Gators’ Vosean Joseph, Jordan Scarlett declare for NFL draft
“Over the past three years, I’ve developed so much as a player but even more so as a person,” Joseph said in his letter. “Things like that is what makes me appreciate the University of Florida so much more.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Joseph as his No. 6 inside linebacker prospect for the 2019 draft.
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The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Joseph, who is from Miami, led the Gators with 87 tackles this season, including nine tackles for loss, four sacks, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
“I’m a Gator for life and I’ll be back to watch my boys ball out in the years to come and to finish my degree down the road,” Joseph said.
Junior Jordan Scarlett, who was second the team with 776 rushing yards this season, also announced he’s entering the draft.
“I feel this decision is in my best interest for my future and I have been so fortunate for the undeniable opportunity to live out my childhood dream and play in the National Football League,” Scarlett said in an Instagram post Wednesday. “I was truly blessed with the opportunity to be a student athlete at such a prestigious university and I will be forever grateful.”
He rushed for 1,846 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons with the Gators. He was one of nine Florida players suspended for the 2017 season after they were charged with fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. Charges against Scarlett were eventually dismissed after he entered a pretrial intervention program.
Joseph and Scarlett join the Gators’ Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Jawaan Taylor and Jachai Polite as early entrants to the NFL draft.