NFL Draft: Gators Frankie Hammond hopes to get a shot

At first glance, Florida senior WR Frankie Hammond has little hope of making the NFL. While most NFL prospects rack up over 1,000 receiving yards in their final season of college, Hammond has only 787 career receiving yards in four seasons in Gainesville.

Nevertheless, one of the biggest benefits of playing at a high-profile school like Florida is that NFL scouts are more willing to check out players farther down the depth charts.

In recent years, former Gator WR's like Deonte Thompson, Riley Cooper, Louis Murphy and David Nelson have stuck at the next level despite not being collegiate stars. It's a precedent Hammond is well aware of (courtesy of the Gainesville Sun):

"A guy like Deonte (Thompson), when he was here, his stats weren't 1,000 yards receiving and a whole bunch of catches, but he went about things the right way, and when the opportunities came he took advantage of them," said Hammond. "When he got to the next level, he just made the best of it and he made an NFL roster, so it's just all about staying positive. You do everything right and in return, you'll get paid back. That's how I look at it, and I just keep working and hope for the best."

Hammond, at 6'0 187 and with excellent speed, does have the type of measurables NFL scouts want in WR's, so he'll likely at least get a chance to come into an NFL training camp next fall.

From there, he'll have an uphill climb to become a professional football player, but at least he has a path he can follow in front of him.