Gators' NFL Draft Review, Powerful Pete, In Memoriam

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The NFL Draft is over and five Gators heard their names called.

Of those five, defensive tackle Taven Bryan went about where I expected, late in the first round (29th overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bryan is a first-round pick based on potential, not his modest production for the Gators. He is a rare combination of size, speed and agility for a player who is 6-foot-5 and close to 300 pounds.

The Jaguars have depth and talent up front, but Bryan adds to that mix and provides Jacksonville a good insurance policy in the future. CBSSports.com gave Jacksonville a B+ for the addition of Bryan and that sounds about right. While Bryan has all the physical attributes and took care of business off the field at UF, there will be skeptics until he produces consistently at the next level.

Taven Bryan's dad sent me this video a couple weeks back. The newest Jaguar is a decent athlete. pic.twitter.com/VpQwcrFV1y
— Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) April 27, 2018

Gators defensive back Duke Dawson was the second UF player chosen, selected in the second round (56th) overall by the New England Patriots. In all honestly, I did not think Dawson would go before the fourth round, another prime example of my (lack of) mock-draft skills. However, the Patriots made him the sixth Florida defensive back picked in the draft in the past three years.

Not as highly touted as former teammates Vernon Hargreaves III, Keanu Neal, Marcus Maye, Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor, Dawson was picked just three spots below where Tabor went to the Lions in 2017. New England coach Bill Belichick has always been fond of UF players and Dawson is the latest to get an opportunity with the NFL's most reliable winner. The crew at ProFootballFocus.com gave the Patriots' draft an overall grade of "average," but the Dawson pick was one they liked.

"It was very, very surreal."@7upya__ describes the moment he got the call. pic.twitter.com/Myky4fH0HJ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 29, 2018

Next up, Gators receiver Antonio Callaway, one of the more intriguing players in the draft.

Cleveland used its fourth-round pick to take Callaway, which sparked two camps of debate: those who consider Callaway a steal for the Browns and believe he would have gone much higher if not for various off-the-field issues, and those who view him as a wasted pick for the NFL's most reliable losers.

I figured Callaway would have no trouble finding a spot in an NFL camp if he wasn't drafted. He's talented and NFL evaluators rank talent first, character second, for better or worse. My gut feeling was that a team would wait until the sixth or seventh round to choose Callaway, but Cleveland moved early as Browns general manager John Dorsey said Callaway will "be driven to prove" he has put his past behind him. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper rated Cleveland's draft a B- and called Callaway "that classic mixed bag."

Deciphering the draft quotes: Baker Mayfield, Antonio Callaway and maturity by @AkronJackson https://t.co/iiFMFQbb95 #NFL #Browns
— Ron Ledgard (@RonLedgard) April 30, 2018

Punter Johnny Townsend was the next Gator off the board when Oakland used its fifth-round pick on the first UF punter drafted since Ray Criswell 32 years ago. It's always difficult to predict where a specialist will get drafted, but Townsend as a fifth-rounder is a solid pick.

Townsend departed UF as the SEC's all-time leader in average and is an above-average athlete who also served as holder on field goals. Noel Harris of The Sacramento Bee points out that most observes gave the Raiders a middle-of-the road draft grade, but in reality, that has little to do with Townsend going to a franchise that featured arguably the most famous punter in history: Ray Guy.

Johnny Townsend, @johnnytownsend1 is now trending in #Orlando https ://t.co/5y32Gew5Eg pic.twitter.com/WuV647E1v1
— Trendsmap Orlando (@TrendsOrlando) April 28, 2018

The last Gator selected was safety Marcell Harris, taken by San Francisco in the sixth round. After missing his senior season due to an Achilles injury, Harris is understandably excited to get back on the field.

The draft experts gave the 49ers a wide range of grades for their three-day haul, from a B to a D+. Prior to the draft I leaned toward the thought that because he has not played since the end of the 2016 season, Harris would go undrafted and have to prove his worth as an undrafted free agent. I was pleasantly surprised when San Francisco drafted him. Harris was on the rise prior to his unfortunate injury in the preseason last fall and is one of the most likable players to put on the orange and blue the past few seasons.

Kentavius Street won't play in 2018.

Marcell Harris didn't play in 2017.

And Jullian Taylor barely played in 2015. And 2016.

Why the #49ers looked beyond injuries in the late rounds: https://t.co/Elu27yUx6s pic.twitter.com/rowstKoYa9
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) April 30, 2018

Five Gators quickly signed as undrafted free agents: kicker Eddy Pineiro (Raiders), defensive back Nick Washington (Raiders), tight end DeAndre Goolsby (Lions), running back Brandon Powell (Lions) and defensive back Joseph Putu (Falcons).

Among those five, I had Pineiro as the most likely to be drafted and won't be surprised at all if he makes the Raiders' roster. As for the others, Goolsby is the one to me with the best chance at finding a spot on a roster. He has talent but for various reasons, he was unable to produce consistently and avoid nagging injuries in his time at UF.

Congratulations to Chris Sailer Kicking Kicker Eddy Pineiro. He has signed an NFL contract with the Oakland Raiders! Big things to come. #TeamSailer pic.twitter.com/NkNS3LeEkr
— Chris Sailer Kicking (@Chris_Sailer) April 29, 2018

Meanwhile, running back Mark Thompson is headed to Baltimore later this week after the Ravens extended an invitation to him to attend their rookie mini-camp. Baltimore is searching to add depth at running back and the 6-foot-2, 239-pound Thompson ran for 297 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Quarterback Malik Zaire, who spent his final season of eligibility with the Gators last season after transferring from Notre Dame, will reportedly participate in Jacksonville's rookie mini-camp as an undrafted free agent.

BIG AL

The NBA Playoffs are heating up and whenever they include a Boston-Philadelphia series, they usually really heat up. The Celtics and 76ers are meeting for the 20th time in the postseason, which is the most in NBA history.

Boston has a 12-7 advantage and ex-Florida star Al Horford is expected to play a key role if Boston is to win this year.

Horford, who often faces additional scrutiny in Boston from fans and media for his laid-back personality, was spectacular in Boston's Game 7 win over Milwaukee to advance. Horford scored 26 points with eight rebounds and three assists.

"Horford was dominant,'' Bucks guard Khris Middleton told reporters.

Horford had success in defending Sixers star Ben Simmons in the regular season, one reason Horford is under the spotlight with the series set to start Monday night in Boston.

Who will guard Ben Simmons in Game 1? According to @SecondSpectrum, the 76ers offense averaged 81.3 points per 100 possessions when Al Horford matched up with Simmons in the regular season. pic.twitter.com/bwn4QRTDkI
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 30, 2018

POWERFUL PETE

Former Gators first baseman Pete Alonso, the Mets' second-round pick two years ago, continues his climb toward an opportunity with the big leagues. Playing for the Double-A Binghamton (N.Y.) Rumble Ponies, Alonso was named Eastern League Player of the Week on Monday after hitting .545 (12-for-22) with a 1.136 slugging percentage from April 23-29.

Alonso entered Monday night's game at Akron with a home run in four consecutive games and leads the league with seven homers. Alonso is hitting .403 with 13 extra-base hits and 18 RBIs in 20 games. Meanwhile, his more famous ex-Gator teammate, outfielder Tim Tebow, is batting .224 (13-for-58) with a home run and eight RBIs in 17 games for the Rumble Ponies.

In his third professional season following the end of his college career at the 2016 College World Series, Alonso has 45 doubles, 30 homers and 102 RBIs in 143 games prior to Monday. If he continues to hit like he has, expect a jump to Triple-A by summer's end.

Congrats to @PeterAlonso20 on being named @EasternLeague Player of the Week!

From April 23 through April 29, Alonso hit a league-best .545 (12-for-22) and compiled a 1.136 slugging percentage and homered in 4 consecutive games and shares the league lead with 7 homers this season pic.twitter.com/qBZjJyrMUE
— Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) April 30, 2018

SPECIAL HONORS

Scott Powers, who co-authored the book "Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance," is the University Athletic Association Endowed Professor and Distinguished Professor in UF's Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology. Powers was named a 2018 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner for his work … Prominent longtime Gator boosters Bill Heavener of Winter Park and Nancy and Gary Condron of Ponte Vedra Beach were honored recently for their leadership, service and philanthropy to UF. Heavener and Condron served as guest head coaches in the Orange & Blue Game and last month were recognized at UF's Fifth Annual Academy of Golden Globes in Orlando. Heavener earned a Lifetime Philanthropist Award and the Condrons the Annual Philanthropists Award … Gators Ambassador Steve Spurrier and fellow 2018 College Football Hall of Fame inductees Frank Beamer and Mack Brown are participating in the inaugural Legends Tournament at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Challenge this week near Atlanta.

IN MEMORIAM

Former Gators running back Raymond L. "Bunny" McNeal died on March 23 at his home in Ocala. Before arriving as a UF freshman in 1940, McNeal starred at Ocala High School as a quarterback.

McNeal, born on Dec. 2, 1920, was 97 at the time of his death. He was drafted into the Army after two-plus seasons at Florida and later returned to Ocala to become a successful business owner, gardener and community organizer.

During McNeal's college career, sports writers of the day also referred to McNeal as "Rabbit." A preview of the 1942 UF squad from The Tampa Times on Aug. 17, 1942: Rabbit McNeal, Ocala junior who doesn't weigh 155 soaking wet, was the smallest college fullback in America last year – his quick starts coming in hand in some of [Coach Tom] Lieb's tricky stuff. The speedster will operate from left half this year.

Another ex-Gators football player from long ago, 90-year-old Tom Vangelas of Monroe, N.J., died on March 12. Vangelas spent the 1945 season with the Gators and scored two touchdowns in the season opener, a 31-2 win over Camp Blanding at Florida Field.

Vangelas played for the UF baseball team in the spring of '46 before embarking on a minor-league baseball career with the Phillies and Pirates. He also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War according to his obituary.

The New Jersey native instantly caught the attention of coaches and the media when he arrived to play football for the Gators.

In this note from The Orlando Evening Star on Sept. 6, 1945: Tom Vangelas, 170-pounder from Paterson, N.J., has appeared as the shining light in the Gator backfield with his hard running. The New Jersey youngster, a freshman, banked over a couple of touchdowns on 34- and 18-yard runs on his first day out this week.

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