Category: NFL Draft 2022

NFL draft 2022 profile: Jeremiah Moon hoping to hear name called in late rounds

Jeremiah Moon is hopeful that six years at Florida and a strong combine performance is good enough to get drafted.

A strong combine performance should have [autotag]Jeremiah Moon[/autotag] on a few boards when the 2022 NFL draft finally begins, and the explosive linebacker is hoping to hear his name called after spending six years at the University of Florida.

Moon turned heads with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a broad jump that exceeded 11 feet in Indianapolis. Simply put, linebackers don’t get much more explosive than that and it’s the kind of talent teams are likely to take a chance on in the late rounds of the draft. There’s still plenty to develop from a non-physical standpoint but the tools are there.

It hasn’t always been easy for Moon at Florida. He dealt with injury in three of his six seasons as a Gator and changed positions frequently. In 2021, he stepped into a starting inside linebacker role for the Gators after the team lost [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag]. He logged a career-high in tackles and forced a fumble against Georgia.

Moon’s chances of being drafted are up in the air, but he should sign as an undrafted free agent if things don’t go his way over the weekend. The 2022 NFL draft kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT, but Gator Nation will want to tune back in on Saturday at noon to possibly hear Moon’s name called.

NFL draft 2022 profile: Zachary Carter could provide depth at defensive end

Expect to hear former Florida defensive tackle Zachary Carter hear his name called early on Day 3.

Florida defensive tackle [autotag]Zachary Carter[/autotag] is one of four former Gators expected to hear his name called at the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas this weekend. He announced back in December that he would declare for the draft and opted out of Florida’s bowl game versus UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl.

Carter was a four-star recruit out of Tampa, Florida, in the 2017 recruiting class. The 247Sports composite ranked him as the 130th overall player and the third-best strong-side defensive end.

It took him until his sophomore season to be a reliable contributor for the Gators. He started every game of his senior season at defensive tackle except for the bowl game that he opted out of. Carter recorded 31 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, 7.5 sacks and forced one fumble.

NFL.com expects Carter to hear his name called early on Day 3 in the fourth round. They believe he can be a good backup with the potential to become a starter.

NFL Draft 2022 Profile: Will Kaiir Elam’s name be called on Day 1?

Kaiir Elam is Gator Nation’s best shot at seeing a first-round pick this year at the NFL draft. Will he be a Day 1 selection?

Florida’s defensive woes have been well documented over the past few years, but one bright spot through all of it has been cornerback [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag].

He immediately made his presence known as a freshman by appearing in all 13 games for Florida and starting five of them. He finished the season with a career-high three interceptions and opposing offensive coordinators started planning around him. As a sophomore, he racked up 13 pass deflections and two more interceptions en route to an All-SEC First Team designation.

With hopes of solidifying his status as a top-15 pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Elam returned to Florida for a disappointing junior season. He sprained his knee early in the year against Alabama and missed three games recovering. Florida’s defense fell apart over the season and Elam’s stayed on the fringe of the first round.

Elam is Florida’s best chance at producing a first-round talent this year, so Gator Nation will eagerly await to hear his name called on Day 1. The draft kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT and runs until Saturday. It can be watched on NFL Network or on ESPN.

NFL Draft 2022 Profile: Dameon Pierce is a high-value pick at running back

Florida running back Dameon Pierce could be one of the first running backs to have his name called during the 2022 NFL draft.

It was malpractice how little former head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] and running backs coach [autotag]Greg Knox[/autotag] used Florida running back [autotag]Dameon Pierce[/autotag] during his four-year career with the Gators. His best season came in his final one where he tallied 574 yards on 100 carries for 13 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per touch. He was solid in the passing game, catching 19 passes for 216 yards and three more scores.

The good news for Pierce as he enters the NFL draft is that he doesn’t have a ton of mileage on his body. Most outlets that have ranked the running backs in this year’s draft class consider Pierce a top-10 player at his position.

With the NFL draft coming up on Thursday this week, look for Pierce to hear his name called anywhere between late Day 2 and early Day 3. The draft kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT and runs until Saturday. It can be watched on NFL Network or on ESPN.

Kaiir Elam a fringe first round in CBS Sports’ latest mock draft

Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam still sits on the cusp of the second round in this latest CBS Sports mock draft.

CBS Sports has released its latest NFL mock draft after the first week of free agency has flown by. In its most recent projection, they have the Gators cornerback Kaiir Elam still sitting as a fringe first-round draft pick, going to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 31st overall pick. Here is what they had to say about the selection.

Cincinnati adds a big body at cornerback. They have done well to upgrade the offensive line through free agency so that allows them flexibility in the first round. The Bengals have cobbled together a cornerback room in recent years but Elam gives them a long-term presence.

This pick makes a lot of sense for the Bengals after they did a superb job upgrading their offensive line through free agency to protect franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Cincinnati could use a player like Elam because it ranked seventh-worst in the NFL in most passing yards allowed per game at 248.7 yards.

Elam didn’t have the best season for Florida in 2021 but still managed 29 tackles, five pass deflections and a pick. His career numbers, however, tell a different story. He recorded 78 tackles, 20 pass breakups and five interceptions during his three-year career.

Florida fans can see where he ultimately lands when the 2022 NFL Draft kicks off in Las Vegas on April 28.

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Over a dozen players expected to participate in Florida Pro Day

Only four Gators were at the Combine, but Florida will have 16 NFL hopefuls at the team’s annual Pro Day on March 28.

On Monday, Florida announced that the football program’s annual Pro Day will be held on campus on March 28.

The Gators only had four players attend the NFL Combine earlier in the month, but 16 players will be in front of scouts to show off their skills. Some of the participants are returning for another season at UF, but the rest are hoping to make a name for themselves ahead of the NFL draft.

Headlining that group may be running back Malik Davis who had his best year in a Gators uniform in 2021. Dameon Pierce may get all the attention for being the physical phenom he is, but Davis was just as productive and underused as a senior.

Jean Delance is another name to look out for as a strong Pro Day could get his name called after already talking with teams throughout the cycle.

Zach Carter, Kaiir Elam and Jeremiah Moon all joined Pierce at the Combine, but plenty of players have improved their stock with a strong performance on their home turf. Elam, in particular, could use a strong outing after a bad season for the defense hurt his draft stock.

The Pro Day will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

The 16 players expected to participate include:

LB Lacedrick Brunson
DL Zachary Carter
K Jace Christmann
RB Malik Davis
OL Jean Delance
DB Kaiir Elam
LB Jeremiah Moon
DL Daquan Newkirk
RB Dameon Pierce
OL Stewart Reese
DB Nicolas Sutton
DL Tyrone Truesdell
DL Antonio Valentino
WR Rick Wells
DL Kyree Campbell *
LS Brett DioGuardi *

*Returning

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These NFL teams are best fits for former Gators running back Dameon Pierce

Here are some NFL teams that could really use Dameon Pierce’s services.

Among the Gators who will be entering the 2022 NFL draft, running back Dameon Pierce is unquestionably the most well-known on the national scale. Despite being criminally underutilized by the Dan Mullen regime, he jumped onto radars with his tough-as-nails touchdown after losing his headgear. A tremendous performance at the Senior Bowl launched his stock into low orbit.

Pierce brings a hard-nosed attitude to the football field that shows in every aspect of his gameplay. He is best utilized as a short-yardage hammer and a ferocious pass blocker, but he has enough burst to get up the gut if he has a schemed hole to punch. Once the internet take machine settles down, the consensus is likely to settle in at an early Day 3 value.

Wherever Pierce ends up, he’s in a good position to snag a role in a running backs rotation. Naturally, though, certain rosters are in the best position to utilize his skills. These teams seem like good fits for what Pearce brings to the table.

2022 NFL Scouting Combine invites four former Florida Gators

Four Gators will get a closer look ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

The 2021 college football season, as well as national signing day, are well in the rearview mirror, meaning the next big date for Florida football is the upcoming NFL draft at the end of April. Ahead of the landmark event, four former Gators have been invited to participate in the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine according to a press release issued by the NFL on Wednesday.

Dameon Pierce, Zachary Carter, Jeremiah Moon, and Kaiir Elam all received invitations to the combine where they will be among a total of 324 prospects. Elam has seen his draft stock fall significantly since the beginning of the 2021 season and is no longer expected to be a first-round selection by most draft analysts, while Pierce saw a big boost from his Senior Bowl performance after being under-utilized by Dan Mullen last year.

Carter, who received his invite in early January, had the most productive year of his career which very likely boosted his draft stock a bit. Meanwhile, Moon was nominated for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award in October and turned in a fine performance this season as well.

The combine provides collegiate players without a clear-cut path in the draft a final chance to show off their talents in front of professional scouts in a series of drills and biometric measurements that are used to evaluate their core potential. This year’s event will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, from March 1 through March 7.

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This Gators safety just received an invite to the NFL Combine

Trey Dean has been starting games for the Gators for four years, but now the NFL is calling.

Safety Trey Dean III hasn’t officially announced that he’ll be moving on from the University of Florida yet, but a post on social media revealing that he received an invitation to the 2022 NFL Combine could be a sign that he intends to head to the pros.

Dean started 11 of Florida’s 12 regular-season games this year after moving over to safety full-time. The Gators defense was embarrassed several times this season, but this was Dean’s best individual year with a career-high 92 tackles and four tackles for loss. Currently, the Florida veteran is pegged as a third-day pick or an undrafted free agent, but a strong performance at the Combine could help his stock rise.

Dean got a chance to play almost immediately as a freshman after Marco Wilson went down with an injury, but position changes and depth at safety kept him from excelling until his senior year. By that time, Dean had become a leader for some of the younger members of the secondary.

If he does accept the invitation and bid farewell to Florida, he’ll leave with 178 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 20 pass breakups, a forced fumble and 4 interceptions.

The Combine is scheduled for the first week of March and the draft begins on April 28.

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Here’s where Kaiir Elam stands on Todd McShay’s latest big board

Elam is the No. 11 overall prospect in the draft, according to McShay.

The 2021 college football season may be just past its midpoint, but draft season will be here before we know it.

Since the conclusion of last season, one Florida player has stood out as a top draft option in 2022: cornerback Kaiir Elam. After starting on the outside as a true freshman in 2019 due to injury, Elam became a full-time starter last year and played like one of the best defensive backs in the SEC.

He entered his junior season with high expectations, and while injuries have limited him to just four games, he’s totaled 12 tackles, a pick and four pass breakups in that span.

It hasn’t exactly helped his draft stock a ton (or moved the needle in comparison with top cornerback prospect Derek Singley Jr. from LSU), but he’s still projected as a relatively early first-round pick by ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay.

On McShay’s latest draft board, Elam ranks as the No. 11 overall prospect and No. 2 corner behind Stingley (who is McShay’s No. 2 prospect). Here’s the breakdown of Elam.

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 193 | Grade: 91

Elam is instinctive and aggressive. He has loads of top-end speed (he ran track in high school), great closing burst and excellent awareness in coverage, and he is able to play in press, zone or off-man. Elam follows the ball well when it’s in the air, and his on-ball production is solid. He has an interception and three passes broken up this season, and his 13 pass breakups in 2020 tied for the fourth most in the country.

His lack of impressive production this season is almost certainly due to teams avoiding throwing in his direction, as well as the several games he missed. Still, Elam checks all the boxes you look for in a first-round caliber cornerback, and he should hear his name called on the draft’s first night.

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