Florida Gators 2020 Signee Profile: Defensive Tackle Jalen Lee
Jalen Lee, Defensive Tackle
School: Live Oak (Watson, La.)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 294 pounds
247Sports Composite Rating: Four stars, No. 37 DT, No. 17 state, No. 362 national
Recruitment History:
Offered by the Gators in January of 2019, defensive tackle Jalen Lee was a late addition to the team's 2020 recruiting class, but not by fault of the Gators' recruiters.
Over the course of his recruitment, the big and burly defensive tackle was sought after by plenty of top-tier programs, including LSU, Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia and Alabama. As a four-star recruit, Lee was thought of as one of the major players in the defensive tackle group throughout his recruitment, although the class was jam-packed full of talent.
Before eventually committing to Florida, Lee was slated to join the LSU Tigers, committing to the program on June 19th of that year, however, he never fully closed his recruitment and the Gators persisted. After decommitting from the Tigers in November of 2019, Lee took several visits to UF, including an unofficial visit following the team's loss against LSU last season.
On December 5th, Lee announced his verbal commitment to the Gators via social media, stating, "You can’t stop what destined. THANK YOU LORD!! COMMITTED. #GatorGangXX," signing with the team on December 18th, early National Signing Day.
Lee would come paired with five-star defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, who looks to play a key role for the Gators this season. The Gators signed a total of six defensive linemen and edge defenders in the 2020 recruiting class.
During his recruitment, Gators defensive line coach David Turner led the way in securing a commitment from the young defensive tackle, ensuring his group would be well-balanced in the future, especially several key linemen leave due to eligibility or early declarations.
Long-Term Outlook:
Lee has the potential and fits as a member of the Gators defensive line at their nose tackle position but carries the pass-rushing promise to also play three-technique. Currently expected to be manned by senior Kyree Campbell and redshirt senior Marlon Dunlap Jr., the Gators will be in need for their respective replacements as early as 2021.
In Lee, the Gators have a perfect plug-and-play defensive tackle. At 6-foot-3, 294 pounds coming out of high school, Lee has the size to take on double teams in the middle of the Gators defense, allowing the speed of their linebackers to be showcased.
As an eventual pair with Dexter, Lee is a powerful force up the middle who still is able to cause havoc in the backfield due to his impressive hand movements and pursuit. He showcased plenty of effort plays while at Live Oak and that will be a welcome addition to defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's defense.
Lee will hope to bring the Gators a true force up the middle, stopping any run game in the SEC in its tracks.
Overall, Lee projects to play a key role with the Gators for years to come. As one of the team's most underrated additions in its 2020 recruiting class, it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him play sooner, rather than later.
