Scouting Report: New Florida Gators DL Antonio Shelton
“Different animal, same beast.”
With the 2020 season officially wrapped up for the Florida Gators following a disheartening Cotton Bowl loss at the hands of the Oklahoma Sooners, UF got some much-needed news regarding the 2021 season on Jan. 6th.
As a team that has consistently looked to the transfer portal to fill glaring needs missed out upon during recruiting, Florida secured their second former Penn State Nittany Lion in the past two offseasons, joining wide receiver Justin Shorter.
Adding graduate transfer defensive lineman Antonio Shelton Wednesday afternoon, David Turner’s unit would begin to fill a considerable need along the defensive front: Depth.
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Shelton committed to Penn State as part of the 2016 recruiting class on Jan. 31, 2016 before signing his letter of intent in Feb. of the same year.
Playing in 40 games throughout his college career to this point, Shelton tallied 51 total tackles, 12.5 TFL, six sacks, one pass defended, and one forced fumble for the Nittany Lions over four seasons.
This past season, Shelton accounted for 13 total tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble (by way of a strip-sack in Penn States final game of 2020) in nine outings, Shelton aided Penn State’s resurrection following an 0-5 start with his rather significant role in the middle despite inconsistency early on.
Specifically, in the Nittany Lions matchup with Michigan State, he totaled three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks in that game, showcasing the upside that led to Florida’s pursuit in the transfer portal.
Bringing a vocal presence to the Gators' defensive line that will be sorely needed next season, Shelton looks to be a team player. Combining leadership qualities that get the most out of the players around him with multi-season starting experience in power five football, Shelton is a huge acquisition for the UF DL unit.
Standing at 6-foot-2, 327 pounds, Shelton is a massive nose tackle that consistently blows up the interior with his incredible frame and power.
Utilizing absurd strength to cause offensive lineman to disengage—a strength he put on display via a video he posted in March of 2020 on Twitter of him benching 405 pounds for 5 reps—Shelton takes on double teams with relative ease.
And he can still wreak havoc in those situations.
Showing strong signs of a proficient run stopper from the nose tackle position, the redshirt senior anchored the interior of the Nittany Lions defensive line alongside P.J. Mustipher.
Finding success at points as a pass rusher, Shelton wasn’t called upon to get after the quarterback much as the centerpiece of the PSU line, more so focusing on his presence in the rushing game.
With an evident passion for the game, Shelton’s high motor and edge on the field oozes confidence in his game and the abilities of those around him.
“Every time I have an opportunity to play football, we go on the field with supreme confidence,” Shelton said a few days following Penn State’s fifth straight loss to begin the season against Iowa in November. “Supreme confidence in the coaches, scheme, and my teammates for what we’re trying to get done.”
Later in the same press conference, Shelton said that his main focus during the times of turmoil Penn State faced early on in the year was having his support for his teammates and coaches be “unwavering.”
“I’m just trying to be as consistent as I can and do my job...to let my teammates and let my coaches know I got their back because I know they got mine.”
Despite getting back Zachary Carter on the edge for next year, Florida was slated to enter 2021 lacking depth with second-year contributors Gervon Dexter and Jalen Lee inside due to the expected departures of both Kyree Campbell and Tedarrell Slaton.
As he is likely to see a good amount of time at one technique in his final season of collegiate eligibility, Shelton steps in as an immediate rotational piece upon arrival—if not a full-blown starter—for a thin Gators group.
Needing all the help they can get along the trenches on both sides of the football, adding another defensive tackle from the portal is not out of the picture for the Gators.
However, Shelton is a fantastic start for bolstering the unit. Given his skill set and frame, his upside is a major plus against the run, and the success of the unit upfront will largely hinge on his performance next year.
To welcome the newest addition to Florida football, you can follow Shelton on Twitter here.
