Gators 2023 NFL Draft Profile: DL Gervon Dexter
Photo: Gervon Dexter Sr.; Credit: Alex Shepherd
The 2023 NFL Draft is approaching, marking the peak of the professional football offseason.
As NFL free agency cools down after the initial surge to fill spots of need, teams are solidifying their big boards for the eventful selection period set to take place from April 27-29.
Multiple University of Florida talents are in the midst of preparing for the draft process. Eight of the 11 entrants recently participated in the NFL Combine. They will finalize their athletic metrics at the school's recently announced Pro Day on March 30.
In anticipation of the selection ceremony, All Gators will provide player draft profiles for the 11 Florida representatives. The series will include the player's history, strengths, weaknesses, scouting report, best fit and most up-to-date Gators-centric mock draft selection.
After examining two surefire first-round picks in quarterback Anthony Richardson, and offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence, we now flip to the defensive side of the ball to analyze defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr.
Player History
Dexter was a late addition to the Lake Wales High School roster as he started playing football as a junior. His skill set and bodily makeup immediately shot him up recruitment boards, showcasing promising athleticism and raw power from his interior defensive line position.
Earning five-star status by the time the 2020 recruiting cycle came to a close, Dexter had offers from an assortment of top-tier schools. However, the thought of staying close to home stood out to the monstrous defensive line prospect. He committed to the Gators in Nov. 2018 and remained loyal to his pledge despite the significant pursuit of powerhouse programs.
As a freshman, Dexter immediately took on a rotational role in the Gators' defense, playing in relief of Tederell Slaton, Kyree Campbell and Zach Carter in the middle. He saw most of his time come at three-technique but also appeared in other roles.
When all three pieces departed after the 2020 season, the Gators' defensive trenches were solely entrusted to Dexter as the central piece to the puzzle in his sophomore season.
That commenced a voluminous two-year role in the defense as the Lake Wales native took on one of the nation's heaviest workloads of any interior defensive linemen.
In his third and final season, Dexter had the opportunity to expand his role with time at defensive end in Patrick Toney's multiple front system. His length proved promising from a pass-rushing perspective, and he totaled a career-high 55 tackles, one pass tip, two sacks, 25 pressures and one interception on 682 snaps in 2022.
He also recorded 28 stops as a junior, raising his career total to 61.
He enters the NFL Draft as a day-two-caliber prospect with the physical intangibles and athleticism to creep up draft boards in the month leading up to the draft.
Strengths
- Size/length.
- Upper body strength and heavy hands at the point of engagement.
- Productive as a run defender with high upside to improve.
- Functional athleticism.
- Ability to occupy double teams, control gaps.
- Developing versatility.
Concerns
- Lack of polish in technique
- Burst out of the hole.
- Pad level.
- Inconsistency as a pass rusher.
Scouting Report
Gervon Dexter is a prototypical interior defensive line prospect at the NFL level, towering 6-foot-6, 310 pounds.
Possessing the power to relocate the line of scrimmage — pushing offensive linemen into the backfield off the snap — Dexter has a knack for causing disruption in the backfield. Against the run, there are few matchups he can't win one-on-one. His combination of size, arm length and strength allow him to overcome his lack of polish from a technique standpoint, establishing firm first contact and moving downhill toward ball carriers with ease.
In those instances, he's privy to getting a hand on running backs. That usually allows his teammates to clean up the tackle at or behind the original line of scrimmage.
He can also anchor down on the front to keep consistent gap control.
Dexter's shown the ability to collapse pockets from the inside, although his pass-rushing skills are a work in progress.
He'll receive knocks for lack of stat sheet production at the collegiate level relative to expectations when he came out of high school as the top-rated defensive tackle prospect.
However, these don't hold equal weight to the legitimate technique and polish concerns. Playing in the middle of Florida's defense, Dexter stayed true to his responsibilities from the interior, plugging holes while absorbing double teams to redirect ball carriers consistently throughout his career. His impact stretched beyond the stat sheet.
In accordance, Dexter played upwards of 65 snaps per game in 2022, well over the desired number for a defensive lineman. He ranked fourth in snaps played among Power 5 interior DL.
While he showed promise to take on that workload, his second-half production pales in comparison to that of the first half as fatigue began to set in. Under normal circumstances, Dexter projects to see nearly half in the early stages of his pro career.
Ultimately, those two factors are wiping away the concerns he may possess to intrigue NFL franchises to take a swing on a high-upside piece with growth still to be made before he reaches his peak. He's currently considered a day-two prospect.
Given his talents and continued room for growth, AG sees Dexter being selected earlier rather than later during Friday's selection process.
Best Fit(s)
Dexter will be best aligned as a three-technique at the next level in a four-man front with aggressive tendencies to throw offensive linemen onto their heels. Immediately, two teams with reported interest in Dexter come to mind: the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While both defenses have adopted multiple fronts to evolve against the new era of offense, 4-3 remains each team's base and both are anchored by the presence of dominant defensive linemen.
Dexter, on either squad, could receive the torch as a successor to one of the unit's aging iDLs in the near future.
He will begin his NFL career working in rotation with an established veteran, where he can be groomed to eventually take over in their role. Kansas City's Chris Jones — who he's drawn significant comparisons to throughout the draft process and even dating back to his days as a high school prospect — and Pittsburgh's Stephon Tuitt align as potential players for Dexter to learn from, given the similarities in stature and play style.
Both teams have shown significant interest in the Florida DL prospect.
All Gators' final mock draft selections
April 26: Round 2, Pick 44 — Atlanta Falcons
March 20: Round 3, Pick 90 — Dallas Cowboys
(While it doesn't align with the best fit(s), a Dan Quinn-coached defense can't hurt.)
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