2023 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Florida DL Gervon Dexter Sr.

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, I’ll be profiling Florida DL Gervon Dexter Sr.

#9 Gervon Dexter, DL, Florida (Junior) – 6060, 312lb

Measurements

The Good

— Great size for the position with a thick frame and long arms
— Wingspan allows him to control blockers at the LOS and work off blocks
— Can get his hands up and bat down passes near the LOS
— Great raw strength and power to overwhelm single blockers
— Can walk back blockers to collapse the pocket and bottle up runners in the backfield
— Possesses a powerful bull rush that can pressure the QB right after the snap
— Will use a push/pull move to shed blocks in pursuit of the football
— Utilizes an arm over/swim move in combination to his power rush to clear blocks into the pocket.
— Has good short-area movement skills to get off blocks and make tackles
— Can close on the QB quickly to pressure the pass or take him down
— Can sit in gaps and eat blockers to let LBs run free to the football
— Has played up and down the LOS at UF, lining up head-up on the center to outside shade of the OT
— Physical tackler that takes ballcarriers down to the ground once he has them in his grasp
— Has “big man” athletic skills when it comes to batting passes or getting hands on balls for INTs

The Bad

— Lacks high-end athletic ability you desire from an interior defender
— Motor can run hot and cold at times
— Open field speed is lacking, making him not the best player when it comes to pursuit
— Get off on the snap is sporadic, often being delayed and slow
— Has leverage issues, standing straight up which depletes his strength and power
— Can do a better job playing square to the LOS to prevent getting washed on down blocks
— Will occasionally get off blocks late, allowing runners to go right by him
— Doesn’t always play to his strength at the point of attack
— Will panic against double teams, getting high and upright
— Still very raw when it comes to his hand usage and mental nuances of the game

Bio

— Junior Prospect from Lake Wales, FL
— Born October 5, 2001 (age 21)
— Totaled 103 tackles, 18 sacks, 35 TFLs, and seven forced fumbles as a HS senior in 2019
— Played varsity basketball (started as a freshman) and qualified for the 2019 FHSAA Class 2A State Track & Field Championships in the discus
— 2020 Under Armour All-America Game invitee
— Played 12 games as a true freshman and started two, finishing with 19 tackles (4 solo), 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one interception
— Appeared in all 13 games in 2021 and started nine, notching 50 total stops, 4.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, a PBU, and two fumble recoveries
— Started all 13 games in 2022 and recorded 55 tackles (23 solo), four TFLs, four quarterback hurries, 2 sacks, one INT, and a PBU

Tape Breakdown

Gervon Dexter Sr. from Florida is a uniquely built defensive lineman. He stands nearly 6’6, weighing over 300lb, and possesses impressive arm length and athletic traits rare for a man his size. Simply put, Dexter’s body type isn’t something you see every day, even in the NFL. However, Dexter is more than just a big body, having the twitch and short-area movement skills that make him a tantalizing prospect. Watch Dexter quickly shed to block on this rep against Utah to get into the gap and wrap up the RB behind the line for a shot loss on the play.

Dexter also has good situational awareness when it comes to making plays in the spur of the moment like some big men in the league do. Watch Dexter quickly locate the ball in the air after Brenton Cox takes down the QB, laying out to secure the INT, the second of his college career.

While Dexter has some notable athletic traits, his pure strength and power stick out above the rest. He is a handful for any solo blocker, having the size and power to walk back offensive linemen against their will. Watch these clips of Dexter using his long arms and brute strength to collapse the pocket in the first clip to get the sack and hold his own at the LOS in the second clip, giving no ground as he works off the block and makes the tackle near the goal line.

Dexter can shed blocks well when he has control of the blocker with his long arms and good body position. Watch this first rep of Dexter overwhelming the center at the snap and later shedding him to pressure Hendon Hooker as he releases the ball. In the second clip, we see Dexter quickly get into the center as he slants to the opposite gap, but counters back across the blocker’s face to wrap up Will Levis on the attempted QB draw.

Dexter can quickly get upfield and create penetration against the opposing offensive line, being a disrupting force along the DL. He wins with his brute strength on a push/pull move but also occasionally with a quick arm over/swim move like we see here against Kentucky, knocking the blocker back with power, then gets off the block with the arm over the shoulder, blowing up Levis as he throws the football.

When everything is synced up for Dexter, he can be a disruptive force against the run. Watch this play where Dexter gets a strong push inside the blocker’s chest and then proceeds to toss him down to the ground, defeating the block to suplex the runner behind the LOS.

Still, there are several notable issues with Dexter’s game as he is still quite raw when it comes to the mental aspect and his technique. He is painfully slow off the LOS sometimes, waiting often a full second to get off the line after the ball is snapped. Watch this play as Dexter is delayed in his get-off, but still manages to hit the QB as he throws. While he was disruptive in this play, Dexter could be so much more productive is he were to properly time the snap and get off the ball, likely getting the sack here.

Here is another example of Dexter being slow off the snap, getting washed down by the LT as the back takes the RPO give and cuts up field to the bottom of your screen, picking up the first down as Dexter attempts to spin off the block and jog downfield to get back in on the play.

Dexter’s awareness as a gap defender also can be better as he will allow the runner right into the second level of the defense without knowing he ran past him. In this play, Dexter is solely focused on stalemating the center at the LOS, having no awareness of the runner coming right through the gap as he runs by him and into the second level for a big play.

Dexter also has a bad habit of getting too high after the snap, giving OL a tall, large target to punch and get a hold off. Dexter’s leverage issues also create a lack of power and strength at the point of attack as you can see on this rep where he pops straight up after the snap, getting bulldozed off the LOS by the double team and thrown onto his butt into the end zone due to poor pad level and anchor.

Conclusion

Overall, Gervon Dexter Sr. is an athletically gifted yet raw defensive lineman that needs some seasoning and refinement to capitalize on his rare physical traits. His body type is in short supply in the NFL, having the size, height, and length you look for along the interior. His play makes him a great fit as a 4-3 DT or 3-4 DE, having the pure strength and power to rag doll single blockers as well as the close-area athleticism and burst to track down the ball carrier. Still, Dexter needs to improve his get-off and leverage issues to become a more consistent player, along with developing a pass-rush plan outside of winning with brute strength.

When watching Dexter, I saw flashes of Muhammed Wilkerson who used to play for the Jets. Wilkerson had a similar rare length and body type but was more proven and a better overall athlete though, so a more sensible comparison I turned to was Christian Barmore for the Patriots. Barmore has a similar size and length (6’4, 310lb) with impressive strength and athleticism for his size, being a disrupter along the interior. However, Barmore was seen as a little raw himself coming out of Alabama and has only started five games the last two seasons as he continues to develop.

I see a similar path for Dexter who has the measurables and physical traits to become a plus stater in the NFL but needs time to hone those skills to become more consistent and productive. The Pittsburgh Steelers need to address defensive line this offseason and Dexter has the physical traits the team looks for at 3-technique/4i. Dexter could come in as a rotational player as a rookie as he plays behind Heyward and is mentored by Karl Dunbar, honing his traits to potentially become a solid starter in the league. Given the need and Dexter’s profile, he is a player I’d expect the Steelers to be interesting when the draft rolls around in April.

Projection: Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 8.0 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: vs Kentucky (2022), vs Utah (2022), vs Tennessee (2021)