Don’t expect a reverse call any time soon. Never has a fifth-round draft pick commanded so much attention, and if you look close enough, it appears there might even be a hair out of place on Mel Kiper Jr.‘s slicked-back do.
While Sanders’ drop in the draft consumed much of the coverage, how many mock drafts had Gators WR Chimere Dike and DT Cam Jackson going ahead of Sanders? I think we all know the answer: Sharif Denson‘s jersey number (0).
The Gators were quiet on the first two days of the draft, but they had seven players selected on Saturday during the final four rounds. Five Gators also signed deals as undrafted free agents in hopes of making a roster over the summer.
For now, let’s review where the players landed and analyze their chances of being on a roster in 2025:
WR CHIMERE DIKE
The Tennessee Titans used the first pick of the fourth round (103rd overall) to make Dike the first UF player off the board. Dike spent only one season at Florida after transferring from Wisconsin, but it was a very productive one. He led the Gators with 42 catches and ranked second with a career-high 783 receiving yards. Dike also starred on special teams and boosted his draft stock by running a 4.34 in the 40 at the NFL Combine.
“I think it showed another facet that I am able to offer,” Dike said Saturday. “I’m really confident in my game. Whatever the Titans have in store for me, whether it’s special teams, short game, intermediate, deep routes, I am going to work my tail off every day to help make this organization better.”
Dike joins a position group that features Calvin Ridley and newcomer Tyler Lockett, who signed with Tennessee last week after being released by Seattle. Those two are the projected starters, but Dike is in the running to be the third receiver in a mix that includes former Gators wideout Van Jefferson, Bryce Oliver and Mason Kinsey. The Titans also drafted Stanford receiver Elic Ayomanor and signed Miami’s Xavier Restrepo as an undrafted free agent. Dike’s ability to return punts and play special teams should get him on the field as a rookie, and if he plays as well as he did at Florida, look for him to catch passes from No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward in coming seasons.
Excerpts from @GatorsFB receiver Chimere Dike’s @chimdk11 conference call with @Titans…
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