New York University of Florida football defensive end Derrick Harvey has been selected in the first round of the 2008 National Football League Draft Saturday, which is in progress in New York City at Radio City Music Hall.
Harvey was the eighth overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville traded their first round position (26th) as well as two third round picks and a fourth round choice to Baltimore to move up in order to draft Harvey.
Drafted Gators Round Pick (Overall) Team
Derrick Harvey 1st 8th (8th) Jacksonville Jaguars
Urban Meyer on Derrick Harvey getting drafted by the Jaguars
“I’m proud and happy for Derrick Harvey. Not only is he a great player but a great person who comes from a tremendous family. Derrick has always done things the right way both on and off the field and it has paid off for him today. Derrick is joining a terrific organization. I have been fortunate to develop a relationship with Coach Jack Del Rio and he is first class. He goes about his business the right way. I always admire coaches and organizations who are hands on when it comes to the draft and learning all they can about the player they are drafting. I talked to Coach Del Rio a number of times and most of the conversations were not about football. He wanted to know what kind of person Derrick was. That says a lot about how they run the organization. He does things the right way and so does Derrick. They are a good fit and I’m excited about having him play professionally right around the corner.”
Florida Draft Notes
Thirty-eight Gator players have been selected in the opening round of the NFL Draft. A breakdown on those selections includes nine running backs, nine defensive linemen, five wide receivers, four offensive linemen, four linebackers, four defensive backs, and three quarterbacks.
Florida has had a first-round pick in nine of the last 11 years and 18 of the last 24.
Derrick Harvey was the 45th Gator selected this decade, which has tied the 1990s for the most UF players selected in one decade.
Florida has had six defensive linemen drafted under head coach Urban Meyer.
The 2007 and 2008 NFL Drafts mark the first time ever Gator defensive linemen have been selected in the first round in back-to-back years.
Jacksonville selected Derrick Harvey in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft and Reggie Nelson in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. This marks the first time in Florida history an organization has selected Florida players in back-to-back drafts with its first round choice.
Derrick Harvey is the third first round draft choice Urban Meyer has coached at Florida. During their first three drafts with the Gators, no coach has produced more defensive first round selections than Coach Meyer. Only Galen Hall’s five first round offensive players was a higher combined total.
The 2008 draft marked the first time the Gators had defensive players taken in the first round in back-to-back years since 2001-02.
Derrick Harvey is the highest UF players taken since Gerard Warren was the number three pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2001.
Derrick Harvey is the ninth UF defensive lineman to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Derrick Harvey is the third member of the UF defense that started the 2006 BCS National Championship game to be selected in the first round of an NFL Draft. He is also the fourth Gator defensive lineman that appeared in that game to be selected in the draft and the second that was a first round choice.
Florida’s top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft was Jarvis Moss who was taken with the 17th overall pick by the Denver Broncos. Florida is one of four schools in the nation to have a top 17 pick in the 2007 and 2008 NFL Drafts (LSU, Ohio State, Tennessee).
SEC Draft Notes
After the first 10 picks of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Southeastern Conference has had four players selected. It is the fourth time in SEC history that four of its players have been selected in the first 10 selections of the NFL Draft, and the second time in the last four seasons. The selections are below:
SEC 4 of top 10 NFL Draft Selections
2008
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas – 4th to Oakland
Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU – 5th to Kansas City
Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida – 8th to Jacksonville
Jerod Mayo, ILB, Tennessee – 10th to New England
2005
Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn – 2nd to Miami
Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn – 5th to Tampa Bay
Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina – 7th to Minnesota
Carlos Rogers, DB, Auburn – 9th to Washington
1963
Jerry Stovall, B, LSU – 2nd to Cardinals
Jim Dunaway, T, Ole Miss – 3rd to Vikings
Lee Roy Jordan, LB, Alabama – 6th to Cowboys
Tom Hutchinson, E, Kentucky – 9th to Browns
1951
Y.A. Tittle, QB, LSU – 3rd to 49ers
Bob Gain, DT, Kentucky – 5th to Packers
Ebert Van Buren, B, LSU – 7th to Eagles
Butch Avinger, B, Alabama – 9th Steelers
-UF Sports Info