Farewell, Gervon Dexter. Go be great. (Photo credit: Rae Riiska, Independent Florida Alligator)
Florida defensive lineman Gervon Dexter is eschewing his senior season at Florida and declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Dexter, a versatile junior defensive lineman for the Gators who mostly lined up on the interior, logged 50 tackles both in 2021 (2.5 of which were sacks) and 2022 (two more sacks) after playing on a rotational basis as a freshman. He also picked off a pass in 2022 against Kentucky and another in his first game as a Gator against Mississippi in 2020.
After coming into Florida as a heralded five-star recruit- a rarity for coach Dan Mullen- Dexter wasted no time proving his natural athletic abilities. He’s both strong and fast, able to beat offensive lineman both with sheer power and finesse, and can clog running lanes with ease. And he just makes plays, wherever those plays may be. He’s got quite a motor for a 6’6, 313 lb. interior defensive lineman.
Perhaps most impressive about Gervon Dexter is his first step off the snap. It’s almost like he’s launched from a springboard. That first step carries so much momentum because of his pure muscle and speed that it stymies most centers and guards who are unfortunate enough to be tasked with handling it. It won’t be so easy in the NFL, of course, but with just a little bit more training and maybe another fifteen pounds of solid muscle, he’ll be able to become a factor at the next level.
And his versatility will serve him quite well, too. He’s played everywhere from smack in front of the center at the 0-technique spot to the 3-technique spot on Florida’s front, and he’s even lined up at 5-technique on a couple of snaps here and there. NFL teams love seeing guys who can be productive at multiple positions rather than just having one set slot they have to be lined up at or else they’re not useful, and Dexter certainly is not the latter.
Because of all this, and because he passes the “Be A Good Person Test” with ease, Gervon Dexter has been receiving NFL Draft projections ranging from late in the first round to middle of the third round; pending his offseason workouts and Combine performances, he strikes me as very likely to work his way into that first round.
Best of luck to you, Gervon. You repped your school colors well and were a pleasure to watch. Go kill it in your workouts this season, stay healthy, and we’ll all hear Scott Hansen on NFL Red Zone calling your name one day soon.
