Former Florida Gators linebacker Lerentee McCray, defensive tackle Omar Hunter, defensive end Earl Okine, offensive tackle Xavier Nixon and wide receivers Omarius Hines and Frankie Hammond, Jr. each signed undrafted free agent contracts minutes after the conclusion of the 2013 NFL Draft on Saturday.

McCray, who was expected to be selected on the third day of the draft, wound up agreeing to a deal with the Denver Broncos. Nixon’s stock dropped immensely during the draft process, but he got inked by the Washington Redskins. Hines was snatched up by the Baltimore Ravens. Neither Hunter nor Okine nor Hammond were expected to be drafted, but the three signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.

McCray will be the second former Gators player on the Broncos as wide receiver Andre Caldwell is currently signed by the team. Nixon joins quarterback Rex Grossman, guard Maurice Hurt and tight end Jordan Reed (third round, No. 85 overall) on the Redskins. Hines will see familiar faces in safety Matt Elam (first round, No. 32 overall) and WR Deonte Thompson with the Ravens. Hunter links up with center Maurkice Pouncey and G Marcus Gilbert on the Steelers.

Offensive linemen James Wilson and Sam Robey remain unsigned as of press time.

Some of the undrafted free agent signings were first reported by InsidetheGators.com‘s Bryan Holt, Florida Today‘s David Jones and Gainesville TV20‘s Kassidy Hill.

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Draft, Earl Okine, Houston Texans, Lerentee McCray, NFL, Omar Hunter, Omarius Hines, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, Xavier Nixon

Round 6 – No. 169 (overall)
Josh Evans, S
Jacksonville Jaguars

Height: 6’1″ – Weight: 207 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Senior

Just moments after a pair of Florida Gators were selected at the end of the fifth round, safety Josh Evans received a phone call from the Jacksonville Jaguars as the team decided to make him the No. 169 overall selection – the first of the sixth round – in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Jacksonville had been after Evans for quite some time and even contacted both him and his agent on three separate occasions in the week leading up to the draft. Evans, who penned a Path to the Draft blog exclusively here on OGGOA, said he felt “a lot of love” from the Jaguars throughout the process.

“I just want to say it’s an honor and privilege to be in this situation and be a part of a great organization like the Jaguars,” Evans said. “I’m somebody who’s committed whether it’s special teams, defense, wherever I’m needed I’m coming out there to make the best of my opportunity, to go out there and be able to compete.”

Though Evans may have been overshadowed a bit by Matt Elam in the back of the Gators’ secondary, NFL teams took notice of his ability over the last few months. He showed out in a big way at the 2013 NFL Combine and earned some added attention with an impressive performance at Florida’s Pro Day.

Evans improved in each of his four years with the Gators and showed some promise as a junior after head coach Will Muschamp took over the team and began personally coaching the safeties. He played in all 13 games and made eight starts in 2011, ending the year with 51 tackles (fifth-most on the team), a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery. He took an even bigger step in his development during his senior campaign as he started all 13 games and led Florida with 83 tackles (4.5 for loss), registering two sacks, three interceptions and three pass defenses.

“It helped me a lot,” Evans said of Muschamp’s tutelage. “Having those guys a part of my life my last two years at Florida really changed my career and it helped me for the next level as far as being able to anticipate certain calls and being in different situations at game time. Checking definitely on the back end with the safeties, pretty much being the quarterback of the defense.”

The eighth Gators player drafted by the Jaguars in franchise history, Evans is the first to be selected by Jacksonville since Derrick Harvey (No. 8, 2008) but the third defensive back that has been chosen by the Gators in the last eight years. Dee Webb (No. 236, 2006) and Reggie Nelson (No. 21, 2007) are no longer with the franchise. It is the first time Florida has had two safeties have been selected in the same draft.

The New England Patriots on Saturday traded former Gators running back Jeff Demps to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for RB Legarette Blount and a seventh-round draft selection. Demps, who informed the Patriots that he wished to run track and would likely miss at least training camp (if not a few games), was jettisoned by New England to the team that wanted him most as an undrafted free agent last offseason. The Buccaneers will likely give Demps an opportunity to contribute to the team though it is unknown how his track desires will affect his ability to make the squad.

Tags: Draft, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeff Demps, Josh Evans, New England Patriots, NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Will Muschamp

Round 5 – No. 164 (overall)
Mike Gillislee, RB
Miami Dolphins

Height: 5’11″ – Weight: 208 lbs.
Age: 22 – Class: Senior

Round 5 – No. 166 (overall)
Caleb Sturgis, K
Miami Dolphins

Height: 5’10″ – Weight: 188 lbs.
Age: 23 – Class: Senior (redshirt)

The Miami Dolphins sat by and watched for years as AFC East rival New England plucked top talent from the Florida Gators, a school located just four hours away from Miami.

The Dolphins chose to be spectators no longer when the franchise selected running back Mike Gillislee (No. 164 overall) and kicker Caleb Sturgis (No. 166 overall) on Saturday during the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

The two players join linebacker Jelani Jenkins, who was selected No. 104 overall by Miami in the fourth round on Saturday, and center Mike Pouncey (No. 15, 2011) on the Dolphins. Miami has now selected 13 former Florida players all-time including three in 2012 and four in the last three years.

Gillislee became the first Gators running back drafted since Chris Rainey (No. 159, 2012), while Sturgis was the first Florida kicker selected since Jeff Chandler (No. 102, 2002) and just the fourth in school history.

Though not a starter until his senior season, Gillislee made the most of the opportunity by racking up 1,152 yards while becoming the Gators’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Ciatrick Fason in 2004. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns.

“I feel like I am a complete back. I feel like I can block, catch the ball and run the ball very well. I’m a good competitor and just being behind Chris Rainey I learned a lot. I’m just ready to play football,” he said.

Saturday wound up being the realization of a dream for Gillislee, who grew up rooting for the Dolphins and now gets the opportunity to play close to home for his favorite team. “The Dolphins were always my favorite team. It was always a dream, and now my dream came true,” he said. “I’m going to be closer to my family and I’m just ready to play football. It’s good weather to play football and everything.”

Sturgis ended his career at Florida as one of the greatest kickers in the history of the program. A two-time finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2011 and 2012, Sturgis never won the honor but still went ahead and set school records for field goals made both in a career (68) and single season (24). He went 24-for-28 during his redshirt senior season and netted all three of his attempts from 50 yards out or longer.

“I couldn’t be more excited about staying in the state of Florida. My little brother’s with me (and) he’s a huge Dolphins fan. This was awesome,” said Sturgis, who was on the 17th hole of a golf course when he was selected. “This was a place I really wanted to go. I’m just ecstatic that I get to go here.”

Pouncey, who tweeted his excitement after Gillislee was selected, said he hoped that Miami found a way to pick Sturgis as well. He got his wish. “Wow that’s crazy I can’t believe I just predicted that,” he tweeted. “I will be handing out gator shirts to all my teammates this coming up week.”

Tags: Caleb Sturgis, Draft, Jelani Jenkins, Miami Dolphins, Mike Gillislee, NFL

Round 4 – No. 104 (overall)
Jelani Jenkins, LB
Miami Dolphins

Height: 6’0″ – Weight: 243 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Junior (redshirt)

The third day of the 2013 NFL Draft got started relatively quickly for former Florida Gators as linebacker Jelani Jenkins was snatched off the list of available players by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 104 overall pick in the fourth round.

Jenkins, who left school a season early in order to try his luck in the draft, was chosen relatively high considering how much time he has missed in his collegiate career due to injury. Though his athleticism has never been a question, the numerous injuries he has suffered gave some NFL teams pause.

Miami was obviously undeterred, believing Jenkins’s speed and coverage ability were worth using its first third-day pick to acquire. Jenkins is the 11th former Gators player selected by the Dolphins in the draft and joins center Mike Pouncey (No. 15, 2011) on the team’s current roster. He is the first linebacker chosen by Miami since Channing Crowder (No. 70, 2005), second all-time.

“I think I tackle real well and I also cover real well. Those are both things that I know I’m going to get better at as time goes by more so,” Jenkins said. “I think I have a lot of ability. I have a lot of hope for the future knowing I’m going to get better. I’m looking forward to that.”

Jenkins suffered thumb, hamstring and foot injuries in 2012 and only registered 29 tackles (19 solo, five for loss) with two sacks and an interception as a redshirt junior. He averaged 75.5 tackles in the previous two seasons, combining for 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and seven pass defenses from 2010-2011.

The selection of Jenkins marked the fifth for Florida this season, the first time the Gators have had that many players selected since 2010 (nine).

Tags: Draft, Jelani Jenkins, Miami Dolphins, NFL

Round 3 – No. 85 (overall)
Jordan Reed, TE
Washington Redskins

Height: 6’2″ – Weight: 236 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Junior (redshirt)

The Florida Gators matched their day one total with two players selected on the second evening of the 2013 NFL Draft when tight end Jordan Reed was selected by the Washington Redskins late in the third round with the No. 85 overall pick.

Reed, who initially committed to Florida as a quarterback, was not able to settle into his role as a tight end until his redshirt sophomore season when he registered 307 yards on 28 receptions with two touchdowns. He did not truly step up as a reliable pass catcher for UF until his redshirt junior season in 2012 as he led the Gators in receptions (45) and receiving yards (559) but found his way into the end zone on just three occasions.

Nevertheless, a number of NFL teams were intrigued by his athleticism and believe he can be used as an H-back, similar to how New England currently utilizes former Florida TE Aaron Hernandez. Reed’s lack of consistency and relative inability to block have been two knocks against him, which is why he went from being considered the third-best tight end available to the 5-6 range for his position.

“We took a look at Reed. He was a guy that has a great ability to make people miss. When he has the ball in his hands, he can do things with the ball that are very athletic, something a lot of tight ends can’t do,” head coach Mike Shanahan said. “We weren’t necessarily looking for a tight end, but when he was there, we couldn’t pass him up.”

“I have not had any contact whatsoever with the Redskins,” Reed said after being drafted. “I had no idea I was getting picked by Washington. It was a big surprise to me and I am just so excited.”

Reed on Friday became the first Gators tight end selected since Hernandez (No. 113, 2010) and the 12th player from the program ever picked by the Redskins. He is seen as another weapon for second-year quarterback Robert Griffin III and will join fellow Florida quarterback Rex Grossman and guard Maurice Hurt (No. 217, 2011) in Washington.

“I’m very happy for Jordan,” said head coach Will Muschamp. “He causes match up problems for defenses and is extremely athletic for his size. He hasn’t been playing tight end for very long and will continue to grow into the position.”

Tags: Draft, Jordan Reed, NFL, Washington Redskins, Will Muschamp

Round 2 – No. 50 (overall)
Jon Bostic, LB
Chicago Bears

Height: 6’1″ – Weight: 245 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Senior

When former Florida Gators running back Neal Anderson walked on the stage at Radio City Music Hall on Friday, he not only had the opportunity to announce the Chicago Bears’ next draft selection but also the next to come out of his alma mater as the team chose linebacker Jon Bostic with the No. 50 overall pick in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

A three-year starter at Florida and the straw that stirred the drink for the Gators’ top 10-ranked defense, Bostic was highly-coveted by NFL front offices for his instinctiveness, tackling ability and high football IQ. He even erased concerns about his speed by running a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine. Quality recommendations from head coach Will Muschamp and his former defensive coordinator, Charlie Strong, also raised Bostic’s stock through the draft process.

“I’m very proud of Jon, he really worked hard for this moment,” Muschamp said. “Last offseason, we sat down with Jon and told him the things he needed to work on and he really attacked those things. His hard work has paid off now and we wish him the best.”

Bostic started all 26 games at middle linebacker for Florida over the last two seasons, registering a total of 162 tackles (a team-high 94 in 2011) with 16.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

“Very pleased that we were able to get Jon Bostic,” Chicago general manager Phil Emery said. “The reason we like Jon? He’s a three-position player, three-position linebacker. I felt it was very important, that if we were going to take a linebacker in the second round, that we get somebody who could immediately fill in in all three spots. … Obviously he will be given an opportunity to earn a starting job. We see him as a future starter. Again, a very dynamic player, another player that was very high in our athletic ratings and was also a very productive player.”

Emery also discussed why Bostic was the right fit for the Bears. “One, his intelligence; he’s a guy that can line up others. We brought him in for a visit and we felt very good about his football aptitude and his ability to line everybody else up on the field,” he explained. “Two, he’s fast; he’s one of the fastest linebackers in the class. Three was his positional flexibility and four was his special teams. He fit the bill.”

He continued: “I can’t undersell the type of young man this is. He’s very easy to be around. He’s another guy that will bring others in. He’s very invested in football, and he’s a very good person.”

On Friday, Bostic became the first Florida linebacker selected since Brandon Spikes (No. 62, 2010) and the 24th player selected by Chicago in the history of the draft. He will be counted on to replace future Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher in the middle of the Bears’ defense and joins safety Major Wright (No. 75, 2010) on the team.

“I know they have a great tradition of linebackers,” Bostic said. “Obviously, to play at this level, it’s going to take a lot of work. I haven’’t played at this level before, so I know it is going to take a lot of work, a lot of studying to catch up to the speed of the game.”

Tags: Chicago Bears, Draft, Jon Bostic, NFL, Will Muschamp

Round 1 – No. 32
Matt Elam, S
Baltimore Ravens

Height: 5’10″ – Weight: 208 lbs.
Age: 21 – Class: Junior

It took longer than expected for the first Florida Gators player to be picked on Thursday during the 2013 NFL Draft, but safety Matt Elam got picked exactly where he was projected – late in the first round – when he was selected No. 32 overall by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

Elam, arguably Florida’s best playmaker in 2012 and one of the top safeties available in the draft, was ranked No. 3 on most boards due to concerns about his height (5’10”). In every other aspect, Elam is a prototypical strong safety who hits hard, tackles well, forces turnovers, makes game-changing plays and can intimidate opposing pass catchers (and their quarterbacks).

“I just feel like my size won’t matter because when you turn on the film I’m a great competitor, I’m flying around, I’m hitting guys bigger than me. Size doesn’t matter,” Elam said. “I’m going to make receivers be scared when they come my way the next time. That’s in my job description.”

His versatility as nickel cornerback who that can blitz from the backfield or at the line of scrimmage made him a must-draft player for Baltimore, which lost both of its starting safeties at the conclusion of the 2012 season. The Ravens see Elam as a replacement for strong safety Bernard Pollard – not free safety Ed Reed – but he is talented enough to alternate between both positions in Baltimore’s defense.

“I’ve never been so excited,” general manager Ozzie Newsome said of Elam. “It was fun watching him play. To watch a player on tape and play after play you say, ‘Oh wow.’ The way he played on tape is the way you have to play in the AFC North.”

“He definitely has a chance to [start at strong safety],” said head coach John Harbaugh. “He’ll have to earn it. We have one veteran safety in there and some young guys that will be competing for it as well. But we always play the best guy, and that’s the guy that’s playing the best. Matt Elam will be right in the middle of that fight.”

Continue Reading » Ravens end first round by picking Gators S Matt Elam No. 32 overall in 2013 NFL Draft

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Draft, Matt Elam, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Sharrif Floyd

Round 1 – No. 23
Sharrif Floyd, DT
Minnesota Vikings

Height: 6’3″ – Weight: 297 lbs.
Age: 20 – Class: Junior

For someone who did not grow up dreaming of being a professional football player, Florida Gators defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd could not have been smiling any wider when commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name as the No. 23 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft on Thursday evening.

Floyd, projected by many to be the best defensive tackle available and a top-five player in the draft, fell out of the top 10 and behind two other defensive tackles – Sheldon Richardson (Missouri) and Star Lotulelei (Utah).

Nevertheless, while sitting in the greenroom with family, friends, his agent and Florida head coach Will Muschamp, Floyd received a call from the Minnesota Vikings that would change his life. When he hung up the phone and was called on stage, he became the 44th first-round pick in Gators history and the first player selected by the Vikings since Percy Harvin (No. 21, 2009).

“The scenario with Sharrif, that one never really came up. … I don’t think any of us foresaw that he would come down to 23,” head coach Leslie Frazier said. “We all said it would be a no-brainer, and it turned out to be just that. There was no hesitation.”

“I couldn’t be part of a better ball club,” Floyd said. “This has been a goal of mine for a long time and now it’s here. I am excited to get out there and get started.”

A starter at Florida for two seasons, Floyd did whatever the coaching staff asked of him and made the most out of his opportunities. He started out of position at defensive end in 2011 but shined when he moved back to defensive tackle in 2012, recording 46 tackles including a team-high 13.0 for lost yardage. Floyd’s three sacks and six quarterback hurries were each second-most on the Gators, impressive statistics considering he was an interior lineman.

Continue Reading » Vikings select Gators DT Sharrif Floyd with No. 23 overall pick in first round of 2013 NFL Draft

Tags: Draft, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Sharrif Floyd, Will Muschamp