Home » Former Cocoa Tigers Jawaan Taylor, Jamel Dean Stay Close To Home After Selected In NFL Draft By In-State Teams

Former Cocoa Tigers Jawaan Taylor, Jamel Dean Stay Close To Home After Selected In NFL Draft By In-State Teams

By  //  April 27, 2019

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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A pair of former Cocoa Tigers will stay close to home after they learned where they will play their professional football Friday night in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Offensive Tackle Jawaan Taylor was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round with the 35th overall pick.

Defensive Back Jamel Dean was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round with the 94th overall pick.

Another former Cocoa Tiger, defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round with the 105th overall pick.

JAWAAN TAYLOR

Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson interviews Jawaan Taylor after being named Player of the Game against Viera in 2015.

Taylor, listed at 6-foot-5 and 335-pounds, was named by many experts as the best right tackle in the draft.

In 2018, Taylor played in all 13 games for the Florida Gators and started 12 at right tackle.

Florida’s offensive line allowed just 18 sacks over the course of the entire season, which ranked 20th in the country and third among SEC teams. Taylor also garnered Second Team All-SEC honors from Athlon Sport and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

In 2018, Taylor played in all 13 games for the Florida Gators and started 12 at right tackle.

NFL scouts liked Taylor’s ability to play both right tackle and left tackle with ease.

JAMEL DEAN

Dean turned heads at the NFL combine after running a stunning 4.3 40-yard dash.

The 6-1, 206-pound corner was a two-year starter for the Auburn Tigers.

Dean had a total of 73 total tackles, 4.5 for loss, two interceptions and 19 pass breakups in 26 games played at Auburn.

Defensive Back Jamel Dean was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round with the 94th overall pick.
In 2013, Dean was named Friday Night Locker Room / Space Coast Daily Player of the Game for Week 9 – Cocoa’s Jamel Dean, had 135 Return yards (68-yard Kickoff Return TD, 67-yard punt return) and 45 yards receiving. (SpaceCoastDaily image)

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