Dante Fowler Junior is a dynamic player that students had the honor of watching in the Swamp for the last three years. He has had many memorable plays from his seasons and made us into a dangerous defense. As sad as we are to see him leave, it’s nice to see a Gator predicting to be a top 10 draft pick.
According to NFL.com, Dante Fowler Jr. is predicted to go number 3 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Other sites have him predicted lower, but it is evident to see he will clearly be drafted in the top 10 come draft day, which begins on April 30th and ends May 2nd. Fowler Jr. will be the first top 10 draft pick at UF since Joe Haden went 7th overall to the Cleveland Browns in 2010.
However, it is important to know that the Gators are on a roll as far as first round picks go over the years. According to Gatorzone.com, the last time a Gator wasn’t drafted in the first round was in 2006— nine years ago. It is clear we have had good coaching to ensure our players and future recruits are developed into NFL-ready athletes. With the arrival of Coach Jim McElwain, we can only hope for even more sheer talent with his 2015 recruit class.
Coach McElwain played quarterback in college, and had previous coaching experience (notably at both Colorado State and Alabama) before joining the Gator staff. With his arrival comes a new outlook on both offense and defense. This is a time for optimism, because he brings experiences that will hopefully make the players and staff around him better. If he could breed more Dante Fowler Juniors, I think the Gator Nation would gladly thank him.
With the departure of Dante Fowler, we lose both leadership and a key piece of our Gator defense. Hopefully, a player emerges that can fill the enormous void Fowler has left, and we as fans have to stay patient. Dante Fowler Jr. was one of a kind, having recently received the Defensive MVP award for his strong season. He leaves a mark here at the University, having a career total of 140 tackles, 34 of which were tackles for losses.
If Fowler follows, in any way, the footsteps of Joe Haden then he is bound to have a successful NFL career. Five years into the league, Haden has 73 tackles, and has played for the Browns since they drafted him in 2010. He recently signed a very lucrative contract extension, valued at about 68 million dollars over the next five years. I speak on behalf of the Gator Nation when I wish Fowler Jr. only the best of luck as he enters the next stage of his career. I hope to watch him strive, and perhaps one day, we will have the chance to see him selected as an all-star. We know Fowler Jr. is going in the top 10, but we will all eagerly be biting our nails until the moment his name is announced at the NFL Draft on April 30th.
