2017 NFL Draft tracker: Florida Gators draft picks, full analysis, history

By Adam Silverstein
April 27, 2017
2017 NFL Draft tracker: Florida Gators draft picks, full analysis, history
Football

Welcome to OnlyGators.com‘s live coverage of the 2017 NFL Draft. Thanks for visiting and be sure to stop by throughout the event.

Check out the Florida Gators‘ entire 2017 draft class below and be sure to click off the individual links for more complete information about each drafted player.


Round 1 – No. 21
Jarrad Davis, LB
Detroit Lions


Height: 6’1″ – Weight: 238 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

The Chomp: The first Florida player drafted by Detroit since 1985 and first UF linebacker picked among the top 32 selections since 1991, Davis let his play do the talking with the Gators and impressed scouts with a tremendous showing in preparation for the NFL Draft. Davis is tremendous at hitting the gaps and can blitz as well as he pursues and tackles. He will start for the Lions from day one. His decision to return to Florida for his senior season was a mature one, and even through injury, he improved his draft stock by as many as two full rounds. Story: “It almost felt unreachable.”


Round 2 – No. 39
Marcus Maye, S
New York Jets


Height: 6’0″ – Weight: 210 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

The Chomp: The first Gators player drafted by the Jets since 1992, Maye goes off the board before two of his fellow defensive backs at Florida and moves to a team that took another safety in the first round of the draft. Like Davis before him, Maye boosted his draft stock by returning to UF for his senior season, going a round or two earlier than he would have in 2016. Maye had 82 tackles in 12 games with five forced fumbles, two interceptions and six pass breakups in 2016. He should start right away in the defensive backfield due to his incredible instincts and athleticism. Physical and dynamic, Maye improved tremendously over the final two years of his college career and will thrive when given opportunities to blitz or attack the run.


Round 2 – No. 46
Quincy Wilson, CB
Indianapolis Colts


Height: 6’1″ – Weight: 211 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Junior

The Chomp: Indianapolis drafts a Florida defender for the second straight year with the selection of Wilson, who stood out on the field this season as perhaps the Gators’ best overall defensive back. Wilson has great size and versatility; he’s equally able to stop opposing wideouts at the line of scrimmage or down the field in coverage. He’s also a smart and athletic defender who studies his film and makes the most of his ability. Wilson, the 14th overall defensive back selected, will likely start out at nickel and move his way to cornerback as he learns to be more clean in his coverage at the next level.


Round 2 – No. 53
Jalen “Teez” Tabor, CB
Detroit Lions


Height: 6’0″ – Weight: 199 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Junior

The Chomp: Some believed Tabor might fall to the third round due to his size and some uninspiring offseason workout performances. Instead, the Lions snag the Gators star cornerback in the same spot – one round later – they chose Davis. As such, Florida will have teammates selected by the same NFL squad in the draft for the fourth time in the last eight years. UF also joins Washington this season in having three defensive backs chosen in a single round, a NFL Draft record. Furthermore, the Gators match the 2010 draft by having four players selected among the top 53 picks, the most in program history. Tabor is a film rat who absolutely dominated most of the wide receivers he faced, though the few times he got burned were in key moments. He can play man and zone and also shift into the nickel, though he was never asked to do that with regularity at UF. Tabor also hits hard for his size despite the fact that some refer to him as a “finesse cornerback.”

Round 3 – No. 76
Alex Anzalone, LB
New Orleans Saints


Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 241 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Redshirt junior

The Chomp: If he can stay on the field and has overcome his injuries, Anzalone could be a quality starter for a long time in New Orleans. Anzalone is a prototypical NFL linebacker with his size and athleticism. He’s also quick sideline to sideline, able to cover both running backs and tight ends, and he can attack from all three spots. His lack of playing time due to injury means he has not developed as much as he otherwise would have to this point, but it also presents a significantly high ceiling for the Saints. He’s a gifted player and perhaps a steal in the third round.


Round 4 – No. 129
David Sharpe, OT
Oakland Raiders


Height: 6’6″ – Weight: 343 lbs.
Age: 20 – Class: Junior

The Chomp: A massive prospect, Sharpe is most effecitve immediately off the snap but can stiffen up after a few seconds. He’s a work in progress for any team that selects him, as he obviously has the size to play in the NFL but still needs to develop improved lateral mobility otherwise he will get left in the dust. Though Sharpe played tackle at Florida, he will almost certainly move inside as a guard in the NFL.


Round 6 – No. 185
Caleb Brantley, DT
Cleveland Browns


Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 307 lbs.
Age: 20 – Class: Junior

The Chomp: Strong and agile, Brantley is a future starter in the NFL, paticularly if he can improve his motor and passion on a down-by-down basis. His first step can be tremendous, and he has enough power — combined with that quickness — to dominate inside. Brantley also succeeds as a pass rusher as he can get past blockers with ease and win one-on-one battles. He will actually need to strengthen his overall frame in the NFL and learn to read the snap better to truly be effective at the next level. Brantley is the first Florida player drafted by Cleveland since 2010. He slipped from a Day 2 to a Day 3 selection over allegations that he hit a woman two weeks ago, though Brantley has proclaimed his innocence and is believed to have witnesses saying he only pushed the woman. He has not been formally charged at this time.

Round 7 – No. 228
Joey Ivie, DT
Dallas Cowboys


Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 301 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Senior

The Chomp: Ivie is not likely headed to the NFL as a career starter, but he may very well have a long tenure in the professional ranks due to his unstoppable motor and desire to continuously improve. Ivie’s athleticism, hands and pass rush abilities will help him stick around the league for a while, but his overall size and lacking explosiveness are detractors.

Undrafted free agent
Bryan Cox Jr., DE
Carolina Panthers


Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 265 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

Undrafted free agent
Austin Appleby, QB
Dallas Cowboys


Height: 6’4″ – Weight: 230 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

Undrafted free agent
Ahmad Fulwood, WR
New Orleans Saints


Height: 6’4″ – Weight: 202 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Senior

Tryout
Chris Thompson
Houston Texans


Height: 6’0″ – Weight: 170 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

Tryout
Mark Herndon
Cleveland Browns


Height: 5’9″ – Weight: 209 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

The last time …

By position
QB – 2010 (Tim Tebow)
RB – 2016 (Kelvin Taylor)
WR – 2016 (Demarcus Robinson)
TE – 2013 (Jordan Reed)
OT – 2017 (David Sharpe)
OG – 2015 (Trenton Brown)
C – 2015 (Max Garcia)
DT – 2017 (Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie)
DE – 2016 (Jonathan Bullard, Alex McCalister)
LB – 2017 (Jarrad Davis, Alex Anzalone)
CB – 2017 (Quincy Wilson, Jalen Tabor)
S – 2017 (Marcus Maye)
K – 2013 (Caleb Sturgis)
P – 1986 (Ray Criswell)

By team
Arizona Cardinals – 2015 (OT D.J. Humphries)
Atlanta Falcons – 2016 (S Keanu Neal)
Baltimore Ravens – 2013 (S Matt Elam)
Buffalo Bills – 1978 (DE Scott Hutchinson)
Carolina Panthers – N/A (N/A)
Chicago Bears – 2016 (DE Jonathan Bullard)
Cincinnati Bengals – 2010 (DE Carlos Dunlap)
Cleveland Browns – 2010 (CB Joe Haden)
Dallas Cowboys – 2017 (DT Joey Ivie)
Denver Broncos – 2015 (C Max Garcia)
Detroit Lions – 2017 (LB Jarrad Davis, CB Jalen Tabor)
Green Bay Packers – 2007 (RB DeShawn Wynn)
Houston Texans – 2002 (WR Jabar Gaffney)
Indianapolis Colts – 2017 (CB Quincy Wilson)
Jacksonville Jaguars – 2015 (DE Dante Fowler Jr.)
Kansas City Chiefs – 2016 (WR Demarcus Robinson)
Los Angeles Rams – 1990 (WR Tony Lomack) / St. Louis Rams – 2012 (CB Janoris Jenkins)
Miami Dolphins – 2013 (LB Jelani Jenkins, RB Mike Gillislee, K Caleb Sturgis)
Minnesota Vikings – 2013 (DT Sharrif Floyd)
New England Patriots – 2014 (DT Dominique Easley)
New Orleans Saints – 2017 (LB Alex Anzalone)
New York Giants – 2001 (QB Jesse Palmer)
New York Jets – 1992 (C Cal Dixon)
Oakland Raiders – 2017 (OT David Sharpe)
Philadelphia Eagles – 2016 (DE Alex McCalister)
Pittsburgh Steelers – 2012 (RB Chris Rainey)
San Diego Chargers – 2007 (LB Brandon Siler)
San Francisco 49ers – 2016 (RB Kelvin Taylor)
Seattle Seahawks – 2012 (DE Jaye Howard)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2016 (CB Vernon Hargreaves III)
Tennessee Titans – 2007 (CB Ryan Smith)
Washington – 2015 (RB Matt Jones)

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