prone and elect to signal him after the very fact.

RB Malik Davis: Davis actually improved his inventory at Florida’s professional day with unbelievable vertical (39.5 inches, 93rd %tile amongst operating backs) and broad (127 inches, 93rd %tile) jumps, however on the identical day he posted a 4.71-second 40-yard sprint (18th %tile), which is able to give groups pause about his lengthy velocity. There merely aren’t many profitable NFL operating backs who’ve run a 4.7 or slower.

In equity, Davis’ 10-yard break up within the 40 ranks within the 71st %tile, however shedding his tempo over an extended distance may elevate a group’s concern with Davis’ historical past of lower-body accidents, two season-ending wounds to his knee and ankle earlier in his Gators profession.

Davis is a confirmed receiving again who may also make defenders miss close to the road of scrimmage as a rusher, so there’s an opportunity he may sneak into the later a part of the draft. If he does not, Davis is a robust candidate to signal with a group as an undrafted free agent instantly after the draft concludes. 

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