By Brandy L. Simms

Sentinel Sports Writer

The Jacksonville Jaguars addressed a need at defensive end by trading up to select Florida Gator and Eleanor Roosevelt product Derrick Harvey with the eighth overall pick in last weekend's NFL Draft.

Harvey, who left school a year early for the draft, was projected to be a mid-first round pick but was so highly coveted by the Jaguars that the NFL team gave the Baltimore Ravens their first round pick, two third round picks and a fourth rounder in order to move up to acquire the former Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year.

"If you get drafted anywhere in the first round or even the second round that's a blessing," said former Eleanor Roosevelt head football coach Rick Houchens.

In the weeks leading up to the draft, Harvey met with a handful of NFL clubs including Detroit, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay and the New York Jets.

"He had a great visit with Detroit," said Houchens, now the head football coach at Archbishop Carroll in the District of Columbia.

When Harvey was a sophomore reserve on the Raiders' varsity basketball team, Houchens convinced the Greenbelt native to come out for the football team.

Back then, Harvey was a 6-foot-5, 180-pound beanpole with long arms. He was a member of Roosevelt's 2002 state championship basketball team where he played behind Jared Gaither who, ironically, was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in last year's NFL Supplemental Draft.

As a high school junior, Harvey decided to retire from basketball and concentrate on earning a Division I football scholarship.

"I was trying to be an NBA player but I wasn't that tall," explained Harvey, "so I said let me go try something else. I tried football and I'm here [in the NFL]."

Through hard work and dedication in the weight room, Harvey developed into a blue chip recruit on the gridiron. He received three dozen scholarship offers from colleges such as USC, UCLA, Florida State, Miami and Penn State. He was named a high school All-American and eventually signed with the Florida Gators.

At Florida, Harvey earned a reputation as one of the top pass rushers in the Southeastern Conference. In the Gators' 41-14 victory over Ohio State in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, Harvey earned the Defensive MVP award after recording three sacks. During his three-year career in Gainesville, Harvey finished with 90 tackles and 20.5 sacks.

"It's just a great, great opportunity to see a kid come from nowhere and reach the ultimate goal," said Houchens. "He'll be an All-Pro."

Photo Courtesy University of Florida Sports Information Department