2019 NFL Draft tracker: Florida Gators draft picks, full analysis, history

By Adam Silverstein
April 25, 2019
2019 NFL Draft tracker: Florida Gators draft picks, full analysis, history
Football

Welcome to OnlyGators.com’s coverage of the 2019 NFL Draft. Thanks for visiting and be sure to stop by throughout the event. Check out the Florida Gators’ entire 2019 draft class below.


Round 1: No Gators were selected in the opening round of the draft for the first time since 2012. Offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, who was projected as a top-15 pick entering the round, has slid to Day 2 over apparent concerns about an offseason knee injury. Taylor was an exceedingly healthy long-time starter for Florida. Six offensive linemen (four tackles) were selected ahead of him.

Round 2 – No. 35
Jawaan Taylor, OT
Jacksonville Jaguars


Height: 6’5″ | Weight: 312 lbs.
Age: 21 | Class: Junior

The Chomp: Concerns over an offseason knee injury saw Taylor slide from a projected top-15 selection to Round 2 of the draft, but he ultimately wound up with a team that needs his skill set and was reportedly interested in his services early in Round 1. The talent is there with Taylor. Though his weight will always be an issue worth monitoring — he was over 400 pounds in high school before slimming down throughout his collegiate career — he is a true road grader outside and is excellent in pass protection. He will need to improve in the running game, but teams believe they can teach that in a single training camp. Taylor will be a starter.

Round 3 – No. 68
Jachai Polite, DE/LB
New York Jets


Height: 6’3″ | Weight: 258 lbs.
Age: 21 | Class: Junior

The Chomp: Depending who you ask, Polite may have had the worst NFL Combine performance of all-time due to his interview sessions. Some teams apparently took him off their boards entirely. Still, talent wins out in the end, and after a stellar college career, Polite displayed the motor and talent to be a Day 2 selection at worst. Polite had a nation-best six forced fumbles last season with 17.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks … all despite not playing as many snaps as starters on the team.

Round 4 – No. 105
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, DB
New Orleans Saints


Height: 5’11” | Weight: 210 lbs.
Age: 21 | Class: Junior

The Chomp: Gardner-Johnson can do it all, which had teams interested in him at a variety of positions. Most will project him as a high safety, due in large part to his slower-than-optimal reaction time. Gardner-Johnson makes up for that with his athleticism and overall talent. He will get the opportunity to start right away or be a frequent contributor to a secondary β€” all depending on the rest of the team’s talent. It was expected Gardner-Johnson would go late in the second round or early in the third, but he is instead of one of the first players off the board in Round 4.

Round 5 – No. 147
Vosean Joseph, LB
Buffalo Bills


Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 230 lbs.
Age: 21 | Class: Junior

The Chomp: Athletic and talented, Joseph led the Gators last season with 98 tackles. He can pass rush, play coverage in the passing game and stop the run. The reason he was not drafted higher is because he does not yet excel in any particular area, and this is a draft heavy in linebackers and EDGE talent. It was expected that he would be a Round 3 selection; instead, like the rest of Florida’s players, he went nearly a round later than expected in the early part of the fifth. Joseph is the first Gators player drafted by the Bills in more than 40 years!

Round 5 – No. 154
Jordan Scarlett, RB
Carolina Panthers


Height: 5’11” | Weight: 208 lbs.
Age: 23 | Class: Redshirt junior

The Chomp: Most analysts actually had Scarlett listed as an undrafted free agent, but all season I thought he would go in the fourth round. So I split the difference with my prediction and nailed it. Hopefully the Panthers, which in selecting Scarlett drafted the first Gators player in team history, saw highlights from the 2018 season and realized that Scarlett has many of the key traits β€” size, strength and quickness. If he can become a bit more decisive, you’re talking about an NFL starter (though perhaps one who needs an injury to get that opportunity).

Undrafted free agents: DE Khairi Clark (Jacksonville Jaguars), OL Fred Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Tryouts: DE Cece Jeffersson (Seattle Seahawks), OL Martez Ivey (Seattle Seahawks) Tyler Jordan (Atlanta Falcons), RJ Raymond (Tennessee Titans)

Unclaimed: TE C’yontai Lewis

The last time …

By position
QB – 2010 (Tim Tebow)
RB – 2019 (Jordan Scarlett)
WR – 2018 (Antonio Callaway)
TE – 2013 (Jordan Reed)
OT – 2019 (Jawaan Taylor)
OG – 2015 (Trenton Brown)
C – 2015 (Max Garcia)
DT – 2018 (Taven Bryan)
DE – 2019 (Jachai Polite)
LB – 2019 (Vosean Joseph)
CB – 2018 (Duke Dawson)
S – 2019 (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson)
K – 2013 (Caleb Sturgis)
P – 2018 (Johnny Townsend)

By team
Arizona Cardinals – 2015 (OT D.J. Humphries)
Atlanta Falcons – 2016 (S Keanu Neal)
Baltimore Ravens – 2013 (S Matt Elam)
Buffalo Bills – 2019 (LB Vosean Josesph)
Carolina Panthers – 2019 (RB Jordan Scarlett)
Chicago Bears – 2016 (DE Jonathan Bullard)
Cincinnati Bengals – 2010 (DE Carlos Dunlap)
Cleveland Browns – 2018 (WR Antonio Callaway)
Dallas Cowboys – 2017 (DT Joey Ivie)
Denver Broncos – 2015 (C Max Garcia)
Detroit Lions – 2017 (LB Jarrad Davis, CB Jalen Tabor)
Green Bay Packers – 2007 (RB DeShawn Wynn)
Houston Texans – 2002 (WR Jabar Gaffney)
Indianapolis Colts – 2017 (CB Quincy Wilson)
Jacksonville Jaguars – 2019 (OT Jawaan Taylor)
Kansas City Chiefs – 2016 (WR Demarcus Robinson)
Los Angeles Chargers – 2007 (LB Brandon Siler)
Los Angeles Rams – 1990 (WR Tony Lomack) / St. Louis Rams – 2012 (CB Janoris Jenkins)
Miami Dolphins – 2013 (LB Jelani Jenkins, RB Mike Gillislee, K Caleb Sturgis)
Minnesota Vikings – 2013 (DT Sharrif Floyd)
New England Patriots – 2018 (CB Duke Dawson)
New Orleans Saints – 2019 (S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson)
New York Giants – 2001 (QB Jesse Palmer)
New York Jets – 2019 (DE/LB Jachai Polite)
Oakland Raiders – 2018 (P Johnny Townsend)
Philadelphia Eagles – 2016 (DE Alex McCalister)
Pittsburgh Steelers – 2012 (RB Chris Rainey)
San Francisco 49ers – 2018 (S Marcell Harris)
Seattle Seahawks – 2012 (DE Jaye Howard)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2016 (CB Vernon Hargreaves III)
Tennessee Titans – 2007 (CB Ryan Smith)
Washington – 2015 (RB Matt Jones)

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