JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Former Providence and Fletcher High School basketball star David Sharpe will be boxing out pass rushers instead of power forwards during his professional career.
The 6-foot-6, 343-pound offensive lineman spent the last three seasons in Gainesville blocking for the Gators' revolving door of quarterbacks.
He started 26 games at left tackle, facing the tough pass rushers in the Southeastern Conference.
Leaving school early as a junior, Sharpe still has plenty of film to prove he belongs in the NFL.
“I sat down with coaches and parents, I thought it was best," Sharpe said in an interview with First Coast News.
"I got some pretty good experience at the collegiate level, went against some of the top guys. It’s a pretty weak class this year for linemen, so I thought it was best to come out.”
Sharpe won a state championship while playing basketball for Providence. He didn't realize his love for football until later in his high school career.
He was trained by Jaguars legend and former Pro Bowl left tackle Tony Boselli in high school. That experience led to his opportunity with the Gators.
Sharpe used to watch Boselli as a child. He was a Jaguars fan. He now models his game after the current crop of NFL Pro Bowlers.
“I like to watch a lot of Tyron Smith, a lot of Joe Thomas, a lot of Trent Williams," Sharpe said. "Those are the top guys for me. I try to model my game after them.”
Sharpe has spent the last several months preparing to join the likes of Smith, Thomas and Williams in the NFL. He participated in the NFL Combine workouts in Indianapolis.
“The Combine was great," Sharpe said. "A little tough, a tough five days, a lot of ‘hurry up and wait,’ a lot of early mornings, 4 a.m. drug tests and things like that. But it was great, it was a great experience talking to all of the coaches, a lot of info in those formal interviews, things like that.”
However, while Sharpe enjoyed the experience, there was a bit of controversy that stemmed from the event. The NFL Network reported that a scout said Sharpe had told him that he was legally blind in his right eye.
Sharpe denies the claim.
“No truth, it was a false statement," Sharpe said.
First Coast News reached out to NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah, who originated the report. Jeremiah apologized for not verifying the information with Sharpe, who remains steadfast in his denial of the ailment.
"I don’t know where it came from," Sharpe said. "It didn’t affect me really, but it was some bad info.”
Sharpe has continued to train since his performance at the combine. He took part in Florida's pro day and met with several teams on private visits.
The Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars have shown the most interest in Sharpe. He is projected to be drafted in the third round, according to Jeremiah, who is a former NFL scout for the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles.
He has been considered a bit of a "tweener" as a lineman. Some believe he is a better fit for guard than tackle.
“I feel I’m a tackle, just being my size and being able to move the way I can," Sharpe said.
"I feel like I should definitely be playing tackle with my feet. I’ll play guard if I have to, I won’t be mad about that. But I definitely think I can play tackle and I got a lot of upside. I’m still working on my craft, still gaining, so I feel like in years to come I’ll be one of the best tackles.”
While he waits for his name to be called on draft weekend, Sharpe has been leaning on former teammates for advice. He has spoken with former Gators, D.J. Humphries and Trenton Brown to get insight into the league.
Sharpe has wanted to be in the NFL since he started playing football. He said he will probably cry when he hears his name being called in Philadelphia.
While he is ready and willing to play anywhere, he wouldn't mind staying local and playing for the Jaguars.
“I would love it to go to the Jaguars," Sharpe said. "It would be crazy. It would be like college all over again. Just being able to be home and stay close and be in this weather.”
FOR MORE: Watch First Coast News at 11 p.m. on Friday for Chris Porter's one-on-one interview with Sharpe.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye.