Finding Browns Fits in the 2023 NFL Draft: Gervon Dexter Sr., DT Florida
As the Cleveland Browns take on the stretch run of their schedule, college football's regular season has wrapped and players are starting to make decisions about their futures including the NFL Draft. The transfer portal is busy and the presence of NIL might be having an impact, but there are plenty of players who are still opting into the NFL Draft early, including at positions that the Browns will be trying to address.
The most pressing need for Browns continues to be the defensive interior. There are players declaring who bolster the number of options the Browns will have in the NFL Draft. Additionally, there are positions like quarterbacks leaving for the NFL that the Browns won't be in the market for but will benefit from as teams will select them, pushing targets for the Browns to drop and become more attainable.
One of those options is Gervon Dexter Sr. who announced his intent to enter this year's draft after his third season at the University of Florida.
Listed Measurables
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 312 lbs
Dexter is enormous. He is tall with a massive frame, but he's sleek in his body composition. There's plenty of room to add especially in his lower body. Dexter has giant shoulders, a powerful upper body and has the ability to throw people around. He's not bad on his feet and has decent short area quickness even if his long speed is relatively ordinary.
The problem for Dexter is his lean lower body. He's just not all that strong from the waist down and weak hips, which causes him some problems. The first is obviously rooted in his overall strength. When facing underpowered opponents, he largely did whatever he wanted. However, against stronger players, the type he's likely to see in the NFL, he impact was diminished. Yes, the upper body strength was there, but strong opponents are able to move him off the ball such as against Georgia and Tennessee.
The other problem Dexter runs into is coming out of his stance. Too often, he basically has to stand up before moving forward. When he's up and moving, he's a problem, but his ability to just come off the ball is marginal. With added lower body strength, especially in his hips, it could enable him to snap off the ball and impact the line of scrimmage quicker and with more ferocity. Given how impactful he is in his current form, that upside is interesting.
Presumably, this will be a heavy focus for Dexter as he prepares for the NFL scouting combine and individual workouts. His overall lower body strength will be a question mark as will his hips. Should Dexter find a way to add that strength and improve his quickness, both in preparing for the NFL Draft as well as first first few seasons in the NFL, don't be surprised if he's quickly around 330 pounds. That's just the frame he has and the room he has on his lower body to add muscle.
Dexter does show good balance and body control. He gets a wide base which can make him tough to move, tough to knock off balance. Along with that, he's effectively at sprawling to avoid being cut, able to stay up and get to the ball.
Dexter will be young coming out and he possesses long arms. Both of those qualities will be attractive to the Browns. Still, the issues laid out here show the inherent risk with taking someone like Dexter early in the NFL Draft.
Production
2022: 22 solo tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass deflection in 12 games
2021: 20 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection in 13 games
Dexter's production is pretty solid. Florida's defense has been good, so the relative impact is higher than his raw numbers might look. They just aren't on the field all that much.
Dexter can disengage from blockers and make tackles. He needs to be more consistent in this regard, but it's another element tied to his current lack of lower body power. When he's overmatched, he is forced to keep hands, on, arms extended to try to keep opponents out of his body. Meanwhile, when he's able to create advantages and play like he's capable, he has violent hands, throws opponents out of the way which allows him to make plays on the ball.
It's also what enables him to make plays in the backfield. His sleek build does allow him to get skinny at points too despite his ample frame. He can show good quickness with penetration, able to slip through holes in the protection and either stuff the run or make a play on the quarterback.
His upper body strength also can allow him to displace offensive linemen to get to the ball carrier in an adjacent gap. He effectively uses his long arms to maintain control of gaps and takes up a ton of space. It gives him the ability to get off the block or protect the linebackers behind him.
Dexter doesn't create many pass deflections because he's usually trying to get to the quarterback. He's more than big enough but he's usually focused on the matchup he's engaged with the blocker rather than trying to get hands up.
There are legitimate questions to his range and his ability to cover ground. He's quick, but he doesn't show much speed. Granted, Florida had him clog up blockers quite a bit, so he wasn't asking to do things like slant or stunt. Still, when he does work down the line, he looks rather ordinary. Maybe he can be good there, but he hasn't shown it.
Why the Browns Could Like Him
Dexter is a massive body that could develop into a full service nose that can contribute against the run as well as the pass. The viability he offers on any down and distance should allow him to find reps in the rotation until he's able to take over the starting job.
He's been utilized both head up and over shoulder of the center. Dexter is pretty terrifying singled up on a center and might be a worthwhile way to utilize him early with other defensive tackles flanking him in a bear front to provide a heavy look. His size and long arms are going to be challenging for centers because he's able to get into their chest first while also having a length advantage. That could enable him to walk centers into the backfield or simply control them until he finds the ball and release to attack.
Lined up in between blockers, he has the capability to demand double teams, take up space and free up teammates to make plays. Should he fill out his lower body, he's going to be enormous to potentially be built like former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Daniel McCullers, but perhaps with more juice.
The Bottom Line
Gervon Dexter Sr. is a young, developmental nose with impressive upper body strength and intriguing potential. He needs to strengthen his lower body and improve his get off. The upside is likely to be part of the sticker price with the risk that he is never able to quite get there. He could still be a functional two-gapping clogger, but come with some regrets.
