UF's DB unit from 2014 features four NFL players, four NFL hopefuls and three defensive leaders heading into the 2017 season.
By: Will Pantages
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Defensive Back University.
Florida and LSU have been competing for that moniker for quite a while now. In addition, Virginia Tech and other schools from around the country stake their claim from time to time as to why they are the "real DBU."
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but NFL rookie and former Gator, Brian Poole, made a comment on the Jim Rome Show on Tuesday that got us here at FloridaGators.com thinking.
Although each defensive back unit Poole was a member of during his four years (2012-15) in Gainesville was loaded to a certain degree, let's take a look at what we see as the best one.
Top Row (Left to Right): Brian Poole, Marcus Maye. Nick Washington, Vernon Hargreaves, Jabari Gorman, Keanu Neal, Marcell Harris
Bottom Row: Ben Peacock, Quincy Wilson, Jalen Tabor, Diondre Porter, Garrett Stephens, Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson
This class features two first-round picks (Vernon Hargreaves III, Keanu Neal), three NFL hopefuls and projected top-three round draft picks (Marcus Maye, Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson), three starters and now defensive leaders for the Gators this coming season in 2017 (Duke Dawson, Marcell Harris, Nick Washington), an NFL free agent (Jabari Gorman) and one player who's transferred and starting in the Big 10 (J.C. Jackson).
Not to mention Poole (pictured below), who went undrafted during the 2016 NFL Draft but has persevered and will start for the Falcons in Super Bowl LI next weekend. In addition, he played in all 16 games for Atlanta during the regular season and started nine. The Bradenton, Fla. product totaled 59 tackles, 10 pass deflections, one sack and one interception during the regular season.
So outside of Poole, what are these guys doing now?
Let's dig deeper on perhaps what Poole deemed "one of the best secondaries ever in college football."
Neal, who Atlanta picked 17th overall in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, will join Poole and the Falcons in Super Bowl LI next weekend in Houston. The Bushnell, Fla. native, who played and started in 14 games during the regular season, recorded 106 tackles and five forced fumbles, which both rank second on the team. In addition, Neal tallied nine pass deflections.
Neal became Florida's first safety taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Reggie Nelson in 2007.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round draft pick, Hargreaves, started all 16 games and was on the field for nearly every one of the team's defensive snaps. He recorded 76 tackles, nine passes defended, an interception and a forced fumble during his rookie season. The Tampa, Fla. native was just the fifth rookie defensive back in Buccaneer history to start 16 games, and his nine passes defended were the most by a Buccaneer cornerback since 2010.
Vernon Hargreaves became the first Tampa Bay corner to be selected to the
Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie team since Donnie Abraham in 1996.
Hargreaves and Neal became the first pair of defensive backs in school history to be selected in the first round.
Gorman, who's currently an NFL free agent, has not given up on his dream of playing in the NFL. In fact, he's capitalized in the opportunities he's been given away from the NFL. The Miami product spent the 2016 season with the Nebraska Danger in the Indoor Football League.
For his efforts, Gorman was named the 2016 IFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and he emerged as one of the most physical and ball-hawking defensive backs in the league. Statistically, Gorman concluded his rookie campaign with 125 tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven interceptions and seven pass breakups. His 125 tackles ranked third in the IFL while his seven interceptions tied him for second.
The Nebraska defensive back was also named as a First Team All-IFL Defensive Back at the conclusion of the season.
Jabari Gorman totaled over 100 tackles during his final two seasons (2013, 2014).
Maye, who was sidelined for Florida's final four games of 2016, garnered 50 tackles during the season to give him over 200 in his career. He additionally collected his first career sack, an interception and six broken-up passes. For his efforts, he earned AP Second Team All-SEC honors.
Maye had his best season as a Gator in 2015 when he was named a First Team All-American by USA Today and Pro Football Focus, and he garnered Honorable Mention All-America honors from Sports Illustrated. Within the league, the Melbourne, Fla. native earned First Team All-SEC by PFF and Gridiron Now and Second Team All-SEC by Athlon and Phil Steele. Throughout the season, Maye played in 13 games and started 12 times at safety. Statistically, Maye racked up 82 tackles, fourth-most on the team, while the hard-hitter forced five fumbles, second-most in the country, and recovered two. In addition, he intercepted two passes and broke up six more.
Most mock drafts have Maye as a second, third or fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
A possible top-10 pick and surefire first-rounder, Tabor declared early entry for April's NFL Draft in a heartfelt letter to Gator fans on The Players Tribune. He finished his final season with 33 stops to go with a team-high four interceptions, including a pick-six, and 10 passes defended. A two-time first-team All-SEC pick, Tabor had 18 passes defended in 2015 - one shy of the school record - which also included two pick-sixes.
Marcus Maye and Teez Tabor developed into two of the best defensive backs in the country following the 2014 season.
Wilson, another certain first-round pick, decided to skip his senior season and enter the NFL Draft in an article written by Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native was one of just two players to start in every game for the Gators in 2016, racking up 33 tackles, 3,5 tackles for a loss, a sack, three interceptions, six pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.
Quincy Wilson garnered Second Team All-SEC honors in 2016 from four different outlets.
Harris, who announced he's returning to Florida for his senior season early this month, had his best season as a collegian in 2016, leading the team with 73 tackles, including four tackles-for-loss and one sack. He added two interceptions, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Marcell Harris helped Florida record a goal-line stand against Iowa in the Outback Bowl.
Harris will be joined by Washington as Florida's starting safeties this fall. Despite his season being cut short due to injury in 2016, the Jacksonville, Fla. native had a career year as he appeared in 10 games and started six. Statistically, Washington recorded 45 tackles, an interception, a QB hurry and a broken-up pass.
A special teams maven, Washington scored a special teams touchdown during the 2015 season against Georgia as he recovered a muffed punt in the end zone.
The next person to accomplish that feat? Marcell Harris against Florida State in 2016.
Nick Washington is one of Florida's most versatile players on its roster.
Dawson spent the 2016 season as Florida's primary nickel back and had his best season as a Gator in 2016 as well. The junior started seven of the 12 games he played this season and has appeared in 37 games the past three seasons. Dawson spent his junior season as the starting nickel when healthy, finishing with 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one interception.
Jackson only played in one game during his freshman season at Florida's season opener in 2014. After spending the 2015 campaign at Riverside Community College, Jackson transferred to Maryland in 2016 when he played in 12 games and started 11. Throughout the season he totaled 40 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and a team-high six pass breakups.
Meanwhile, Porter is no longer with the team, and Peacock and Stephens were walk-ons and only played in a couple of games during their careers.
Pretty impressive, eh?
What does a current Florida defensive back think of the DBU discussion?
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