The Wyoming Wild Man is staying in Florida.
To quote Roger Goodell: “With the 29th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Taven Bryan, defensive tackle, Florida.” With Bryan’s Selection, Florida has now had a first round NFL Draft pick in eleven out of the last twelve years, with the exception being 2012. The Gators have now had 52 first round selections all time, and 17 since the 2007 Draft.
The son of a navy seal, Bryan got more mileage out of the talent he was born with than 99% of the kids to ever sign a letter of intent with UF. Bryan used brute strength and sheer willpower to force himself into opponents’ backfields and blow up plays before they even got started. There haven’t been many Gator interior lineman to ever be as disruptive as Bryan was in Gainesville, particularly by his final season.
As for the fit, the Jaguars are already loaded on the defensive line; they certainly had bigger needs than at the DT spot. So in that sense, the pick puzzles me a bit. But there’s no denying Bryan’s work ethic and grit, and that alone figures to make him a standout player at the next level.
