Urban Meyer might be the worst NFL coach of all time. He's also a college football legend who guided the Gators to the most successful run that the University of Florida experienced in a century.

Before Meyer arrived in Gainesville, the Gators had a single National Championship since 1906. During his half decade in Florida, Meyer helped bring a pair of titles to the swamp and sparked mania in an already hysterical Gators fanbase.

The furor of the fans, the massive success of the Gators, and the militaristic Meyer's training program burned out many players during their time in the swamp. Some players thrived under Meyer and had memorable NFL careers, including a member of the NFL's 2010s All-Decade team and a convicted murderer who caught a TD pass from Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.

10 Major Wright - Safety (2007-2009)

Florida's 2007 draft class might be one of the best in college football history, considering the amount of NFL talent it produced. Safety Major Wright was one of the biggest names Meyer was able to wrangle that year, and he turned into a three-year starter who had nine tackles and a significant interception in the school's 2008 BCS National Championship Game win.

After his junior year, Wright decided to forego his senior campaign, alongside many of his classmates. He was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he started 42 games over four seasons.

He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014 and played three injury-riddled years before an early retirement in 2016 at just 28 years old. Wright snagged nine interceptions during his NFL career, three of which he returned to the end zone. The Fort Lauderdale native also racked up 331 combined tackles and 22 passes defended throughout his 77-game NFL career.

9 Aaron Hernandez - Tight End (2007-2009)

There were many troubled young men who went through Urban Meyer's Florida program, but perhaps none more so than Aaron Hernandez. He grew up in an abusive household but found solace on the football field, where he was a star for the Gators from 2007 to 2009. He was part of their 2008 National Championship, and in his junior year, he was named First Team All-American while also taking home the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end.

He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and instantly created the best tight end duo in the league with Rob Gronkowski. Over three seasons with the Pats, Hernandez was used like a Swiss army knife, lining up in the backfield, split out, in the slot, and on the line.

He compiled 175 catches for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns in the NFL, but unfortunately, his career was cut short when his troubled past resurfaced. Hernandez had several brushes with the law while at Florida, but nothing major until he got to the NFL.

While with the Patriots, he was involved in several deadly shootings, and in 2013, he was charged and later convicted of the murder of Odin Lloyd. While appealing those charges in 2017, Hernandez was found dead in his jail cell from an apparent suicide.

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8 Tim Tebow - Quarterback (2006-2009)

Tim Tebow was the hottest high school player in the nation when he decided to join the Gators in 2006, and it didn't take long for Tebowmania to take over the Swamp. Aside from his intense dedication to Christianity, he was viewed as the Messiah in Gainesville, and he played like it too. He racked up awards while he was in Florida, winning two National Championships and earning the National Championship Game MVP in 2008.

He also won the Heisman Trophy in 2007, the Manning Award in 2008, the Maxwell Award in 2007 and 2008, and the AP College Football Player of the Year award in 2007. Additionally, he was a First-team All-American in 2007 and 2008, and the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009. While his rough running, deep ball launching style was perfect for the wide-open college game, most did not think it would translate to the NFL — and they were right.

He was drafted 25th overall by the Denver Broncos in 2010 and played sparingly in his rookie year. He had a magical season in 2011, starting 11 games and going 7-4 as he led the Broncos to six fourth-quarter comeback wins, creating quite an aura around him.

In the playoffs, Tebow's game-winning 80-yard touchdown throw to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime was his crowning achievement in the NFL. Despite the late-game heroics, Tebow's overall play left much to be desired, and the Broncos signed the all-time great Peyton Manning to replace him in 2012. The writing was on the wall for Tebow after that, and the Gators' great played his final NFL game in 2012 at just 25 years old.

7 Marcus Gilbert - Right Tackle (2006-2010)

One of the lesser-known players from the Urban Meyer era at Florida, Marcus Gilbert is a rare example of a player who stayed in college for five seasons and still found success in the NFL. Gilbert redshirted his first year and didn't play much in his sophomore and junior years. He became a stalwart at right tackle for the Gators in 2009 and 2010, starting all 27 games across both seasons.

He was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and won the starting right tackle job in his rookie year. He became one of the most reliable parts of the Steelers' offensive line alongside fellow Gator alum Maurkice Pouncey over the next six seasons, starting 75 of a possible 96 games during that span. Injuries forced him out of the lineup in 2017 and 2018, and he spent the final two seasons of his 10-year career with the Arizona Cardinals.

6 Percy Harvin - Wide Receiver (2006-2008)

It didn't take long for everybody to realize what Florida had in Percy Harvin. His combination of quick-twitch muscles and straight-line speed, along with his elite vision, was obvious to see. He was undoubtedly the best player on those Florida teams apart from Tim Tebow, taking part in both of Florida's National Championships and earning First-team All-American honors in his last year in 2008.

Harvin was drafted 22nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2009, and he made his presence in the NFL immediately known. He amassed 925 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns while also returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the most versatile weapons in football. For his efforts, he was awarded the 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year and also earned himself a Pro Bowl nod. Harvin had two more similar seasons in Minnesota before what appeared to be his breakout year in 2012.

In the first nine games of 2012, Harvin piled up 677 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 62 receptions, in addition to 96 yards and a touchdown on the ground and a 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He was leading the NFL in all-purpose yards when he was placed on injured reserve, snuffing out what could have been a historic season. Despite returning a kickoff for a touchdown to help the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2013, migraines and other injuries prevented him from ever coming close to repeating his production in Minnesota as he played for three teams over the next four years before retiring in 2016.

5 Reggie Nelson - Safety (2005-2006)

Safety Reggie Nelson was there for Urban Meyer's first championship run in 2006. He was a major contributor, earning consensus All-American honors while also taking home the Jack Tatum Award as the nation's best defensive back.

Nelson was drafted 21st overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007 and went on to have a lengthy and productive NFL career that spanned 11 years. Nelson was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009, where he developed into one of the league's premier safeties. He blossomed late, putting up a career year in 2015 by leading the league with eight interceptions while earning his first Pro Bowl nod and Second-Team All-Pro honors.

The Florida native, also a Pro Bowler in 2016, was known just as much for bone-crunching hits as he was for his ball-hawking ways, grabbing 38 interceptions over his illustrious career. Across 12 NFL seasons, Nelson started 164 games and recorded 832 combined tackles, 101 passes defended, nine forced fumbles, and 6.5 sacks.

4 Mike Pouncey - Center (2007-2010)

Though he was often overshadowed by his twin brother, Maurkice, Mike Pouncey was a crucial part of Florida's success during his four years with the school. As the starting right guard, he anchored the offensive line alongside his brother before taking on the starting center role in 2010 when his brother opted for the NFL Draft.

Mike was drafted 15th overall in 2011 by the Miami Dolphins and was immediately inserted into the starting center role. He played seven seasons in South Beach, starting 93 games and earning three straight Pro Bowl nods from 2013 to 2015. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod that year before injuries forced him to retire. He announced his retirement alongside his brother in 2021, after a successful, 10-year career.

3 Carlos Dunlap - Defensive End (2007-2009)

Another of the more subdued and underrated NFL players to emerge from Urban Meyer's Florida program, Carlos Dunlap was crucial to the school's 2008 championship triumph. He was named First-team All-SEC that year and earned Defensive MVP honors for Florida's National Championship win over Oklahoma.

He skipped out on his senior year and declared for the draft in 2010, where he was taken in the second round by the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent 10 years in Southern Ohio, becoming one of the most consistent and reliable pass rushers in football, recording more than 7.5 sacks in nine straight years while earning Pro Bowl selections in 2015 and 2016.

Last year, he moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won the Super Bowl. Over 13 seasons, Dunlap amassed 22 forced fumbles and 100 sacks, the latter of which ranks 40th all-time on the NFL sack list.

2 Joe Haden - Cornerback (2007-2009)

Joe Haden was a rare example of a true freshman earning a starting role right away, lining up for 12 games in 2007. He was also a part of Florida's 2008 National Championship team. His best college season was his junior year in 2009, when he was voted the team's co-MVP alongside Tim Tebow while also earning unanimous All-American honors.

With all of that recognition, Haden decided it was his time to declare for the NFL Draft, and it turned out to be a good decision. He was taken seventh overall (the highest draft pick of the Urban Meyer era) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft. He had six interceptions in his rookie year in Cleveland and quickly became one of the most respected lockdown corners in the league.

He played seven years with the Browns, earning Pro Bowl nods in 2013 and 2014, as well as a Second-team All-Pro selection in 2013. He made a controversial move to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, where he was reunited with former Gators teammates Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert. He continued to be one of the top cover guys in football, earning another Pro Bowl selection in 2019. Across his 12-year career, he amassed 615 combined tackles, 155 passes defended, 29 interceptions, and seven forced fumbles.​​​​​

1 Maurkice Pouncey - Center (2007-2009)

Center is not the most celebrated of positions, but there's simply no denying Maurkice Pouncey's place atop this list. He spent three years in Gainesville and was the starting center during the program's 2008 Championship season. He was even better in 2009, winning the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center while also receiving recognition as a consensus All-American.

He was taken 18th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 and was arguably the most dominant and ferocious offensive lineman of the decade. Pouncey missed the entire 2013 and 2015 seasons due to injury but was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his other nine NFL seasons. In those nine seasons, he missed just 11 games and was named First-team All-Pro twice and Second-team All-Pro three more times. For his consistency, reliability, and elite performance, Pouncey was named to the NFL's prestigious 2010s All-Decade Team.

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All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.