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Former Florida Gators cornerback Duke Dawson is preparing for the NFL Draft and is taking Inside the Gators behind the scenes on his journey. Here in his first Draft Diary, Dawson talks about his work preparing for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this weekend. First though he takes us back to the Gators final game of the 2017 season.

As told to Kassidy Hill

“One of the biggest things that really hit me was [not] playing with those guys. I built a bond and I grew close as a family within that whole organization as a football team. That’s one of the main things that really stuck with me was not being able to be with that whole team ever again. Being able to walk through that Swamp, run out of that Swamp, anything within that frame. That was one of the main things that really hit me, just not being able to play with my brothers in The Swamp again. Being able to practice with those guys; really pretty much everything with those guys.

I really took like three or four weeks off just so I could get my body back after the Florida State game. Just hung out, hung out in Gainesville; I mean I went back to see my family. I came down here to IMG to visit the facility and everything and I started up on January 2, that’s when I started training and everything.

IMG is one of the greatest facilities around. I knew coming here I was gonna get the proper training when it comes to on the field and off the field as well. IMG is pretty good with having guys who’ve been in the league, coached in the league to come back here and help others. And I just wanted to come back to a place like this to be able to train with just a small group of guys, not being with a big group of guys. Because when you’re with a big group of guys you can’t really get the work in that you want and it’s just so much going on when it’s a big group. But being here it’s a small group so you can get every detail and every little thing you need to prepare you for the NFL professional wise and off the field so that’s one reason why I chose IMG.

One of the main things that all 32 teams wanted to see was my 40-yard dash. I mean I pretty much been working hard on that three times a week, sometimes maybe four. But other than that they prepare you for like media training, NFL test prep. You have guys come back and talk to you, you have former coaches and former players who played in the league come back and talk to you and give you their opinion of the NFL and how everything is going. It’s a whole lot you get here, not just with football but off the field as well.

I just want to show NFL teams that I can move; I’ve got great feet, great hips and I can run. I’m just a little nervous about my 40-time but that’s something I shouldn’t be worried about because I’ve been putting in the work since I got here so that’s something that’s gonna take care of itself.

Man I’ve been working hard. I’ve been training six days a week. Saturday’s are really optional but I still go in on Saturday’s and get the extra work in. But other than that I’ve just been grinding since I got here.

That’s always been my mentality, to come in and put in the work cause what you put in is what you’re gonna get out of it so I mean it’s just a dream come true and I’m just very fortunate for this opportunity and I just take it day by day.”

Dawson will arrive in Indianapolis on Friday for interviews, testing and medical examinations. On field workouts will be on Monday March 5.

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