Florida Gators and the NFL Draft: A historical overview

The 2025 NFL Draft is here. And with the start of this much-anticipated event, let’s take a look back at Florida Gators draft history. …

Gators drafted all-time: 367. Per Fox Sports, that ranks UF 10th all time. The UF media guide puts the number at 390. We believe that’s because the schools includes AFL and AAFC Draft numbers in its final total.
Most Gators drafted by an organization: 24, Pittsburgh Steelers
Fewest Gators drafted by an organization: 1, Carolina Panthers
Gators drafted by Sunshine State teams: Miami Dolphins (14), Jacksonville Jaguars (13), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11)
Gators drafted by decade: 1930s (1), 1940s (15), 1950s (44), 1960s (34), 1970s (42), 1980s (43), 1990s (52), 2000s (50), 2010s (60), 2020s (25).

UF is among the leaders in first-round picks produced

Gators drafted in the first round: 58. That is sixth best among all college programs. All but two of Florida’s first-round picks have come since 1967, the year quarterback Steve Spurrier went third overall to San Francisco.
Consecutive years with a first-round pick: Five. The Gators have had a first-rounder every year since 2020 (Cornerback CJ Henderson by the Jacksonville Jaguars, 9th pick overall).

First Gator taken in the first round: 1945 — Running back Paul Duhart by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 2nd pick overall pick. Duhart was the first college player from the state of Florida to be selected in the first round. He played just three NFL seasons due to injuries but won a championship with Green Bay. He later coached high school football for many years in California.

Highest-drafted Gators: No. 2 overall — Duhart (1945), running back Chuck Hunsinger (1950); No. 3 overall — Spurrer (1967), receiver Wes Chandler (1978), defensive lineman Gerard Warren (2001), defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (2015); No. 4 overall — tight end Kyle Pitts (2021), quarterback Anthony Richardson (2023).

Most Gators drafted in one year: 10 — 1978: 1st (3rd) Wes Chandler WR New Orleans; 2nd (38th) Scott Hutchinson DE Buffalo; 4th (91st) Terry LeCount WR San Francisco; 5th (124th) Earl Carr RB St. Louis Cardinals; 5th (128th) Willie Wilder RB Green Bay; 6th (159th) Tony Green RB Washington; 8th (197th) Derrick Gaffney WR New York Jets; 10th (259th) Mark Totten C Green Bay; 11th (296th) Charlie Williams LB New Englands; 12th (311th) Alan Williams P New York Jets.

Years UF led all schools in draft picks (since 1970): 1978 (10), 2010 (9), 2007 (9), 2003 tied with Miami, Tennessee (8), 1999 tied with Ohio State (8).

Last time a Florida Gators player was by drafted by position

Quarterback: Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis, 2023, 1st round
Fullback: Dexter McNabb, Green Bay, 1992, 5th
Running Back: Dameon Pierce, Houston, 2022, 4th
Offensive tackle: Stone Forsythe, Seattle, 2021, 6th
Offensive guard: O’Cyrus Torrence, Buffalo, 2023, 2nd
Center: Max Garcia, Denver, 2015, 4th
Receiver: Ricky Pearsall, San Fransisco, 2024, 1st
Tight End: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta, 2021, 1st
Defensive tackle: Gervon Dexter, Chicago, 2023, 2nd
Defensive end: Jabari Zuniga, New York Jets, 2020, 3rd
Linebacker: Amari Burney, Las Vegas, 2023, 6th
Cornerback: Kaiir Elam, Buffalo, 2022, 1st
Safety: Shawn Davis, Indianapolis, 2021, 5th
Punter: Johnny Townsend, Oakland, 2018, 5th
Kicker: Evan McPherson, Cincinnati, 2021, 5th