Who says you need to be a first rounder to make it big in the NFL? Here are nine Gators with stellar pro careers despite their modest selections in the draft.

by Pat Dooley (BSJ ’76)

The NFL Draft has come and gone, and it wasn’t the state of Florida’s best in terms of numbers. Three Gators were picked — which was one more than FSU and Miami combined.

But where a player is selected only really matters for the first contract. There’s a long list of guys picked in the fourth round and beyond — as Dameon Pierce was this year (round four to Houston) — who went on to excellent NFL careers.

Does Tom Brady ring a bell?

In honor of all those later picks, here are nine Gators who made the most of just getting a chance:

1. Alex Brown
Brown was, and still is, the all-time leader in sacks at Florida. But he wasn’t taken until the fourth round of the 2002 Draft (104th overall pick) by Chicago. All he did was play 10 years in the league, record 45.5 sacks and force 15 fumbles. He started 123 of 143 games for the Bears and Saints.

2. David Little
A tackling machine at Florida, he was taken in the seventh round (183rd pick) of the 1981 Draft by Pittsburgh. The linebacker played 12 years for the Steelers and started 125 games before retiring in 1992. He had double figures in both interceptions and fumble recoveries during his career.

3. Jeff Mitchell
An injury during his senior season hurt his draft status, and Mitchell wasn’t taken until the 134th pick (fifth round) by Baltimore in the 1997 Draft. He was the starting center on the Super Bowl-winning team in 2000 and played eight years for the Ravens and Carolina Panthers, starting 118 of 119 games.

4. Brad Culpepper
Culpepper, the anchor on the defensive line that helped Florida win its first official SEC title, was deemed too small for the NFL and wasn’t picked until Minnesota grabbed him in the 10th round of the 1992 Draft. He played for three teams and had 83 starts at defensive tackle, along the way recording 34 sacks during his nine years in the league.

5. Demarcus Robinson
Robinson was a big-time recruit who had his ups and downs at Florida. He wasn’t selected until the 2016 Draft’s 126th overall pick (fourth round) by Kansas City. In six years with the Chiefs he had 145 catches and 14 TDs. He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in March after being on a Super Bowl-winning team (and another that lost the big one) during his career in Kansas City.

6. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Gardner-Johnson was the 105th overall pick (fourth round) in the 2019 Draft. Chosen by New Orleans, he has definitely made an impact in just three seasons with the Saints. He already has five interceptions, including three last season, and 161 tackles as a strong safety.

7. Evan McPherson
The only reason he’s not higher on this list is he’s only had one season as an NFL kicker. But what a season it was. Taken by Cincinnati in the fifth round of the 2021 Draft, McPherson was a big part of the Bengals run to the Super Bowl last fall, booting 14-of-14 field goals in the playoffs — a rookie record for most made.

8. Fred Weary
A cornerback on Steve Spurrier’s national title team, Weary was taken by New Orleans in the fourth round of the 1998 Draft. He played for three teams — the Saints, Falcons and Rams — and lasted six seasons in the NFL, recorded 102 career tackles and seven interceptions.

9. Mike Mularkey
Better known for being an NFL coach, Mularkey was a heck of a tight end for Charley Pell’s Gators. But he wasn’t taken until the ninth round of the 1983 Draft by San Francisco. When the 49ers let him go, Mularkey signed with Minnesota and played nine seasons combined for the Vikings and Pittsburgh, and caught 102 career passes.

Sportswriter Pat Dooley (BSJ ’76) covered the Gators for The Gainesville Sun for 33 years until his retirement in 2020. He still shares his love for Gator sports through his podcast, “Another Dooley Noted,” and WRUF radio program, “Dooley’s Back 9.” His Gator Nation News column does not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Florida.