For the first time since 2018, the Florida Gators have a specialist selected in the NFL Draft. This time, placekicker Evan McPherson is off to the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, selected 149th overall.
McPherson becomes the first Florida specialist since punter Johnny Townsend was selected in 2018.
A three-year starter with Florida, McPherson came into the 2020 season with plenty of expectations, named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List. He was a semi-finalist for the award in 2020, the second time he made the semi-finalist list (2018).
In his career, McPherson would connect on 149 out of 150 of his extra points, including a perfect 50 for 50 in 2018, and a perfect 52 for 52 in 2020. He would miss just one extra point in 2019. As for his field goals, McPherson would convert on an SEC-career best 85%, making 51 out of 60.
In 2020, McPherson would nail all 52 of his extra points, connecting on 17 out of 22 of his field goals.
In going to the Bengals, the Gators now have five players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, along with Marco Wilson (round 4), Kyle Trask (Round 2), Kadarius Toney (20th overall) and Kyle Pitts (4th overall). The Gators are expected to have at least a few more players selected before the end of the day.
With the Bengals, McPherson will compete with Cincinnati's Austin Seibert, however, considering he was selected in the draft at all don't be surprised if he is simply handed the job as soon as he steps foot in Ohio.
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