Florida Football: Winners and losers from Gators Pro Day

NFL hopefuls from Florida football took the field today for Florida’s annual Pro Day. It was a chance to showcase talents in front of NFL scouts in a familiar environment designed to showcase players’ strengths.

Some Gators stepped up, while others didn’t help their cause. Here are our winners and losers from Florida’s Pro Day.

Florida Football: Winners

Anthony Richardson – AR didn’t participate in performance drills like the 40-yard dash or bench press. There was no need after his performance at the NFL Combine. He did get to showcase his arm once again, and he did not disappoint.

Richardson threw deep bomb after deep bomb and ended his session with a pass over 70 yards to Justin Shorter.

Whether or not any of this translates to the NFL isn’t the point. Pro Day is designed to help your draft stock, and based on what we know about NFL GMs, someone will take a chance on Richardson in the top 10 after this performance.

Amari Burney – Burney was not invited to the NFL Combine, so Pro Day was his big chance to get noticed. While Burney may have play recognition issues that will keep him in the late-round status, he gave himself a chance after posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.53 seconds.

Had Burney been at the Combine, this would have tied for 7th among linebackers that participated.

Brenton Cox – It has to been slightly awkward for Cox to return to Florida football facilities after being dismissed from the team mid-season. His 40-yard dash time wasn’t great, running 4.88 seconds. This mirrors what he did at the Combine when he came in with the 3rd slowest time among defensive ends.

But, his 29 reps on bench press upped his total from the Combine and would have been toward the top had he done that in Indianapolis. In addition, the fact that Florida let him back into the facilities shows that whatever led to his dismissal wasn’t so egregious that Napier and crew were going to keep the doors shut.

Florida Football: Losers

Trey Dean – This may seem like we are picking on Dean. We just said Cox helped his cause with a good bench press despite a slow 40. Dean, likewise, had a great bench press in Indianapolis while his 40 time was at the bottom.

He did improve his 40 time to 4.69 seconds, but that is still slow. And because Dean plays safety and not defensive end, the premium on speed is a little higher than it is along the line.

Dean’s status as an NFL prospect will be an interesting one, as he was the MVP of the Shrine Bowl back in January.

Rashad Torrence – Like Dean, Torrence didn’t have a good 40 time in Indianapolis. And, like Dean, he didn’t do much to improve that in Gainesville.

Torrence ran 4.75 seconds, a time slower than he did at the Combine. He didn’t participate in any of the other main drills.

Florida Football: It’s complicated

Dedrick Vanover – If this name sounds confusing, it’s because Vanover wasn’t a member of Florida football. He was, however, on Florida’s track and field team and was 5th at the NCAA national championships in the 100-meter dash last year.

Vanover previously played at Morehouse College.

He ran a very respectable 4.44 seconds. But 34 guys ran faster than that at the Combine, including Richardson. And given his lack of recent playing experience, if his calling card was speed, it’s not the greatest look to not be the fastest guy.

This time will probably help him get a shot as an undrafted free agent.