Jags Grab Harvey at No. 8

Two years ago, Derrick Harvey and Reggie Nelson led Florida's defense in a dominating win over Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game. Now, Harvey and Nelson will be reunited after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Harvey No. 8 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Jacksonville paid a heavy price to get the Gators' best defender from a year ago. They traded their first round pick (No. 26 overall) along with two third round picks and a fourth round pick to the Baltimore Ravens to grab Harvey at No. 8.

Harvey led the Gators last season in both tackles for a loss (17) and sacks (8.5). He finished seventh on the squad with 49 tackles and also broke up eight passes, hurried the quarterback three times and forced a fumble.

Harvey joins former Gator Reggie Nelson who was drafted also in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars last season with the No. 21 overall pick. Harvey is the highest drafted Gator since Gerard Warren was picked up the No. 3 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2001. And for the first time since the early part of the decade, the Gators have back-to-back first round picks in the NFL Draft.

Harvey joins an already solid Jaguar defense that finished No. 12 in the NFL last season allowing just 313 yards per game. They also finished in the top ten in the league with 37 sacks.

Questions or comments? Contact FightinGators.com's Chris Chmielenski