Will Florida Gators CB Kaiir Elam be a top 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft?
By Jeremy Klump
One day after listing five Florida Gators that could be drafted early in the 2022 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay dropped a 2022 Mock Draft with a Gator going in the top 10. That Gator was our No. 1 player on our list, cornerback Kaiir Elam
McShay had Elam going No. 10 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, which would be the third year in a row Florida would have a top 10 pick. Cornerback CJ Henderson went No. 9 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Henderson will be dominant for the Jaguars in 2021. Then, in the 2020 NFL Draft, Kyle Pitts went No. 4 overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Pitts has a chance to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and was the first non-quarterback taken in the draft.
So could Elam keep Florida’s streak alive? I believe so.
McShay had Elam as the second overall cornerback, with LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. going No. 3 overall to the Jaguars. McShay had this to say about Elam, “Elam is a 6-foot-2 speedy ball hawk — he played wide receiver and ran track in high school — who has picked off five passes over two seasons with the Gators. His 13 passes defended in 2020 tied for the fourth most in the country. The Raiders took corners inside the first three rounds in 2019 (Trayvon Mullen, Round 2) and 2020 (Damon Arnette, Round 1), but Elam would help shore up a unit that has struggled. Las Vegas tied for the fifth-fewest interceptions in 2020 with just 10.
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Elam’s uncle, Matt Elam, played safety at Florida and was a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2013.”
Elam has shown that he can really make an impact for the Gators defense. Florida’s secondary was a real issue in 2020, which is why they hired new secondary coaches. However, even with the secondary struggling, Elam was a bright spot.
Elam stands at 6-2 and weighs 195 pounds. He is a big-bodied cornerback, but he has the speed and quickness to stick to receivers. Elam had 11 pass breakups and two interceptions last season as a true sophomore. He has four career interceptions and will likely double that number this season.
If he takes another step forward, I think it is almost a lock that he gets drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, if he really shines like I think he will, McShay is spot on, having Elam as a top 10 pick.