Tag: Justin Shorter

Bills’ Nick Broeker: ‘Hoped for Buffalo’ during 2023 NFL draft

#Bills’ Nick Broeker: ‘Hoped for Buffalo’ during 2023 NFL draft”

The Bills addressed the offensive side of the ball with four of the team’s first five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, but the fifth one saw some fireworks out ahead of it.

On the third day of selections, Brandon Beane demonstrated his draft maneuvering abilities yet again by trading the Bills late-round picks three times to move back, which netted two additional 2024 sixth-round picks in the process. This now gives Buffalo 10 picks in 2024.

The dust had barely settled when the GM continued his quest to fortify the teams’ offensive trenches by adding 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman Nick Broeker, a three-year starter out of Ole’ Miss.

The Bills prioritize versatility when evaluating linemen, and they have that in Broeker, who also played right guard at the Senior Bowl.

“Played left tackle and left guard at Ole’ Miss, played right guard at Senior Bowl,” Broeker shared with ease via video conference. “Snapped all through my time at Ole’ Miss, snapped a bit at Senior Bowl, snapped a bit at Pro Day.”

“Really thrilled with the guys we’ve added – some beef up front,” Beane said in his post-draft press conference. “Broeker was clearly the best player on our board when he went.”

The GM also noted Broeker will start off as a guard for the Bills, and will also get some practice time at tackle

Like the Bills second-round pick O’Cyrus Torrence, Broeker did not give up a sack in 2022, and he was durable not missing a single game in college. But did have 13 blown run blocks last season which was tied for sixth most in the FBS, and will be an area he’ll need to work on as he develops behind the current starters.

Among those starters on offense, is a familiar face that he’ll be joining as a teammate for the first time.

“I know Dawson Knox pretty well, so that’ll be cool to get back with him as well,” “I actually played with his younger Brother Luke at Ole’ Miss, and Dawson would come back and visit, and some of the guys I played with were really good friends with Dawson.”

Broeker even said that he really hoped Buffalo would take him off the board.

“Yeah, definitely really kind of hoped for Buffalo, just seeing all the success they’ve had lately and how many games they’ve won, definitely on the Super Bowl trend so definitely a really cool call to get.” 

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Las Vegas Raiders select LB Amari Burney in 6th round of 2023 NFL draft

Amari Burney is headed to Las Vegas! The former Florida linebacker was selected by the Raiders with 203rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Sunday.

The Las Vegas Raiders have drafted former Florida linebacker [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] with the 203rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Burney began his career as a defensive back at Florida. He played both safety and the STAR position for a bit but switched to linebacker as an upperclassman.. A notable NFL combine snub, Burney’s Pro Day performance and 2022 tape was enough for the Raiders to take a chance on him.

He finished his super-senior season with 79 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He played over 2,500 snaps for Florida throughout his five years with the Gators.

The biggest moment of Burney’s Gator career came in the home opener against Utah. He made a diving interception with less than a minute remaining on the clock to secure the win.

Florida has now had six players selected in the 2023 NFL draft. Quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] came off the board first at pick No. 4 overall to Indianapolis, and [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. (Chicago) and O’Cyrus Torrence (Buffalo) were Day 2 selections.

[autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] was the first player selected on Saturday at No. 121 overall to Jacksonville, which means both of Florida’s starting middle linebackers have been drafted. Wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] is also headed to Buffalo after being the Bills’ fifth-round pick.

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WATCH: Justin Shorter reacts to being picked at 2023 NFL draft by the Bills

Hugs all around for Shorter:

Justin Shorter is a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Like many, he appeared to celebrate the occasion at home with his loved ones.

Shorter was taken at No. 150 overall by Buffalo in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. When the news came, Shorter’s close ones were ready for it, and caught the moment where his name flashed across the screen and he embraced those around him

Catch the moment on his social media post via Instagram below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrodCpaOE0f/?hl=en

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Buffalo Bills select Justin Shorter in 5th round of 2023 NFL draft

Justin Shorter is headed to Buffalo! The former Gator will reunite with his Florida teammate O’Cyrus Torrence to play for the Bills after being drafted in the fifth round.

The Buffalo Bills drafted wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] with the 150th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Shorter is the second Florida Gator selected by Buffalo in this draft after the Bills used their second-round pick to draft offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag]. They also took cornerback [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] in the first round of last year’s draft.

The former Florida receiver will join a wide receiver room that features some of the nation’s best. Stefon Diggs is the No. 1 pass catcher on the team and former UCF receiver Gabe Davis is a strong second option for Josh Allen, who is one of the top quarterbacks in the league.

Shorter joined the Gators as a transfer in 2020 after spending two years with Penn State. Once [autotag]Kadarius Toney[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Pitts[/autotag] moved on from the program, he stepped into a starting and more prominent role with the team.

In his final year of collegiate play, Shorter hauled in 29 receptions for 577 yards and two touchdowns. He start all nine games he played in while healthy. He finished with 1,395 career receiving yards and eight touchdowns over 34 games.

Florida has now had five players selected in the 2023 NFL draft. Quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] came off the board first at pick No. 4 overall to Indianapolis, and [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. (Chicago) and O’Cyrus Torrence (Buffalo) were Day 2 selections. [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] was the first player selected on Saturday at No. 121 overall to Jacksonville.

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Highlight reel for Bills’ fifth-round pick Justin Shorter

Shorter near the end zone looks like a good idea for the #Bills offense:

There was hope from some in Buffalo that the Bills would use one of their top selections on a wide receiver at the 2023 NFL draft.

Instead, the team opted to use their top pick on a tight end, Dalton Kincaid, and waited on the receiver. Eventually in the fifth round, Florida’s Justin Shorter was grabbed off the board by Buffalo.

But waiting might have been worth it. Shorter brings a big-body receiver mindset that could be utilized.

As usual, let the tape do the talking.

Check out the clips below for highlights of the Bills’ new wide receiver:

2023 NFL draft: Bills select WR Justin Shorter in fifth round

2023 NFL draft: #Bills select WR Justin Shorter in fifth round:

The Buffalo Bills have made a long-waited pick on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL draft.

The team has selected Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter in the fifth round at No. 150 overall.

Shorter’s selection comes after the Bills moved out their first two picks on the third day of the draft.

In Round 1, Buffalo moved up two positions to take tight end Dalton Kincaid. That deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars saw the Bills give away their fourth-round pick.

Then to recoup a selection, Buffalo then moved down in the fifth round. The Bills were first slated to be on the clock at No. 137, but moved that spot back to 150 where Shorter was taken. In that trade, the Bills added an extra sixth rounder from the Washington Commanders.

And now for the answer many are wondering, no, Shorter is actually not short. The 6-foot-4 wideout is a potential red-zone threat for the Bills. Shorter is known for using his frame to make grabs. The Draft Network even makes the case for Shorter to potentially transition to tight end in the pros, but time will tell what Buffalo decides to do.

Shorter had his best year in 2022, grabbing 29 catches for 577 yards and two touchdowns.

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Where Florida players stand on ESPN Mel Kiper’s final Big Board

It’s draft season and plenty of former Gators are hoping to hear their names called. Here’s where ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks them just days before the big event.

The 2023 NFL draft is almost ready to begin, and that means draft analysts are locking in their final projections and Big Boards ahead of the big day. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is one of the most well-known analysts in the country and he published his final list on Tuesday.

Quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] leads the bunch at No. 7 overall, followed by offensive guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] at No. 61 and defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. at No. 103 overall. Richardson is ranked fourth among quarterbacks in the draft class, Torrence is ranked third among guards and Dexter is the No. 10 defensive tackle.

Kiper’s takes on Florida’s top prospects are interesting. Richardson has been projected to go as high as No. 1 overall, but Kiper sees his stock falling ever so slightly. Torrence has been considered the top guard in the draft for a while, so seeing him at No. 3 is also peculiar.

“Richardson is still very raw,” Kiper wrote. “His mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. He has accuracy issues on shorter throws that should be easier. And yet, the arm strength and the dual-threat ability are so intriguing that a team near the end of Round 1 absolutely could take him and let him develop.”

Plenty of other Gators made the positional rankings.

On offense, wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] is No. 43 in his position group, and  [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] is the 23rd-best offensive tackle. Defensively, linebackers [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] come in at Nos. 15 and 25, respectively.

Former Gator [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. was dismissed from he team but is still ranked No. 18 among outside linebackers. Finally, [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] are ranked Nos. 27 and 28, respectively, among safeties by Kiper.

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Florida losing WR Xzavier Henderson to transfer portal

Florida’s third spring transfer is a big one. Wide receiver Xzavier Henderson, who started 11 games for the Gators in 2022, is hitting the portal.

Florida wide receiver [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] is entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from Swamp247.

Henderson started 11 games for Florida last year and was expected to step into a bigger role with [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] moving on to the NFL. 247Sports’ Jacob Rudner said that sophomore [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] had strong springs behind Henderson, which may have influenced the decision to leave.

[autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is the clear leader of the receiver room, but [autotag]Marcus Burke[/autotag], Douglas and Jean are all young players showing promise.

Henderson leaves Florida with 835 career receiving yards and five touchdowns on 73 catches over 35 games. His best game in the Orange and Blue came against Georgia when he hauled in five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Receivers coach Billy Gonzalez reported strong spring scrimmage performances from Henderson, and head coach Billy Napier also spoke highly of him during the spring. The transfer is somewhat surprising, but he’s not the first player to leave the team during the second portal period of teh year.

Offensive lineman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr[/autotag]. were the first two Gators to leave the team in the spring. Following Henderson’s departure, Florida will have five open scholarship spots to hand out to transfers.

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