Gators 2022 NFL Draft Preview

The 2022 NFL Draft will be held in Las Vegas this Thursday through Saturday. Throughout the draft’s 86-year history, 378 Gators have heard their names called, and they figure to add 4-6 more names to the list this weekend.

The first round of the draft will take place on Thursday, with rounds two and three on Friday and rounds four through seven on Saturday.

Here is a breakdown of where to expect departing UF players to get drafted. Players are listed under the most optimistic category, so several of them will likely get drafted lower than what this article says.

First Round

Cornerback Kaiir Elam

It became apparent very early on that Elam was going to become the latest in a long line of high draft picks in the secondary. He played in all 13 games as a freshman in 2019 and made three interceptions, including one that sealed the Gators’ win over Virginia in the Orange Bowl. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman team.

He took things to an even higher level in a 2020 season that saw be named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and a First Team All-SEC performer by the league’s coaches. He started every game and broke up a team-high 11 passes to enter his junior year as a projected first round pick.

Elam battled through a sprained knee to play in 10 games in 2021. Teams stopped throwing his way as often, and he recorded just one interception and five pass breakups.

He supplemented his impressive game film with a strong showing at UF Pro Day. His 37 ½-inch vertical jump would’ve tied for fourth among cornerbacks at the NFL Combine.

The worst-case scenario for Elam is that he’ll have to wait until early in the second round on Friday to hear his name called. More likely, though, is that he’ll get selected late on Thursday.

Third Round

Defensive Lineman Zachary Carter

Carter’s most attractive attribute is his versatility. He has the athleticism to play strongside defensive end and the size and strength to slide inside and provide interior pass rush.

He redshirted in 2017 and played sparingly in 2018 before becoming a mainstay in the lineup over his final three seasons. He finished his college career with 28 ½ tackles-for-loss, including 17 ½ sacks. He swatted down eight passes and forced a couple of fumbles.

His production steadily improved every year, culminating in eight sacks and 11 tackles-for-loss in 2021. He opened his final season with three sacks against Florida Atlantic, which earned him SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.

Carter might be the biggest wildcard among the UF contingent in the draft. At one point, he was considered a possible day two pick because of his versatility and pass-rushing production. However, he only ran a 5.06-second 40-yard dash at Pro Day, and some of the more recent projections have him sliding all the way to the fifth round.

Fourth through Seventh Rounds

Dameon Pierce, Jeremiah Moon, Malik Davis, Jean Delance

At worst, Pierce figures to be the third Gator off the board, and he may even go second depending on what happens with Carter. He’s a bruising, maximum-effort-all-the-time type of runner who never logged more than 106 carries in a season at Florida, so he should still have plenty of tread on his tires. He seems likely to be selected in the fourth or fifth round.

He finished his career with 329 carries for 1,806 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 13 rushing touchdowns in 2021 tied for the fifth-most in a season in school history. He’s also a threat in the passing game and a great pass-protector, which further adds value to his game.

Elam, Carter and Pierce are the only three Gators who are certain to get drafted. Moon, Davis and Delance figure to be on the fence of getting drafted or having to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent.

Of those three, Moon probably has the best chance of hearing his name called. He has experience playing as an edge rusher and as a more traditional inside linebacker. He has incredible size at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds.

He battled through multiple injuries to start in 30 games in six seasons at Florida. He made eight sacks and 14 tackles-for-loss.

His length and athleticism could persuade somebody to take a chance on him in the sixth or seventh round.

Davis will be someone to keep an eye out for on the final day of the draft. If he is selected, it will mark the first time since 1990 that the Gators have had two running backs taken in the same draft.

Davis looked like an emerging star as a freshman in 2017, but a torn ACL ended his 2017 season, and a broken foot ended his 2018 campaign in the third game. He didn’t quite look like his old explosive self in 2019 and 2020, but he returned to form in 2021. He carried the ball 92 times for 487 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught 54 passes over his final two seasons.

He stole the show at Pro Day, as his 39 ½-inch vertical jump would’ve placed second among running backs at the NFL Combine. He also was measured at 10 feet, 7 inches in the broad jump, and he ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.25 seconds.

The leg injuries are probably a deterrence for some NFL teams, but all he needs is one team to believe in him after his strong finish to his college career.

Delance’s pass-protection film isn’t very good, but he’s a decent run blocker, and he’s gotten himself into better shape since the end of the season.

He started in 37 of 38 games over the last three seasons at right tackle, but he wants to be able to play all five positions up front at the next level.

His athleticism, possible versatility and his leaner body could get him drafted in the seventh round.

Meanwhile, Lacedrick Brunson, Jace Christmann, Daquan Newkirk, Stewart Reese, Tyrone Truesdell, Antonio Valentino and Rick Wells will likely have to try to catch on with a team as undrafted free agents.

Ethan Hughes
Ethan was born in Gainesville and has lived in the Starke, Florida, area his entire life. He played basketball for five years and knew he wanted to be a sportswriter when he was in middle school. He’s attended countless Gators athletic events since his early childhood, with baseball being his favorite sport to attend. He’s a proud 2019 graduate of the University of Florida and a 2017 graduate of Santa Fe College. He interned with the University Athletic Association’s communications department for 1 ½ years as a student and also wrote for InsideTheGators.com for two years before joining Gator Country in 2021. He is a long-suffering fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars. You can follow him on Twitter @ethanhughes97.