Trio of Gators Selected on Day Two of the 2020 NFL Draft
Courtesy of UF Athletic Association
The Gators had multiple players selected in the first three rounds for the sixth-straight year
Former Gators Van Jefferson, Jabari Zuniga, and Jonathan Greenard were selected on day two of the 2020 NFL Draft on Friday night.
Jefferson was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams with the 57th overall pick. Meanwhile, the New York Jets chose Zuniga with the 79th overall pick, and the Houston Texans drafted Greenard with the 90th overall pick, both in the third round.
Jefferson became the 40th Florida wide receiver to be drafted in the common draft era and the 19th to go in one of the first three rounds. UF now ranks tied for first nationally (Ohio St. and Ten.) among schools with most wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds since 1967.
“I’m excited. It was so much emotion today being with my family and just waiting on that call,” said Jefferson following his selection. “It was amazing that I got the call today from the Rams and I was so excited. I’m excited to come to this offense and just learn from the guys that are there and get up under a veteran’s wing and try to learn the offense as quick as I can. I’m just excited to be there.”
Jefferson’s selection in the second round makes him the highest-selected Gators wide receiver since Percy Harvin was taken in the first round (22nd overall) by Minnesota in 2009. Additionally, Jefferson is the fifth Florida wide receiver to be selected since 2010 and the latest since Antonio Callaway was taken by Cleveland in in the fourth round (105th overall) in 2018.
Zuniga became the 25th Florida defensive lineman selected in the NFL Draft over the past 21 years and he is the latest since Jachai Polite was also drafted by the New York Jets in the third round (68th overall) in 2019.
Greenard’s selection in the third round made him the 19th Florida linebacker to be selected in the first three rounds since 1967. That mark ranks fifth nationally and second in the Southeastern Conference. USC (24), Ohio St. (22), Alabama (21), and Penn State (21) rank head of Florida. Meanwhile, Tennessee (18), Miami (FL) [17], Oklahoma (17), Georgia (16), LSU (16), and Nebraska (16) trail the Gators.
The Gators, who have now had at least one player taken in each of the first two rounds 15 times in the common draft era, also rank fifth nationally and third in the SEC among schools with the most first and second round picks since 2008. Alabama (52), Ohio State (35), LSU (31), and USC (29) lead the Gators on that feat.
Florida has also had multiple players selected in the first three rounds for the sixth-straight year, which is the longest streak since its streak of eight years from 1997-2004.