NFL Draft Weekend Ends With Florida Gators Making History
It seems as if every year the Florida Gators make some sort of history during the NFL Draft.
Last season, the team finished as the first in history to send three receivers to the NFL via the draft, and now they have become the only SEC school to send a player to the pros via the draft in every common-era NFL Draft in history.
In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Gators sent eight players to the NFL, including:
Tight end Kyle Pitts (round 1, pick 4), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (round 1, pick 20), quarterback Kyle Trask (round 2, pick 64), cornerback Marco Wilson (round 4, pick 136), kicker Evan McPherson (round 5, pick 149), safety Shawn Davis (round 5, pick 165), defensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton (round 5, pick 173) and offensive lineman Stone Forsythe (round 6, pick 208).
Pitts became the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history with the Gators having now sent 13 tight ends to the NFL via the draft. With Toney and Pitts both going in round 1, it was the first time Florida has had two offensive skill-position players drafted in the top 20 since 1997 with receiver Ike Hilliard and Reidel Anthony.
While Florida is the only team in the SEC to send a player to the NFL via the draft in every common-era NFL Draft in history, they are the third team in college football period to accomplish that same feat. The current programs include
The Gators ranked third in the SEC in the number of players sent to the NFL via the draft with eight. Only Georgia (9) and Alabama (10) had more players selected within the SEC.
Florida also sent a few players to the NFL via undrafted free agency, including receiver Trevon Grimes, center Brett Heggie and safety Donovan Stiner.
In 2020, the Gators sent seven players to the NFL via the draft with several others signing undrafted free agent contracts.
