Mike Gillislee, left, and Frankie Hammonds Jr. were among the 60 former Gators on NFL rosters at the start of training camp. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA staff)
Carter's Corner: NFL Full of Gators in Preseason
Saturday, August 13, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The NFL preseason is underway and as usual, a glance at rosters around the league are full of former Gators.
At the start of training camps, 62 players who appeared in games for Florida were on NFL rosters.
"That's pretty good, don't you think,'' Florida coach Jim McElwain said. "It speaks to those players and what they're doing moving forward. When I heard that number … that's a pretty cool stat."
Ten of those players were part of McElwain's first UF team a season ago, including first-round picks Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal.
While all of them won't make regular-season rosters – in fact, some have already been cut -- the Gators are certain to be well-represented at the game's highest level in 2016.
Four of the players on NFL rosters at the start of preseason camp graduated from UF and played elsewhere during their final season of eligibility: quarterback Jeff Driskel (Louisiana Tech), defensive back Cody Riggs (Notre Dame), offensive lineman Ian Silberman (Boston College) and receiver Tyler Murphy (quarterback at Boston College).
In addition, three players on the list below left UF prior to graduation and finished their college careers elsewhere (Janoris Jenkins at North Alabama, De'Ante Saunders at Tennessee State and Josh Shaw at Southern Cal). Note: Add Cardinals tight end Gerald Christian and Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett to this group. Christian played at UF in 2011 before transferring to Louisiville to finish his career; Brissett also played for Florida in 2011 before transferring to N.C. State.
Credit goes to Dan Apple in the University Athletic Association's communications office for the research in the chart below:
Editor's note: T. Murphy, Ferris and D. Nelson had been cut as of post time. Also, linebacker Brandon Spikes was signed by the Buffalo Bills shortly after training camp started. Finally, former UF defensive lineman Lynden Trail, who is in camp with the Redskins, is not on the list above since he never appeared in a game at Florida during his two seasons (2010-11).
At the start of training camps, 62 players who appeared in games for Florida were on NFL rosters.
"That's pretty good, don't you think,'' Florida coach Jim McElwain said. "It speaks to those players and what they're doing moving forward. When I heard that number … that's a pretty cool stat."
Ten of those players were part of McElwain's first UF team a season ago, including first-round picks Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal.
While all of them won't make regular-season rosters – in fact, some have already been cut -- the Gators are certain to be well-represented at the game's highest level in 2016.
Four of the players on NFL rosters at the start of preseason camp graduated from UF and played elsewhere during their final season of eligibility: quarterback Jeff Driskel (Louisiana Tech), defensive back Cody Riggs (Notre Dame), offensive lineman Ian Silberman (Boston College) and receiver Tyler Murphy (quarterback at Boston College).
In addition, three players on the list below left UF prior to graduation and finished their college careers elsewhere (Janoris Jenkins at North Alabama, De'Ante Saunders at Tennessee State and Josh Shaw at Southern Cal). Note: Add Cardinals tight end Gerald Christian and Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett to this group. Christian played at UF in 2011 before transferring to Louisiville to finish his career; Brissett also played for Florida in 2011 before transferring to N.C. State.
Credit goes to Dan Apple in the University Athletic Association's communications office for the research in the chart below:
| PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM |
| Ball, Neiron | OLB | Oakland Raiders |
| Bostic, Jon | LB | Detroit Lions |
| Brown, Mack | RB | Washington Redskins |
| Brown, Trent | T | San Francisco 49ers |
| Bullard, Jonathan | DT | Chicago Bears |
| Burton, Trey | TE | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Caldwell, Andre | WR | Detroit Lions |
| Debose, Andre | WR | Indianapolis Colts |
| Driskel, Jeff | QB | San Francisco 49ers |
| Dunbar, Quinton | CB | Washington Redskins |
| Dunlap, Carlos | DE | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Easley, Dominique | DT | Los Angeles Rams |
| Elam, Matt | SS | Baltimore Ravens |
| Evans, Josh | FS | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Ferris, Drew | LS | Seattle Seahawks |
| Floyd, Sharrif | DT | Minnesota Vikings |
| Fowler, Dante | DE | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Garcia, Max | G | Denver Broncos |
| Gilbert, Marcus | T | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Gillislee, Mike | RB | Buffalo Bills |
| Green, Chaz | T | Dallas Cowboys |
| Haden, Joe | CB | Cleveland Browns |
| Halapio, Jon | G | New England Patriots |
| Hammond, Frankie | WR | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Hargreaves, Vernon | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Harrison, Jonotthan | C | Indianapolis Colts |
| Howard, Jaye | DE | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Humphries, D.J. | T | Arizona Cardinals |
| Jenkins, Janoris | CB | New York Giants |
| Jenkins, Jelani | OLB | Miami Dolphins |
| Jones, Matt | RB | Washington Redskins |
| McCalister, Alex | DE | Philadelphia Eagles |
| McCray, Lerentee | LB | Green Bay Packers |
| Morrison, Antonio | ILB | Indianapolis Colts |
| Murphy, Louis | WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Murphy, Tyler | WR | Miami Dolphins |
| Neal, Keanu | SS | Atlanta Falcons |
| Nelson, David | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Nelson, Reggie | DB | Oakland Raiders |
| Okine, Earl | LB | Indianapolis Colts |
| Orr, Leon | DT | Oakland Raiders |
| Poole, Brian | DB | Atlanta Falcons |
| Pouncey, Maurkice | C | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Pouncey, Mike | C | Miami Dolphins |
| Reed, Jordan | TE | Washington Redskins |
| Riggs, Cody | CB | Tennessee Titans |
| Roberson, Marcus | CB | Los Angeles Rams |
| Robinson, Demarcus | WR | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Saunders, De'Ante | DB | Cleveland Browns |
| Shaw, Josh | DB | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Showers, Valdez | WR | Washington Redskins |
| Silberman, Ian | OL | San Francisco 49ers |
| Sturgis, Caleb | K | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Taylor, Kelvin | RB | San Francisco 49ers |
| Thompson, Deonte | WR | Chicago Bears |
| Thurman, Trip | G | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Trattou, Justin | DE | Minnesota Vikings |
| Watkins, Jaylen | DB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Westbrook, Tevin | TE | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Wright, Major | SS | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Editor's note: T. Murphy, Ferris and D. Nelson had been cut as of post time. Also, linebacker Brandon Spikes was signed by the Buffalo Bills shortly after training camp started. Finally, former UF defensive lineman Lynden Trail, who is in camp with the Redskins, is not on the list above since he never appeared in a game at Florida during his two seasons (2010-11).
Players Mentioned
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