Nov 7, 2015; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III (1) during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
University of Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves officially announced he will forego his final season of eligibility and enter the 2016 NFL Draft.
The third-rated cornerback and No. 14-rated prospect overall by NFLDraftScout.com, Hargreaves is a potential top 10 pick who is expected to jockey for position with fellow underclassmen cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey from Florida State and Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander, a redshirt sophomore who may declare for the draft following the national title game next week.
Hargreaves, 5-feet-11 and 199 pounds, was Florida’s first consensus All-American cornerback this season since Joe Jaden in 2010. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions, building on a strong resume that included starting 10 games as a freshman while earning first-team All-SEC honors and improving as a sophomore with 13 pass breakups and three interceptions.
He is a bit smaller than ideal, but NFL scouts have long been impressed with Hargreaves’ combination of quickness, balance and route-recognition.
“Scouts will also appreciate that unlike some of the other highly regarded defensive backs throughout the country, Hargreaves is far from just a cover corner,” wrote NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst Rob Rang. “He’s very aggressive in run support, fighting his way through blocks and showing zero hesitation in taking on bigger ballcarriers. On most occasions, Hargreaves makes the effective stop, often significantly cutting short the yards gained in impressive fashion.
Hargreaves announced his decision to enter the draft via Instagram on Monday, writing: “I have officially decided to declare for the NFL draft ! The amount of love and support I’ve received since coming to Florida cannot be put into words! I can’t be more grateful for such an amazing university ! The love I have for UF will never parish and I am forever a gator! #ForeverFlorida”
Hargreaves joins fellow Florida juniors running back Kelvin Taylor and defensive end Alex McCallster in declaring for this year’s draft.
