School-record 5 Knights taken
UCF set a school record with five players taken in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Cornerback Tay Gowan and receivers Tre Nixon and Jacob Harris were among the players selected on the final day Saturday, joining defensive backs Richie Grant and Aaron Robinson, who were second- and third-round selections, respectively.
It’s the first time the school has had three defensive backs selected in the same draft.
Harris was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round with the 141st pick while Gowan (No. 223) was taken in the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals and Nixon (No. 242) selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round.
Nixon started 27 straight games for the Knights but missed most of the 2020 season after suffering a broken collarbone during the first half of the season opener at Georgia Tech. He returned to play in the final three games of the season, finishing with 212 yards and two touchdowns.
Gowan sat out last season after opting out due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic after his daughter and himself both tested positive for COVID-19.
After spending time at Butler Community College, he had transferred to UCF in 2019. In that single season, Gowan started 12 of the team’s 13 games, finishing with 31 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes broken up.
The 6-5, 219-pound Harris caught the attention of many of the representatives from all 32 NFL teams on hand during the school’s Pro Day on April 1 when he ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.39 seconds.
Harris appeared in 22 games at the receiver position over the past two seasons, totaling 987 yards with eight touchdowns.
UCF has had a receiver drafted in three of the last four years, with Gabe Davis (2020) and Tre’Quan Smith (2018).
“I was trying to hold back the tears,” Harris said during a news conference on the team’s website. “I was excited and the nerves in the stomach went away.”
When announcing the pick, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris referred to Harris as a tight end. The former walk-on out of Palm Harbor University High said teams asking him about possibly making the switch during the pro day.
“I can be a wide receiver. I can be a tight end, just because of my frame and my size,” said Harris. “I would have to put on a little bit of weight, but it’s something I’ve done in the past and I’m not opposed to it.”
The Rams have a pair of 900-yard receivers in Robert Woods (936) and Cooper Kupp (974).
The Atlanta Falcons took Grant with the 40th overall pick.
“I’m so grateful they took a chance on me,” Grant said in a video posted to the Falcon’s website. “I’m forever grateful to Atlanta. They got a dog who is hungry and is ready to work.
“I said a prayer and broke down. It’s so humbling and amazing to be in this position. The tears just started flooding.”
Grant was a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in three consecutive seasons, appearing in 46 games for the Knights. He started 33 games and posted 290 career tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and 10 interceptions. He also had 17 passes defended and five forced fumbles.
The New York Giants took Robinson with the No. 71 overall pick.
“ARob is a good player,” Giants coach Joe Judge said on the team’s website. “We’re excited to add him to the program. … This is a guy that jumped out to us on tape as well as when we got to see him in person at the Senior Bowl.
“He’s a physical player and he’s got good traits. He gives us some versatility to play him inside or outside. This guy has some value to play in the kicking game as well.”
Robinson transferred to UCF after one season at Alabama. He sat out the 2017 season per NCAA transfer rules. He started the 2018 season but suffered a devastating concussion that limited him to just seven games. Robinson started 19 of the final 23 games as a member of the Knights.
He finished with 98 career tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and one interception plus 16 passes defended.
Drafted rookies sign four-year contracts with a team option for a fifth year.
Grant’s deal is worth an estimated $8,268,388 with a possible signing bonus of $3,373,356, according to spotrac.com, while Robinson’s deal is worth an estimated $5,143,293 with a possible signing bonus of $1,100,577.
Harris could receive an estimated $3,979,345 with his contract while Gowan’s deal is estimated at $3,610,707.
UCF has had at least one player drafted in each of the last five seasons and in 15 of the last 16 drafts.
Receiver Marlon Williams, running backs Otis Anderson and Greg McCrae and kicker Dylan Barnas went undrafted.