University of Florida defensive lineman Jon Bullard became the third Florida Gator drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft when the Chicago Bears selected him No. 72 overall in the third round.
Bullard thought long and hard about declaring in 2015 but decided to return to school to try and solidify his status as a first rounder. Bullard slipped through the first round but found a home in Chicago in round three.
Bullard came to Florida as one of the top defensive ends in the country out of Crest Senior High School in North Carolina. He appeared in every game during his freshman season, making two starts and tallied his first career sack against Missouri and seven tackles against Vanderbilt.
Bullard moved into a starting role at defensive end (eight starts) as a sophomore before being asked to make the transition and play inside. Reluctant at first, Bullard made the move and flourished as a 3-technique at Florida. He routinely bounced from tackle to end the next two seasons, showing a versatility that was appealing to many NFL teams.
As a senior Bullard totaled 66 tackles, while leading the team with 17.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks, numbers that made him a unanimous All-SEC defensive lineman. Bullard was also named semifinalist for the Chuck Bednairk Award as well as a CBSSports.com First Team All-American.