The Florida Gators enter their heated rivalry game against the Georgia Bulldogs on the heels of a bye week and winners of two straight. The winner likely controls the destiny of the SEC East as it has the past eight seasons, but the biggest question remains for Florida: Do they have the next-level talent to give them an advantage over Georgia?
We hit the circuit of 2024 NFL Mock Drafts to glean some information.
Three Florida Gators Land in 2024 NFL Mock Draft
In a recent 2024 NFL Mock Draft on Pro Football Network, analyst Ian Cummings selected three Gators to the next level. While it’s likely there are a few more to join the crew potentially, the second of these three selections may surprise some.
It should be noted that the Georgia Bulldogs had nine players selected in this mock draft. Click here to find out who to watch on the other side of the ball from the Gators.
Round 2, Pick 38: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE
The Chicago Bears make an easy choice, selecting Princely Umanmielen with their pick here. Cummings writes how Umanmielen has delivered the goods for Florida this season.
“Umanmielen entered the year as a high-upside Round 1 sleeper, and he’s delivered on that upside in spurts, with three sacks and six TFLs through seven games,” Cummings wrote. “The 6’4″, 250-pound Umanmielen is a sturdy run defender with all the necessary pass-rush tools.”
It’s safe to say, a big-time performance against Georgia, with the eyes of the nation upon him, Umanmielen could eclipse that ‘sleeper’ talk and move firmly into the first round.
Round 4, Pick 107: Graham Mertz, QB
The Las Vegas Raiders move to make a selection to .. ensure their future .. with Graham Mertz? With the way he’s playing recently, it should come as no surprise that a team would look to grab the high upside that Mertz potentially brings.
“Don’t look now, but Mertz is playing his best ball yet by far in 2023,” Cummings wrote. “His win versus South Carolina was full of off-platform lasers and smooth throws out of structure, all capped off by a game-winning throw that featured manipulation and stellar placement.”
Cummings went in a bit further to explain that Jimmy Garoppolo is under contract for three seasons, but injury concerns and lack of depth could lead the Raiders to select Mertz here without pause.
“In Round 4, Mertz could be a very good investment,” Cummings added.
Round 5, Pick 132: Ricky Pearsall, WR
The Denver Broncos add the dynamic Ricky Pearsall to their receiving corps which needs a jolt of energy. Pearsall took the world by storm with his dramatic one-handed catch this season against Charlotte, but his route-running and attention to detail are top-notch.
He may not be the most athletically gifted receiver in this class, but he certainly is far from it with his all-around intangibles. Pearsall should be on everyone’s draft list.