*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Caleb Brantley Generating Some First-Round Buzz
Updated Aug. 25, 2016By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
The Florida Gators had one of the elite defenses in college football last year, and unsurprisingly, it was loaded with NFL talent. A lot of the attention was devoted to future first-round picks Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal with second-day defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard getting a ton of praise during the season. However, there were several other players who impressed NFL evaluators. One of those other young performersteams are excited for is defensive tackle Caleb Brantley. Sources say that entering this season, they see Brantley as a potential first-round talent.
The 6-foot-2, 314-pounder flashed a lot of disruption at the point of attack as a redshirt sophomore in 2015. He totaled 29 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. While that isn’t a huge sack total, it is a quality number for an interior defender, and Brantley showed the potential to be a three-down player in the NFL.
Many expect Brantley to forego his senior year and enter the 2017 NFL Draft. There were some rumblings that he was considering bolting for the NFL after last season when he was draft eligible. Brantley could stand to get more consistent with his production and show continued development in 2016. Teams already see him as a potential first-rounder, so if he builds on his redshirt sophomore season, Brantley could be in demand as a Thursday night selection.
