Former UF linebacker Jarrad Davis, right, meets Detroit defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson during his tour of the team's facility on Friday. (Photo: Courtesy of Detroit Lions)
Gators Draft Review: Closer Look at Prospects as Rookies
Monday, May 1, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter
Eight Gators were selected in the NFL Draft and have an opportunity to extend their careers at the professional level.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The transition is swift for first-round NFL Draft picks.
Former Gators linebacker Jarrad Davis watched the draft with family and friends at home Thursday night in Kingsland, Ga. By Friday morning, he was on a jet headed for Detroit as the newest member of the Lions, the 21st player taken overall.
A limousine picked up Davis and his mother, Amy Davis, at the airport. They headed to the Lions' team facility from there, where he took a tour guided by Detroit general manager Bob Quinn and president Ron Wood. By that afternoon, Davis was decked in a fashionable dark-blue suit and a white Detroit cap at his introductory press conference.
Davis was Florida's only first-round pick on Thursday night, but when the draft concluded early Saturday evening, eight Gators had been selected. Davis will rejoin cornerback Teez Tabor with the Lions, his teammate for the past three years at UF. Tabor was Detroit's second-round pick on Friday.
Now that the draft has passed, rookie camp is next up for the players. There is still a lot of time between now and the start of the NFL season, but let's take a glance at the early prospects for the Gators who were drafted or signed as undrafted free agents:
*****
LB JARRAD DAVIS (first round, Detroit)
Rookie status: Davis is slated to start at middle linebacker in his first season as the Lions continue to retool the roster under head coach Jim Caldwell. Quinn told the Detroit Free-Press Davis can player either middle or weakside linebacker in the NFL on the night of the first round, but in a video posted on the team's website, he said: "We'll play him at middle linebacker we hope for many years with him calling our defense."
Quote of note: "It's rare to see a guy with his size and bulk that can move like he moves,'' Caldwell said. "He's a guy that's versatile. Certainly going to be able to play three downs for us as well. A fourth down if we happen to put him on special teams also, because he's capable of that as well. But a guy that's extremely well balanced in that area."
Linebackers on active roster: Davis, Thurston Armbrister, Nick Bellore, Brandon Chubb, Jalen Reeves-Maybin (rookie), Tahir Whitehead, Antwione Williams, Paul Worrilow.
*****
S MARCUS MAYE (second round, New York Jets)
Rookie status: The Jets allowed 52 passes of 20 or more yards last season (14th-most in NFL) and 13 of 40-plus yards (third-most), so improving their secondary was a top priority. Maye has every opportunity to earn a starting job or significant role.
Quote of note: "There were some other players around him, but we felt there was separation between him and other players,'' Jets coach Todd Bowles. "We identified him early and liked him from a football standpoint and also from a personal standpoint."
Safeties on active roster: Maye, Jamal Adams (rookie), Marcus Gilchrist (tore patellar tendon in December), Ronald Martin, Doug Middleton, Rontez Miles, Calvin Pryor.
*****
CB QUINCY WILSON (second round, Indianapolis)
Rookie status: The Colts used their first two picks on defensive backs in Wilson and safety Malik Hooker from Ohio State, so tightening up the secondary was clearly a priority. Wilson has a chance to start opposite veteran Vontae Davis based on reports out of Indy.
Quote of note: "Big, athletic corner with ball skills. That's what we're looking for. We think he's got a lot of upside. He's still young. Twenty years old. He's a good man-to-man corner." – Colts general manager Chris Ballard
Cornerbacks on active roster: Wilson, Davis, Nate Hairston (rookie), Rashaan Melvin, Christopher Milton, Tevin Mitchel, Darryl Morris, Frankie Williams.
*****
CB TEEZ TABOR (second round, Detroit)
Rookie status: The Lions have two starting cornerbacks returning in Darius Slay and Nevin Lawson. However, with Slay and reserve Quandre Diggs the only corners on the roster signed beyond 2017, the Lions view Tabor as a potential starter long-term opposite Slay.
Quote of note: "I probably watched more film on him than any prospect that I could ever remember watching film on. I would rank [his] instincts very near the top,'' Lions general manager Bob Quinn said. "If you don't have those anticipations, instincts, awareness, route recognition ... all those things, I think I put those higher up than how fast the guy ran at the combine. I take playing speed as a more important gauge than time speed."
Cornerbacks on active roster: Tabor, Slay, Diggs, Lawson, Jamal Agnew (rookie), Johnson Bademosi, Adairius Barnes, Alex Carter, DJ Hayden, Ian Wells.
*****
LB ALEX ANZALONE (third round, New Orleans)
Rookie status: The Saints have good depth at linebacker after a pair of free-agent signings in the offseason, so Anzalone will have to perform well and stay healthy to make an impact as a rookie. Still, New Orleans was clearly impressed by Anzalone's combination of athleticism and instincts.
Quote of note: "We talked about it a lot. Our doctors did a pretty thorough exam,'' Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. "We talked about the shoulders he's had a history of that, and yet, they felt good about it. He's a very instinctive player. That's probably what jumps out at you."
Linebackers on active roster: Anzalone, A.J. Klein, Dannell Ellerbe, Craig Robertson, Stephone Antony, Manti Te'o, Nate Stupar, Travis Feeney.
*****
OL DAVID SHARPE (fourth round, Oakland)
Rookie status: The Raiders lost former right tackle Menelik Watson to the Broncos in free agency, providing Sharpe an opportunity to help fill the void in what is expected to be a wide-open battle. The Raiders selected two offensive tackles in the draft, with Sharpe the highest pick among the duo.
Quote of note: "We've had all that researched," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said of reports that Sharpe is blind in his right eye. "He's fine. He has great peripheral vision. I don't know what the formal diagnosis is, but he's not legally blind."
Offensive tackles on active roster: Sharpe, Jylan Ware (rookie), Donald Penn, Marshall Newhouse, Vadal Alexander, Austin Howard, Denver Kirkland.
*****
DT CALEB BRANTLEY (sixth round, Cleveland)
Rookie status: Projected as a potential first-round pick after his junior season, Brantley figured to go in the second or third round before he was charged with a misdemeanor count of simple battery just days before the draft. Brantley insists he's innocent but that didn't prevent teams from passing him over until the Browns took him with the 185th overall selection. If Brantley can put the incident behind him and the Browns stick with him, he could be one of the draft's steals.
Quote of note: "We will continue to investigate on our end, and provided that we can get comfortable, keep him on the roster. If we can't, we'll move on." – Cleveland executive vice president Sashi Brown on Brantley's tenuous status
Defensive tackles on roster: Brantley, Larry Ogunjobi (rookie), Danny Shelton, Gabe Wright, Trevon Coley, Nile Lawrence-Stample
*****
DT JOEY IVIE (seventh round, Dallas)
Rookie status: Ivie is expected to fill a reserve role for the Cowboys if he can make the team. Dallas envisions him more of a gap-filler and run-stopper, which means the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Ivie will likely need to add some weight. He will compete with Maliek Collins and Stephen Paea for playing time his first year.
Quote of note: "I just feel like I have a lot to prove, and I don't mind it, because it keeps me motivated and it has helped me come a long way. It helped me get to the University of Florida, helped me get to the NFL and I'm sure it will help with what's next. Everyone just has to find their own way to motivate themselves. For me, it's being the underdog and my family, God, and my sister that passed away. I have a lot of things that motivate me and I'm ready to rock and roll." – Ivie to Dallas reporters about his drive to make it in Dallas
Defensive tackles on roster: Ivie, Collins, Paea, Jordan Carrell (rookie), Cedric Thornton, Tyrone Crawford
*****
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
These former Gators have either signed or accepted invitations to NFL camps to try out for a roster spot based on news reports and their personal Twitter accounts: QB Austin Appleby (Dallas), DE Bryan Cox Jr. (Carolina), RB Mark Herndon (Cleveland), WR Ahmad Fulwood (New Orleans) and WR Chris Thompson (Houston).
Former Gators linebacker Jarrad Davis watched the draft with family and friends at home Thursday night in Kingsland, Ga. By Friday morning, he was on a jet headed for Detroit as the newest member of the Lions, the 21st player taken overall.
A limousine picked up Davis and his mother, Amy Davis, at the airport. They headed to the Lions' team facility from there, where he took a tour guided by Detroit general manager Bob Quinn and president Ron Wood. By that afternoon, Davis was decked in a fashionable dark-blue suit and a white Detroit cap at his introductory press conference.
Davis was Florida's only first-round pick on Thursday night, but when the draft concluded early Saturday evening, eight Gators had been selected. Davis will rejoin cornerback Teez Tabor with the Lions, his teammate for the past three years at UF. Tabor was Detroit's second-round pick on Friday.
Now that the draft has passed, rookie camp is next up for the players. There is still a lot of time between now and the start of the NFL season, but let's take a glance at the early prospects for the Gators who were drafted or signed as undrafted free agents:
*****
LB JARRAD DAVIS (first round, Detroit)
Rookie status: Davis is slated to start at middle linebacker in his first season as the Lions continue to retool the roster under head coach Jim Caldwell. Quinn told the Detroit Free-Press Davis can player either middle or weakside linebacker in the NFL on the night of the first round, but in a video posted on the team's website, he said: "We'll play him at middle linebacker we hope for many years with him calling our defense."
Quote of note: "It's rare to see a guy with his size and bulk that can move like he moves,'' Caldwell said. "He's a guy that's versatile. Certainly going to be able to play three downs for us as well. A fourth down if we happen to put him on special teams also, because he's capable of that as well. But a guy that's extremely well balanced in that area."
Linebackers on active roster: Davis, Thurston Armbrister, Nick Bellore, Brandon Chubb, Jalen Reeves-Maybin (rookie), Tahir Whitehead, Antwione Williams, Paul Worrilow.
*****
S MARCUS MAYE (second round, New York Jets)
Rookie status: The Jets allowed 52 passes of 20 or more yards last season (14th-most in NFL) and 13 of 40-plus yards (third-most), so improving their secondary was a top priority. Maye has every opportunity to earn a starting job or significant role.
Quote of note: "There were some other players around him, but we felt there was separation between him and other players,'' Jets coach Todd Bowles. "We identified him early and liked him from a football standpoint and also from a personal standpoint."
Safeties on active roster: Maye, Jamal Adams (rookie), Marcus Gilchrist (tore patellar tendon in December), Ronald Martin, Doug Middleton, Rontez Miles, Calvin Pryor.
*****
CB QUINCY WILSON (second round, Indianapolis)
Rookie status: The Colts used their first two picks on defensive backs in Wilson and safety Malik Hooker from Ohio State, so tightening up the secondary was clearly a priority. Wilson has a chance to start opposite veteran Vontae Davis based on reports out of Indy.
Quote of note: "Big, athletic corner with ball skills. That's what we're looking for. We think he's got a lot of upside. He's still young. Twenty years old. He's a good man-to-man corner." – Colts general manager Chris Ballard
Cornerbacks on active roster: Wilson, Davis, Nate Hairston (rookie), Rashaan Melvin, Christopher Milton, Tevin Mitchel, Darryl Morris, Frankie Williams.
*****
CB TEEZ TABOR (second round, Detroit)
Rookie status: The Lions have two starting cornerbacks returning in Darius Slay and Nevin Lawson. However, with Slay and reserve Quandre Diggs the only corners on the roster signed beyond 2017, the Lions view Tabor as a potential starter long-term opposite Slay.
Quote of note: "I probably watched more film on him than any prospect that I could ever remember watching film on. I would rank [his] instincts very near the top,'' Lions general manager Bob Quinn said. "If you don't have those anticipations, instincts, awareness, route recognition ... all those things, I think I put those higher up than how fast the guy ran at the combine. I take playing speed as a more important gauge than time speed."
Cornerbacks on active roster: Tabor, Slay, Diggs, Lawson, Jamal Agnew (rookie), Johnson Bademosi, Adairius Barnes, Alex Carter, DJ Hayden, Ian Wells.
*****
LB ALEX ANZALONE (third round, New Orleans)
Rookie status: The Saints have good depth at linebacker after a pair of free-agent signings in the offseason, so Anzalone will have to perform well and stay healthy to make an impact as a rookie. Still, New Orleans was clearly impressed by Anzalone's combination of athleticism and instincts.
Quote of note: "We talked about it a lot. Our doctors did a pretty thorough exam,'' Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. "We talked about the shoulders he's had a history of that, and yet, they felt good about it. He's a very instinctive player. That's probably what jumps out at you."
Linebackers on active roster: Anzalone, A.J. Klein, Dannell Ellerbe, Craig Robertson, Stephone Antony, Manti Te'o, Nate Stupar, Travis Feeney.
*****
OL DAVID SHARPE (fourth round, Oakland)
Rookie status: The Raiders lost former right tackle Menelik Watson to the Broncos in free agency, providing Sharpe an opportunity to help fill the void in what is expected to be a wide-open battle. The Raiders selected two offensive tackles in the draft, with Sharpe the highest pick among the duo.
Quote of note: "We've had all that researched," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said of reports that Sharpe is blind in his right eye. "He's fine. He has great peripheral vision. I don't know what the formal diagnosis is, but he's not legally blind."
Offensive tackles on active roster: Sharpe, Jylan Ware (rookie), Donald Penn, Marshall Newhouse, Vadal Alexander, Austin Howard, Denver Kirkland.
*****
DT CALEB BRANTLEY (sixth round, Cleveland)
Rookie status: Projected as a potential first-round pick after his junior season, Brantley figured to go in the second or third round before he was charged with a misdemeanor count of simple battery just days before the draft. Brantley insists he's innocent but that didn't prevent teams from passing him over until the Browns took him with the 185th overall selection. If Brantley can put the incident behind him and the Browns stick with him, he could be one of the draft's steals.
Quote of note: "We will continue to investigate on our end, and provided that we can get comfortable, keep him on the roster. If we can't, we'll move on." – Cleveland executive vice president Sashi Brown on Brantley's tenuous status
Defensive tackles on roster: Brantley, Larry Ogunjobi (rookie), Danny Shelton, Gabe Wright, Trevon Coley, Nile Lawrence-Stample
*****
DT JOEY IVIE (seventh round, Dallas)
Rookie status: Ivie is expected to fill a reserve role for the Cowboys if he can make the team. Dallas envisions him more of a gap-filler and run-stopper, which means the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Ivie will likely need to add some weight. He will compete with Maliek Collins and Stephen Paea for playing time his first year.
Quote of note: "I just feel like I have a lot to prove, and I don't mind it, because it keeps me motivated and it has helped me come a long way. It helped me get to the University of Florida, helped me get to the NFL and I'm sure it will help with what's next. Everyone just has to find their own way to motivate themselves. For me, it's being the underdog and my family, God, and my sister that passed away. I have a lot of things that motivate me and I'm ready to rock and roll." – Ivie to Dallas reporters about his drive to make it in Dallas
Defensive tackles on roster: Ivie, Collins, Paea, Jordan Carrell (rookie), Cedric Thornton, Tyrone Crawford
*****
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
These former Gators have either signed or accepted invitations to NFL camps to try out for a roster spot based on news reports and their personal Twitter accounts: QB Austin Appleby (Dallas), DE Bryan Cox Jr. (Carolina), RB Mark Herndon (Cleveland), WR Ahmad Fulwood (New Orleans) and WR Chris Thompson (Houston).
Players Mentioned
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