Three Florida Gators' defensive backs were selected during the second round Friday night.
The New York Jets chose safety Marcus Maye with the No. 39 pick, while cornerbacks Quincy Wilson (No. 46, Indianapolis Colts) and Jalen Tabor (No. 53, Detroit Lions) soon followed.
The trio helped UF lay claim to the fictional title of DBU _ Defensive Backs University _ during recent seasons. But after Round 1 of the draft, the Gators' secondary was beaten by rival LSU and former coach Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ten defensive backs were selected prior to Maye, including three from Ohio State and two from LSU. Seven cornerbacks were chosen before Wilson. Tabor was next seven picks later.
But each Gator has a chance to be just as good as any DBs chosen ahead of him.
Maye's selection ahead of Wilson and Tabor was a surprise. Generally, the Melbourne native was pegged as a third-round pick.
But Maye's decision to return for a fourth season paid off, despite him suffering a season-ending broken arm Nov. 12 against South Carolina.
Maye, 23, looked a step faster and did not suffer the mental lapses that at times marred his previous seasons. He then ran in the 4.5-second range at Pro Day.
Maye totaled 132 tackles, 12 pass breakups and three interceptions the past two seasons. He forced five fumbles in 2015 alone.
Yet it is hard to erase the memory of some of the coverage lapses by Maye during his earlier days as a Gator. Those might be behind him, but in the pass-first NFL teams cannot afford massive breakdowns on the back end of the defense.
Of the three, Wilson had the best chance to go in the first round following a strong junior season and an impressive draft process.
Blessed with the size NFL teams covet, the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Wilson followed up a breakout junior season with a 4.54-second 40 at the scouting combine. He then displayed agility and ball skills at UF's Pro Day.
Based on the website Pro Football Focus, Wilson played more snaps (735) during the regular season than any UF defender and allowed 16 catches on 46 targets. The 34.8 percent opponents' completion rate allowed by Wilson ranked first in the SEC and fifth nationally.
Meanwhile, Tabor's 40 times _ 4.62 at the combine and 4.73 at Pro Day _ were killers and even dropped him out of the first three rounds in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft.
But following Tabor's selection, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock noted, "Tabor's tape is really good."
Few DBs in the nation were more productive.
The past two seasons, Tabor totaled 20 pass breakups and eight interceptions, including three pick-sixes, to earn first-team All-SEC honors.
Projected as a top-15 pick entering the season, Tabor's 40 times, 32-inch vertical leap and nine repetitions bench-pressing 225 pounds forced him to wait to hear his name called.
Now he and linebacker Jarrad Davis will be teammates again with the Lions.
