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.