ESPN Tabs Florida CB as First-Round Prospect in Early 2024 Mock Draft

Could cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. extend Florida's streak of first-round NFL Draft selections to five years in a row?

Zach Goodall

Jason Marshall Jr. has long been regarded as a special talent. The coaching staff that recruited him to Gainesville, similar to most recruiting outlets, viewed him as a top-of-the-board prospect — and almost three years later, NFL Draft analysts view him comparably. 

ESPN's Jordan Reid included Marshall, a rising junior, in an early 2024 mock draft that projected the first round of next year's selection ceremony. Anticipating Marshall will forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility, Reid slotted the Gators' defender No. 27 overall to the Dallas Cowboys.

The draft order, per Reid, was established by ESPN's Football Power Index. He provided the following explanation of Marshall's projection to Dallas in round one:

Stephon Gilmore -- who is turning 33 and entering the final year of his contract -- doesn't seem to be in the Cowboys' long-term plans, and Trevon Diggs is likely to become expensive in the near future. That is to say the Cowboys may be relying on drafting well in the secondary behind Diggs. At 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, Marshall's length causes issues for opponents in man coverage. However, he lacks ball production (only two career interceptions), and scouts want to see him make a bigger impact on passes in the air next season.

Marshall joined the Gators as the No. 2 corner and No. 29 overall prospect in the class of 2021, per the 247Sports composite rankings, committing to the program in August 2020. He was the second-highest-rated recruit to sign with UF under former head coach Dan Mullen, only behind defensive lineman and recent second-round NFL Draft selection Gervon Dexter.

Much like Dexter, Marshall immediately took the field and made an impact for UF, leading to a full-time starting role as a sophomore and under the direction of a new coaching staff, led by Billy Napier.

Across 26 games and 19 starts in two seasons, Marshall has tallied 52 total tackles including three for loss, two interceptions and 13 pass breakups. Marshall has allowed just 41-of-86 targets in coverage to be caught by the opposing receiver, per Pro Football Focus, and he did not allow a touchdown in 2022 after giving up two as a freshman in 2021. 

While forcing turnovers is an important aspect of defensive back play, Marshall's ability to lock down opposing receivers and prevent them from scoring is equally as essential at the position and will lead to ample attention from NFL scouting personnel during his junior 2023 season.

Should Marshall declare for the draft and attain first-round status just under a year from now, Florida's yearly streak of first-round NFL Draft selections would extend to five in a row. Marshall would also become the Gators' fifth first-round defensive back since 2016 in such a scenario.

Marshall was the fourth and final cornerback named in the mock draft, following Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry (Las Vegas, No. 9 overall), Penn State's Kalen King (Detroit, No. 25) and Georgia's Kamari Lassiter (Jacksonville, No. 26). 

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