Day 3 of NFL Draft produces 20 players from Florida
The third day of the NFL Draft can feel a bit trivial. Something that plays in the background during a late-spring Saturday cookout — you, scrolling on your phone down a long list of names, most of which mean absolutely nothing.
But buried in the synthesized obscurity of 157 guesses — sorry, picks — firing in the span of a few hours lies the rudimentary form of a warming story. The draftee who went overlooked yet made his way in the NFL. While most Day 3 picks could drift away from the sport sooner than they would wish, the fourth through seventh rounds still mean so much to the teams and the athletes for that very reason. The shimmering vista of hope.
Through that lens, 20 Florida college or high school players lived out a dream Saturday. Sixteen teams rolled the dice, hoping for their next jackpot.
Florida cornerback Devin Moore is one of the most enticing prospects in the group. Entering this season, he rated as a relatively clear-cut Day 2 selection, but he slipped after missing two games this fall due to multiple injuries. Not to mention, after he was selected, he said that he had recently undergone groin surgery.
The Dallas Cowboys presumably knew that before selecting him at No. 114. Even then, Moore’s recovery during the next few months will be crucial to his ability to make an immediate impact.
“It’s frustrating at times, but you know in the grand scheme of things you’ve got to know at the end of the day you’re blessed,” he said Saturday. “Only the 1% of the 1% make it to this level. It’s time to go prove it now. People can say this, people can say that. When we turn the tape on, and we put them pads on, it’s time to go prove it. All that other stuff goes out the window.”
Three other Gators were picked Saturday, bringing the school’s total to seven this weekend, which only trailed Miami’s nine within the state. Florida State finished with just one selection: defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr., who was the first player from Florida taken on Day 3 at No. 103 by the New York Jets. UF had more special teams players taken (2). Florida’s schools, as a whole, produced their fewest number of draftees this decade, with expected picks like UF/Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High School edge Tyreak Sapp spiraling into free agency.
But while Sunshine State college football might be waning (despite UM’s efforts), the high school talent isn’t following suit. Twenty-four former Florida high school stars were selected during the weekend, including six from South Florida. Equally notable: five others came from Tampa’s IMG Academy, a private high school powerhouse that recruits across the country. Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate each left the green room in the first 11 picks this year after spending part of their high school days in Bradenton.
Only two former South Florida stars heard their names on Day 3 — Hollywood South Broward High School offensive tackle Travis Burke (No. 117, Los Angeles Chargers) and Deerfield Beach High School cornerback Hezekiah Masses (No. 175, Las Vegas Raiders) — fewer than recent drafts.
And while their selections might each seem somewhat irrelevant, a slice of a grander image, the beauty of any Day 3 selection’s situation is simple. Everything lies ahead, now fully in their hands.
Thus, the rest of the Florida picks (with their ties listed):
▪ No. 109, Kansas City Chiefs: Cornerback Jadon Canady (Jacksonville Sandalwood High)
▪ No. 116, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cornerback Keionte Scott (UM)
▪ No. 123, Houston Texans: Linebacker Wade Woodaz (Tampa Jesuit High)
▪ No. 143, Arizona Cardinals: Wide receiver Reggie Virgil (Mount Dora Christian Academy)
▪ No. 155, Buccaneers: Defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart (Bradenton IMG Academy)
▪ No. 156, Indianapolis Colts: Edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. (UF)
▪ No. 180, Miami Dolphins: Tight end Seydou Traore (Clearwater Academy)
▪ No. 181, Buffalo Bills: Defensive tackle Zane Durant (Lake Nona High)
▪ No. 187, Washington Commanders: Running back Kaytron Allen (Bradenton IMG Academy)
▪ No. 188, Jets: Guard Anez Cooper (UM)
▪ No. 197, Los Angeles Rams: Wide receiver CJ Daneils (UM)
▪ No. 211, Baltimore Ravens: Punter Ryan Eckley (Lithia Newsome High School)
▪ No. 216, Green Bay Packers: Kicker Trey Smack (UF)
▪ No. 229, Raiders: Defensive tackle Brandin Cleveland (Tampa Carrollwood Day School)
▪ No. 236, Seattle Seahawks: Cornerback Andre Fuller (Loxahatchee Seminole Ridge Community High School)
▪ No. 239, Bills: Punter Tommy Doman (UF)
