Okay, so I wanted to really keep tabs on the Florida Gators during the 2024 NFL draft this year. I’ve been following the team for a while, so I was curious to see how our guys would do.
My Process Watching the Draft
I basically just followed the draft coverage, mostly online. I had a few trackers open on my computer, specifically looking out for names from the Gators roster. You know, you kinda get your hopes up, thinking maybe we’ll see a few familiar names pop up early, or at least scattered throughout the rounds.
I was checking pretty regularly through the first day, then the second, and kept going into the third day. I kept refreshing the page, scanning the picks. I noticed it seemed kinda quiet on the Gators front. Like, really quiet.
What I Found Out
Turns out, after all that watching and waiting, only one Gator got drafted in the whole 2024 thing. Just one. I had to double-check that because it felt really low compared to what I remembered from past years. I did a quick search afterward, and yeah, people were saying it was the fewest Gators drafted since way back in 1980. That kinda surprised me, honestly.
- Checked draft results constantly.
- Noticed a lack of Gators getting picked.
- Confirmed only one player was selected.
- Learned it was the lowest number since 1980.
Looking Ahead and Thinking Back
It was a bit disappointing, not gonna lie. You always want to see the program represented well at the next level. I did see some news later that quarterback Graham Mertz announced he’s going for the 2025 NFL Draft. He put something up on his Instagram, thanking Florida and Wisconsin too. So, maybe next year will have a different feel.
It just makes you think, right? You remember guys like Tim Tebow, how big of a deal that was back then, winning championships and the Heisman. A lot of Gators used to hear their names called during the draft. This year felt very different compared to those times.
So yeah, that was my experience tracking the Gators in the 2024 draft. A bit of a letdown numbers-wise, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Just gotta see what happens next season and in the next draft cycle.
