Townsend departed UF as the school's all-time leader in punts and punting yardage
Dawson, Townsend in Mobile This Week for Senior Bowl
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 | Football
Dawson and Townsend will both compete for the North team on Saturday.
MOBILE, Ala. – Former Florida defensive back Duke Dawson and punter Johnny Townsend will continue their preparation for the National Football League on Saturday in the 2018 Reese's Senior Bowl.
The duo will play on the North team, coached by the Denver Broncos' coaching staff, with kickoff set for 2:30 PM. In addition, NFL Network will broadcast the game.
A versatile defender, Dawson saw playing time at cornerback, nickel, and safety during his four years at Florida. He earned First Team All-SEC honors by the league's coaches and Second Team All-SEC accolades by the AP.
John Harris, an analyst for HoustonTexans.com, had this to say about Dawson leading into the Senior Bowl: "I would love to see Florida defensive back Duke Dawson in the Texans secondary. Now, what position fits best for Dawson is the question. My guess is that he'll get a ton of work at perimeter cornerback this week, but he's the consummate inside/nickel candidate. He's got a safety's mindset and can cover in the slot, but he can move outside in a pinch too."
While at UF, Dawson played in 48 games and tallied 82 total tackles, 23 pass breakups, six interceptions, and four interceptions returned for touchdowns.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cross City native allowed a passer rating of just 37.1 when targeted, the fifth-best mark among all draft-eligible cornerbacks.
Townsend departed UF as the most decorated punter in its 111-year history. The Orlando product owns school records for punting yards (11,090) and total punts (240). In addition, he ranks fifth and ninth in those categories all-time in SEC history.
Townsend led the nation in punting yardage during his junior and senior seasons, booting 11 punts of over 60 yards including a career-long punt of 70 yards against Georgia in 2017. His career average of 46.2 yards per punt stands alone in SEC lore.
Put simply by ESPN's Mel Kiper, "Townsend is the best punter in this class."
In 2017 alone, Townsend earned Second Team All-American honors by CBS Sports, the AP, Sporting News, and SB Nation. He also garnered First Team All-SEC honors by the AP and Second Team recognition by the league's coaches.
The duo will play on the North team, coached by the Denver Broncos' coaching staff, with kickoff set for 2:30 PM. In addition, NFL Network will broadcast the game.
A versatile defender, Dawson saw playing time at cornerback, nickel, and safety during his four years at Florida. He earned First Team All-SEC honors by the league's coaches and Second Team All-SEC accolades by the AP.
John Harris, an analyst for HoustonTexans.com, had this to say about Dawson leading into the Senior Bowl: "I would love to see Florida defensive back Duke Dawson in the Texans secondary. Now, what position fits best for Dawson is the question. My guess is that he'll get a ton of work at perimeter cornerback this week, but he's the consummate inside/nickel candidate. He's got a safety's mindset and can cover in the slot, but he can move outside in a pinch too."
While at UF, Dawson played in 48 games and tallied 82 total tackles, 23 pass breakups, six interceptions, and four interceptions returned for touchdowns.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cross City native allowed a passer rating of just 37.1 when targeted, the fifth-best mark among all draft-eligible cornerbacks.
Townsend departed UF as the most decorated punter in its 111-year history. The Orlando product owns school records for punting yards (11,090) and total punts (240). In addition, he ranks fifth and ninth in those categories all-time in SEC history.
Townsend led the nation in punting yardage during his junior and senior seasons, booting 11 punts of over 60 yards including a career-long punt of 70 yards against Georgia in 2017. His career average of 46.2 yards per punt stands alone in SEC lore.
Put simply by ESPN's Mel Kiper, "Townsend is the best punter in this class."
In 2017 alone, Townsend earned Second Team All-American honors by CBS Sports, the AP, Sporting News, and SB Nation. He also garnered First Team All-SEC honors by the AP and Second Team recognition by the league's coaches.
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