Three Former Gators to Play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl
Friday, January 27, 2017 | Football
The Gators have had a former player selected to the Pro Bowl each year since 2009.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The NFL will play its first Pro Bowl in Orlando Sunday and former Gator football players Carlos Dunlap and Reggie Nelson will be suiting up. In addition, Janoris Jenkins, who transferred from Florida (2008-10) to North Alabama (2011), garnered his first-career Pro Bowl invite and will be playing for the NFC.
The game begins at 8 PM from Camping World Stadium in Orlando and will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Gators have had a former player selected to the Pro Bowl each year since 2009. Overall, Florida has had 22 players make 65 appearances in the annual all-star game. UF is tied for second with seven other schools for the most selections.
Nelson will play in his Pro Bowl of his 10-year career. After joining the Raiders this offseason as a free agent, Nelson has started all 16 games, totaling 65 tackles (50 solo), five interceptions, 12 passes defended and two fumble recoveries. He ended the regular season tied for fifth in the NFL in interceptions.
Nelson met with reporters on Thursday and talked about being so close to home.
Reggie Nelson is one of four former #Gators who will play in Sunday's #ProBowl in Orlando. #GatorsAlways
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) January 27, 2017
??: https://t.co/7Uu3gJo8xo pic.twitter.com/zo9A79zfFZ
Dunlap will play as he was a replacement for Houston's Jadeveon Clowney, who will miss the game due to injury. The Bengals' defensive end finished the season with eight sacks along with 49 total tackles and three forced fumbles. Dunlap was one of the more consistent pass rushers coming off of the edge for the defense. The former Gator managed to start all 16 games for the Cincinnati in 2016. This will be Dunlap's second NFL Pro Bowl appearance.
Jenkins had 49 tackles (44 solo), three interceptions, and has recorded a team-high tying 18 passes defensed.
In addition, Jordan Reed and Maurkice Pouncey were selected to the Pro Bowl but will not play on Sunday due to injury.
Regarding Reed, it was his first-career Pro Bowl selection and he became the first Redskins tight end honored since Chris Cooley in 2008. .
Reed joined Cooley (2007-08), Stephen Alexander (2000), Jean Fugett (1977) and Jerry Smith (1967 and 1969) as the only Redskins tight ends to earn Pro Bowl honors since the game's inception in 1950. In Week 4 this season, Reed recorded his 200th career reception in his 38th career game, becoming the fastest tight end to reach 200 career receptions in NFL history, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow. Overall in 2016, Reed has recorded 66 receptions for 686 yards with six touchdowns despite being limited to 12 games.
Pouncey was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the fifth time. During the season, he helped anchor an offensive line that had the the AFC's leading rusher, Le'Veon Bell. In addition, the line has kept veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger clean, allowing just 17 sacks which was the second-fewest in the NFL this season.
Pittsburgh won the AFC North and reached the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2010.
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