Gators DL Gervon Dexter Enters NFL Draft
Photo: Gervon Dexter; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Florida Gators third-year sophomore defensive lineman Gervon Dexter announced that he will enter the 2023 NFL Draft on Monday and forgo his remaining college eligibility.
Dexter did not clarify if he will play in Florida's bowl game, the Las Vegas Bowl, to conclude the 2022 season.
A member of Florida's 2020 recruiting class out of Lake Wales (Fla.) High, Dexter was the first consensus five-star prospect to sign with the Gators since offensive tackle Martez Ivey and defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson in 2015.
He earned immediate playing time upon arrival as a result, logging 254 defensive snaps as a true freshman and nearly doubling that count in 2021.
Dexter emerged as Florida's most-utilized lineman under head coach Billy Napier with 636 snaps — 53 per game, good for 13th-most among FBS defensive linemen — during the 2022 campaign, following the departures of Zachary Carter, Antonio Valentino, Daquan Newkirk and Tyrone Truesdell last offseason.
In three seasons, 37 appearances and 23 starts with the Gators, Dexter compiled 120 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four batted passes. He tallied a total of 51 quarterback pressures and 61 run defense stops in that span, per Pro Football Focus.
Dexter aligned at several positions across the defensive line during his time at UF. He began his career primarily as a three-technique before expanding his role as a nose tackle in 2021. Upon Patrick Toney's arrival as defensive coordinator in 2022, Dexter moved to defensive end but continued to earn interior reps across his final campaign in Gainesville.
Standing at 6-foot-6, 312 pounds with exceptional strength and good athleticism for his size, Dexter is expected to garner early interest in the upcoming draft despite his less-than-stellar production with the Gators. NFL Mock Draft Database currently ranks Dexter as a consensus, early second-round projection.
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