Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 Draft

[Hostile]

1st round Pick #8... Acquired from Baltimore

DE Derrick Harvey DE Florida

Overview

The unquestioned leader of the Gators' defensive unit, Derrick Harvey put on a dominating performance during his final season at Florida.

Thrust into captaincy as a junior, he more than lived up to the coaching staff's expectations, as Florida led the Southeastern Conference and ranked 10th in the nation, allowing only 103.31 yards rushing per game in 2007.

Despite just 18 career starts, Harvey finished his career ninth all-time at UF with 20.5 quarterback sacks.

Harvey was an All-America selection by Tom Lemming, EA Sports, Riddell and Super Prep, adding second-team All-USA honors from USA Today as a senior at Roosevelt High School. He was named the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and was rated the third-best defensive end in the nation and top-rated defensive end in the Atlantic Region by TheInsiders.com (also a five-star choice on the National Hot 100 list and a first-team All-Atlantic region selection by that publication).

Harvey received a five-star rating and was listed as the second-best defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com. He was rated the premier prospect in the Mid-Atlantic region by Super Prep and received first-team All-State honors by the Associated Press. What makes all of these accolades even more impressive was the fact that he never played organized football until his junior season, as he was a two-year standout for the basketball team before finding football.

As a senior, Harvey served as team captain, guiding the squad to a 12-1 record in 2003, losing its only game of the season in the Class 4A state semifinals. Playing defensive end and tight end, he recorded 150 tackles and a Maryland state-record 31 sacks, as well as five forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and five batted down passes.

Harvey enrolled at Florida in 2004, as the university won a heated recruiting battle over Ohio State, Maryland and Tennessee. He redshirted and bulked up to 230 pounds. He saw limited action in nine games in 2005, playing behind starters Ray McDonald and Jarvis Moss at both defensive end positions. He finished his first year with the varsity by producing six tackles (four solo) with a six-yard sack and a pass deflection.

As a sophomore, Harvey shared left defensive end duties with Ray McDonald, starting five contests when the senior was sidelined with an injury. He recorded 35 tackles (24 solo) and led the team with 11 sacks, tied for the fifth-best season total in school history. He also paced the Gators with 13 stops for losses, adding eight quarterback pressures. He recovered three fumbles and caused another, picking up second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors, in addition to garnering MVP accolades for his performance in the BCS National Championship Game vs. Ohio State.

Harvey earned All-American third-team and All-Southeastern Conference second-team honors in 2007. The team captain started all thirteen games at left end, posting 49 tackles (31 solo), including 8.5 sacks and three pressures. His 17 stops behind the line of scrimmage rank 10th on the school single-season list. He also caused a fumble and broke up five passes. The fourth-year junior waited until after the Capital One Bowl to announce that he would enter the 2008 draft instead of returning to the Gators.

In 36 games at Florida, Harvey started 18 contests. He closed out his career ninth on the school's all-time record list with 20.5 sacks for minus 158 yards, adding 31 stops for losses of 190 yards and eleven quarterback pressures. He registered 90 tackles (59 solos), as he recovered three fumbles, returning one nine yards. He also caused two fumbles and had six pass deflections.

• Pick No. 52: Jacksonville Jaguars select Quentin Groves, DE/LB, Auburn

Pro analysis: The Jaguars, who bolted up the board for DE Derrick Harvey in the first round, move to get another one in Auburn's Quentin Groves. They traded into this spot, surrendering the 58th, 158th and a 2009 seventh-round choice to Tampa Bay. The d-line selections are an indication that the Jags weren't happy with their pass rush in 2007 and further evidence of the copycat NFL as Jacksonville seems to be following the Giants' model of stockpiling pass rushers.

52... Quentin Groves OLB Auburn


155... Thomas Williams LB USC

159... Trae Williams CB South Florida

213... Chauncey Washington RB USC

[Juke99]

Derrick Harvey via trade with Baltimore

2006: Saw action in all 14 games for the Gators…Named Defensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game…Collected second-team Coaches’ All-SEC plaudits on Dec. 5…Tied for second in the SEC with 11 sacks…Each of his 11 sacks came in the Gators’ final 11 games…Registered a career-high three sacks and recovered a fumble deep in Ohio State territory to spur the Gators to a 41-14 win over the Buckeyes in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game; finished the contest with four total tackles.

2005: Appeared in nine games, failing to appear on the playing field against LSU, Georgia and South Carolina… Notched a total of six tackles for the season, including four solo efforts as well as one tackle for a loss of six yards. Recorded one tackle for a loss of six yards, as well as a the first sack of his career, against Louisiana Tech.

2004: Did not see any game action and was redshirted.

High School: A team captain who played defensive end and tight end and was one of the most heavily recruited players in the nation…As a senior, he had 150 tackles and a Maryland state-record 31 sacks, as well as five forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and five batted down passes…Helped team post a 12-1 record in 2003, losing its only game of the season in the 4A state semifinals…Wingspan is 82 inches… Played football for the first time during his junior season…Also lettered two years in basketball… Runs a 4.7 40-yard dash…Also considered Ohio State, Maryland and Tennessee.
Personal: Was born on Nov. 9, 1986…Active member of the Goodwill Gators who participated in the Adopt-A-Team event. Anthropology major.