Fason and Hill Selected In NFL Draft
Sunday, April 24, 2005 | Football
Former University of Florida tailback Ciatrick Fason and defensive back Reynaldo Hill were selected on the second day of the NFL Draft. Fason was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday as he became the fourth Gator back to be selected in the NFL draft since 1990. The Vikings took Fason in the fourth round with the 112th overall pick. Hill went to the Tennessee Titans with the fourth pick in the seventh round (218 overall).
Fason emerged as a go to back last season for the Gators as the junior tailback led the SEC yards per game (106.5) during the regular season. Fason has carried the ball 315 times in his career for 1,877 yards (6.0 avg.) and 14 rushing touchdowns. As Florida's starting tailback in 2004, Fason finished the season with 222 carries for 1,267 yards and 10 touchdowns. He became one of only seven Gators to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season and was the fourth fastest to do so as he eclipsed the mark in the ninth game of the season at Vanderbilt. This season he was a CNNSI All-America Honorable Mention selection, an All-SEC First Team (AP) honoree and an All-SEC Second Team (Coaches) choice.
Hill was a two-year defensive back for UF after transferring from Dodge City Community College. He played in 25 games with 12 career starts. In 2004, he started at cornerback in all 12 games and saw time on the kickoff coverage and punt teams. He made 57 career tackles through two seasons in Gainesville including a career-high six stops against LSU in 2004.
#4
Ciatrick Fason
Running Back • 6-0 • 215
2002-04, 3L
Jacksonville Beach
Fletcher HS
A three-year running back for the Gators who started as a sophomore and junior… Played in 37 consecutive games, every game of his career with 15 starts… Declared for NFL Draft in December of 2004. CAREER: 298 carries for 1,783 yards (6.0 avg.) and 14 rushing touchdowns… 42 receptions for 368 yards (8.8 avg.) and five receiving touchdowns… Seven career 100-yard rushing games and three 200-yard all-purpose games in his career… Averaged 6.4 yards per touch his final two seasons, the top average in the SEC during that span… .2004: The Gators starting tailback in all 12 games… CNNSI All-American Honorable Mention… First-Team All-SEC (AP)… .Second-Team All-SEC (Coaches)… .Led the SEC with 105.6 yards per game rushing and ranked 19th nationally… .Became the first Gator to lead the SEC in rushing since 1993 and became the sixth different Gator RB to top the SEC charts… .1,267 yards rushing ranked sixth best in UF history… Only Emmitt Smith, Jimmy Dubose, Fred Taylor and Errict Rhett had more yards rushing in a single-season at UF… The seventh running back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards… .Broke the 1,000-yard mark for the season at Vanderbilt in only his ninth game… Only Emmitt Smith, Jimmy Dubose and Errict Rhett eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark faster at UF… Second in the SEC with 12 touchdowns… Second in the SEC in all-purpose yards with 127.2 per game… Averaged 5.7 yards per carry, the third best total in UF history with at least 200 carries (Fred Taylor, 6.0 in 1997 and Emmitt Smith 5.9 in 1987)… 31 catches was tops in the SEC among running backs and was third-best on the team… Had six 100-yard efforts (EMU, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Florida State)… Scored the game-winning touchdown and eclipsed the 100-yard barrier for the seventh time in his career when he rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries versus Florida State… Rushed for 78 of his 103 rushing yards and scored his 10th rushing touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter… Only running back in 2004 to eclipse the 100-yard barrier against the No. 1 FSU run defense… Fason averaged 4.3 yards per carry against a defense that was allowing only 1.87 per rush… .Recorded career-highs in rushing yards (210), attempts (31), receiving yards (43) and receptions (five) with two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) against Kentucky… His 210 yards rushing against Kentucky was the best rushing total since Emmitt Smith ran for 316 yards against New Mexico in 1989… Career-high two rushing touchdowns and second career 100-yard game (105) versus EMU… Matched career-best two rushing touchdowns while leading the team with 62 yards rushing vs. Arkansas… Totaled 143 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown against MSU… Rushed for 139 yards against Georgia and matched a career-high five receptions for 35 yards… Enjoyed sixth career 100-yard rushing day at Vanderbilt with 170 yards on 26 carries… Totaled 222 all-purpose yards at Vanderbilt, his highest total of the season and set a career-high in receiving yards with 52 on four catches… Scored 11th touchdown of the season when he caught a five-yard touchdown pass against South Carolina… Named UF's 2004 Outstanding Running Back… Recipient of the Ray Graves Most Player, Fergie Ferguson and Offensive Captain Awards… 2003: Saw time in the running back rotation and on special teams (kickoff, punt, punt return and kick-off return teams), playing in all 13 games for 295 plays… Was the starting tailback versus Arkansas, FSU and Iowa… Ranked second on the team with 583 rushing yards on 84 attempts (6.9 avg)… Also had 11 catches for 142 yards (12.9 avg), including a 40-yarder vs. South Carolina and three receiving touchdowns… Finished third on the team with six touchdowns, three rushing and three receiving… Averaged 6.9 yards per carry, the highest average among UF backs with 10 or more carries… Combined for 725 all-purpose yards (583 rushing and 142 receiving), the third-highest total on the team… Averaged 7.6 yards per touch… Was part of only the second trio of backs in UF history to each rush for 500 or more yards in the same season, combining with Ran Carthon and DeShawn Wynn for 1,718 rushing yards (Neal Anderson, J.L. Williams and Lorenzo Hampton each rushed for 500+ yards in 1984)… Caught a 25-yard or longer pass in three consecutive games (LSU, Arkansas, Georgia)… Played a key role, averaging 89.2 rushing yards per game, in the Gators five-game winning streak (LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, Vandy, South Carolina)… Also averaged 15.9 yards per reception over that period on seven catches for 111 yards… Ranked second on the team with 12 offensive "Big Plays"- eight runs and four receptions of 20+ yards… Averaged 35.6 yards per "Big Play" on offensive plays of 20+ yards… Had an offensive "Big Play" in seven different games (SJSU, FAMU, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, Vandy, USC)… Led the team in rushing yardage in three times (LSU, Arkansas, South Carolina) and attempts once (South Carolina)… Rushed for 190 yards in the win at USC- the highest total by a UF back at the time since Errict Rhett rushed for 196 yards vs. Auburn in 1993, and was the 10th-highest total in school history at that point… Had the fifth best rushing performance in the SEC in 2003, and was named UF Offensive Player of the Week, with his 190 yards vs. USC… Averaged 9.5 yards per carry on a career-high 20 attempts in the win… Was the only Gator back of the season to have three or more big offensive runs of 20+ yards in a single game when he had carries of 40,30,25 and 20 yards against the Gamecocks… Made first career start vs. Arkansas, leading all backs with 98 yards on 11 carries… Scored on both a running and passing play, including a 75-yard touchdown run… His 75-yard touchdown run in the win over No. 11 Arkansas, was the longest from scrimmage since Emmitt Smith ran for 96 yards in 1988 vs. Mississippi State… Led the Gators ground game at No. 6 LSU when Ran Carthon and DeShawn Wynn were injured, totaling 127 yards of offense, including a then career-long 62-yard run and a career-long 35-yard catch… Named UF Offensive Player of the Week after rushing 92 yards vs. LSU on the ground… Was one yard shy of his season total through the first six games… Ranked second on the team with 11 carries vs. FAMU… Caught the first pass of his career, a 23-yarder from quarterback Ingle Martin vs. SJSU in the season-opener… Averaged 5.7 yards on three carries in UF's win over San Jose State… Named UF Outstanding Running Back… 2002: Only freshman to play in all 13 games and one of two to see action… Switched from running back to fullback for the last four games of the season… Saw action as a kickoff returner and played on punt block, kick coverage and field goal teams… Saw action for 229 plays, third highest of any Gator running back… Scored a TD in his first collegiate game vs. UAB… Had four carries for 10 yards and one TD… Had a season-high long run of nine yards against UAB… Saw action in the 2003 Outback Bowl against Michigan… PREP: One of the nation's elite prep running backs who gained consensus prep All-America recognition in 2001… Named to prestigious Parade All-America Team … Ranked among the nation's top 10 overall players by Rivals.com and that group also ranked him as the nation's top running back… Named to PrepStar's All-America Dream Team and that publication ranked him among the nation's top two running backs… Named to SuperPrep's All-America Team and that publication ranked him among the country's top two running backs… Ranked among the nation's top two running backs by National Bluechips in its "Power-I Tailbacks" category… Named 5A Mr. Football in Florida… Four-time team MVP… Rushed for over 7,400 career yards and completed his career as the state of Florida's fifth all-time leading rusher and tops in Northeast Florida history… Rushed for over 2,000 yards twice – 1999 and 2001… Verbally committed on Signing Day 2001 and did not visit any other schools… High school coach was Joe Reynolds… PERSONAL: Born Ciatrick Antione Fason on Oct. 29, 1982 in Atlanta, Georgia… Favorite book is Walter Payton's biography… Parent: Barbara Fason … MAJOR: Social & Behavioral Sciences.
| Career Rushing Stats: | |||||
| YEAR | NO. | YDS. | AVG. | TDS | LONG |
| 2002 | 9 | 27 | 3.0 | 1 | 9 |
| 2003 | 84 | 583 | 6.9 | 3 | 75 |
| 2004 | 222 | 1,267 | 5.7 | 10 | 55 |
| Totals | 315 | 1,877 | 6.0 | 14 | 75 |
| Career Receiving Stats: | |||||
| YEAR | NO. | YDS. | AVG. | TDS | LONG |
| 2003 | 11 | 142 | 12.9 | 3 | 35 |
| 2004 | 35 | 266 | 7.6 | 2 | 30 |
| Totals | 46 | 408 | 8.9 | 5 | 35 |
| Career Kick Return Stats: | |||||
| YEAR | NO. | YDS. | AVG. | TDS | LONG |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Highs:
Rushing Attempts: 31 (Kentucky, 2004)
Rushing Yards: 210 (Kentucky, 2004)
Rushing TDs: 2 (Twice, last vs. Arkansas, 2004)
Receptions: 5 (Three times, last vs. Georgia, 2004)
Receiving Yards: 52 (Vanderbilt, 2004)
Receiving TDs: 1 (5x, last vs. South Carolina, 2004))
#35
Reynaldo Hill
Defensive Back • 5-11 • 185
2003-04, 2L
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Dodge City Community College/Stranahan HS
A two-year defensive back for UF after transferring from Dodge City Community College.
Career: Played in 25 games with 12 starts… Saw action in 1,167 career plays…
2004: A starter at cornerback in all 12 games who saw time on kick off coverage and punt return teams… Second on the team with 916 plays… Made first interception of his career against Arkansas… His first tackle for loss came in the game against Middle Tennessee and he made another in the South Carolina contest… Recorded his first fumble recovery and ran it back seven yards against MSU… Notched a career high of six tackles against LSU, with five of the six being solo efforts… Had two pass deflections versus Florida State, ending his season with five… Was part of a career-high 96 plays in the LSU game…
2003: Saw action on special teams in all 13 games and saw action in the secondary for six games (SJSU, Miami, FAMU, Arkansas, FSU and Iowa) for 251 plays, making his first career start vs. Iowa… Tied for second among DBs with four tackles vs. San Jose State… Returned a kickoff for 26 yards at Miami… Made one tackle against the Hurricanes in 31 plays, including 21 plays on special teams… Had a forced fumble vs. Arkansas and Vanderbilt… Saw a season-high 49 plays vs. FAMU…
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Considered the nation's No. 2 DB and No. 8 overall non-high school player by Rivals.com… Led the nation with 22 pass breakups in 2002, along with 57 tackles, three interceptions and two kickoffs and a punt returned for a touchdown at Dodge City Community College… Anchored the nation's No. 1 ranked junior college pass defense in 2001…
PREP: Played high school football at Ft. Lauderdale's Stranahan High School and was a track standout as well… Also considered Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas State and Mississippi State in the recruiting process…
| Career Defensive Stats: | ||||||||
| Year | Ut-At | Tt | Tbl | Qbs | Ff | Fr | Pd | Int |
| 2003 | 10-5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 30-12 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 40-17 | 57 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Career Kick Return Stats: | |||||
| year | no. | yds | avg | tds | long |
| 2002 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 |
| Total | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 |
Career Highs:
Total Tackles: 6 (LSU, 2004)
Interceptions: - 1 (Arkansas, 2004)
