Coming into the 2024 season the Florida Gators were hoping to rekindle the connection between Chimere Dike and Graham Mertz. The two played together at Wisconsin, and Dike's production dropped significantly in 2023 after Mertz left.
Dike came to Gainesville, and whether it was with Mertz or with DJ Lagway, he wasn't a high-volume catch guy, but when he did catch the ball, he averaged an eye-popping 18.6 yards per catch.
But even once the season ended, Dike was viewed as a fringe Day 3 pick. Then the NFL Combine happened, and Dike forced everyone to take notice, and now Dike is off Tennessee after being the first pick in the 4th round of the NFL Draft.
Florida Gators had a need for speed
We knew Dike had wheels to him, but he stunned everyone at the Combine when he ran 4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That was the 7th fastest time of anyone at the Combine.
With the Tennessee Titans selecting Cam Ward as the first overall pick, they didn't take another offensive player to surround Ward with their next two picks. But now, with the addition of Dike, the Titans have a receiving group of Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, and Treylon Burks for Ward to throw to.
Dike had 42 catches for 783 yards in 2024. His highlight of the season was when he burned the Tennessee secondary in the final minute of regulation to tie the game and send it into overtime.
He didn't reach 100 yards in a single game, but he was over 90 yards three times and had 88 yards against UCF. He saved his best for last and high a season-high 96 yards off six catches against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Dike became the first Florida Gator selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, which also kept alive a streak of having someone selected in every draft since 1952.