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NFL draft: Three Gators go on Day 3

Five Miami Hurricanes plus FSU defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas were been drafted Saturday, but Gerald Willis was not.
 
BRONTE WITTPENN   |   Times
Florida Gators running back Jordan Scarlett (25) celebrates after scoring the final touchdown in the fourth quarter defeating Florida State University 41-14 at Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida State University in Tallahassee on Saturday, November 24, 2018.
BRONTE WITTPENN | Times Florida Gators running back Jordan Scarlett (25) celebrates after scoring the final touchdown in the fourth quarter defeating Florida State University 41-14 at Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida State University in Tallahassee on Saturday, November 24, 2018.
Published April 27, 2019|Updated April 27, 2019

After waiting two days to get drafted, Florida Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson’s third day went quickly.

The Saints picked Gardner-Johnson with the third pick of the fourth round (No. 105 overall) on Saturday.

Gardner-Johnson is the latest in a line of Gators defensive backs to enter the league. He’s the eighth player from the UF secondary to be drafted in the last four years and the seventh chosen in the first four rounds. He had been viewed in some early mock drafts as a potential first-round pick.

Gardner-Johnson intercepted nine passes and returned three for touchdowns in his 37 collegiate games. He also racked up 161 tackles (15 ½ for a loss) with 12 pass breakups and four sacks. He spent his first two seasons at safety and before switching to nickelback for most of last year.

The Cocoa native was the MVP of both of his bowl games (the Outback Bowl as a freshman and the Peach Bowl in December).

ANDRES LEIVA | Times Florida Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner (23) runs with the ball after picking off a pass intended for Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Riley McCarron (83) in the second half during the Outback Bowl between the Florida Gators and the Iowa Hawkeyes at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, January 2, 2017. The Gators beat the Hawkeyes 30-3.

He was the third of five UF early entrees drafted in this class. The other two Saturday: linebacker Vosean Joseph (Bills, No. 147 overall) and running back Jordan Scarlett (Panthers, No. 154 overall).

Joseph, a 6-foot-1, 226-pound Miami native, led the Gators with 93 tackles last season.

Scarlett was UF’s second-leading rusher in 2018 after being suspended for all of the previous year for his role in the credit card fraud scandal. He finished his UF career with 1,846 rushing yards and 12 touchdown carries over 35 games. Scarlett will be reunited with quarterback Will Grier, his one-time teammate who finished his college career at West Virginia. Carolina drafted Grier in the third round.

Miami matched UF’s five selections, starting with fourth-round safety Sheldrick Redwine (Browns, No. 119 overall). Redwine finished his UM career with five interceptions, four forced fumbles and 165 tackles. His selection gives the Hurricanes a draft pick for the 45th consecutive year.

The Cowboys plucked a pair of 'Canes in the fifth round: defensive back Michael Jackson and defensive lineman Joe Jackson. Both were honorable mention all-ACC players last year.

In the sixth, the Bills picked safety Jaquan Johnson with the No. 181 overall choice. Johnson was UM’s leading tackler each of the last two years, recording 96 as a junior and 92 as a senior. He also tallied six interceptions over his final two seasons. Running back Travis Homer — who rushed for almost 2,000 combined yards over his last two years — went to the Seahawks at No. 204 overall.

MONICA HERNDON | Times Miami Hurricanes running back Travis Homer (24) finds daylight for a 64-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of the game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Miami Hurricanes in Miami, Fla. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017.

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What’s most surprising is the Miami product who wasn’t drafted: defensive tackle Gerald Willis. The one-time Gator led all defensive tackles nationally with 18 tackles for a loss and was viewed by some analysts as a Day 2 pick. Instead, he wasn’t drafted at all.

Florida State had its second draftee this year when defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas went to the Seahawks in the sixth round (No. 209 overall). First-round defensive end Brian Burns (Panthers) was the other choice in what was one of the weaker FSU classes in recent memory. It’s still the 10th consecutive draft that has featured multiple Seminoles.