Tag: Gervon Dexter

These 2 Gators named to Outland Trophy preseason watch list

Gervon Dexter and O’Cyrus Torrence were named to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list, given to the nation’s best interior lineman.

Defensive lineman [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] were both named to the Outland Trophy preseason watch list, an award issued annually to the nation’s best interior lineman, regardless if they play on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. The Football Writers Association of America has presented the trophy since 1946 and will announce this year’s winner on December 8.

This is one of the many preseason recognitions that Torrence has received this offseason. The Louisiana transfer was named to the preseason All-SEC First Team at SEC media days last week. He was also named a preseason All-American by multiple outlets including Phil Steele, Sporting News, Walter Camp and ESPN. Along with his on-field impact, Torrence has been a major help in implementing first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s system, even being referred to as “Coach O’Cyrus” by fellow offensive lineman [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag].

Not to be overshadowed by his offensive counterpart, Dexter has earned early recognition of his own. The junior defensive lineman was named a preseason All-American by Walter Camp and Sporting News and was named to the preseason All-SEC list by Athlon and Phil Steele. He is expected to follow up a breakout 2021 season where he started nine games and appeared in all 13 games for the Gators.

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These 5 Gators earned preseason All-SEC honors from the media

Here’s a look at the Gators who made the cut for the media’s preseason All-SEC list, as well as the rest of the field.

The dust is still settling from this summer’s SEC media days as the preeminent athletic conference in the nation wraps up its biggest event of the offseason. For the Florida Gators, it was their new head football coach’s first official foray into the Southeastern Conference fray, in which he held his own showing both a bit of his personal side as well as a focus on culture change in the Swamp, in addition to many other topics [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] addressed.

The media, as is the tradition, took to the task of assembling their preseason predictions after the conclusion of the events, which included the announcement of this year’s preseason All-SEC teams. Among those mentioned were eight members of the Orange and Blue crew, who has offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] listed on the first team.

Also making the cut are defensive lineman [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. (listed as a linebacker), who made the second team, as well as defensive back [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] who earned third team honors.

Take a look below at the full list of players ranked by tiered teams on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, as well as the special teams players.

How long does ESPN think it will take Billy Napier to find success?

It might be a little bit longer than most Gator fans would like until UF wins the SEC East again, but Billy Napier has a ton of talent at Florida to work with.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly previewed the SEC East on Monday, and he had quite a bit to say about the Florida Gators, as one may expect.

Connelly tackled several big questions surrounding the top programs in the conference, and one of them was how long Gator Nation could expect it to take for Billy Napier to succeed in Gainesville? The answer isn’t so simple, but he’s expecting it to take a bit longer than most that fill the Swamp on Saturdays would like to hear.

“The Gators could indeed be positioned to make a leap next year. This year? Hard to say,” Connely said.

Florida’s offense might actually be in a better spot right now than it was last year at this time, but the defense has much to prove. Eight of the twelve returning players on defense were freshmen last year, and the youth showed on the field. Connelly pointed to [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] returning as difference makers for this year, but he also said that the sophomores need to take a big leap for the team to be competitive against the conference’s best.

If [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and Co. can shake off the Todd Grantham funk quickly enough, Florida could impress quicker than expected. Offensively, the line is in better shape than it was last year. Napier brought in [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] from Louisiana to help lead that front and has [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] to lead the running backs room. Of course, [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] has the biggest ceiling of anyone on the team, and Napier’s job is to help him control his raw talent and turn it into something consistent. If Richardson gets it together, Florida should be able to put up some gaudy numbers.

Napier lost three of his first four with ULL, but the Ragin’ Cajuns won six of the next eight and wound up winning the Sun Belt West title that season. Florida’s got far more talent to work with, but the SEC East isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

Connelly’s SP+ projections have Florida finishing third in the East this year, ahead of Kentucky and behind Tennessee.

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Pair of Gators named Walter Camp 2022 Preseason All-Americans

Two Florida players were named to All-American teams by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Monday.

Florida has some talent to look forward to in the trenches.

Offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] were named to the Walter Camp 2022 Preseason All-American teams on Monday. Torrence, who was one of the top offensive linemen in the transfer portal this offseason, was named a first-teamer, and Dexter earned second-team recognition as a junior.

Both players are expected to be major contributors for the Gators this year. Torrence played for three years under Billy Napier at Lousiana and has become a leader in the locker room during the transition period. He stood out in spring practices, according to a report from 247Sports, shutting down his opponents during 11-on-11 practice sessions.

Dexter is entering his third year with the Gators and is expected to garner plenty of attention as he attempts to raise his draft stock with a big junior year. A five-star recruit coming out of high school, the hype is nothing new for Dexter, but he’ll need to best the 51 tackles and 2.5 sacks he managed in 2021.

In 2021, cornerback [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] was named to the Second Team, and tight end Kyle Pitts was named to the First Team in 2020. Prior to that, the foundation released a Preseason Player of the Year Watch List, so this marks the first time UF has had two representatives on the lists.

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Here’s where Florida football stands in ESPN’s top 25 Future Power Rankings

You’re probably not going to like where ESPN ranks the Gators. We certainly didn’t.

Florida’s football program reached stratospheric heights during the first decade of the 21st century under head coach [autotag]Urban Meyer[/autotag], but since his departure, the team has taken a massive U-turn back into a level of mediocrity not seen since before [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag]’s tenure. Exacerbating the issue is the coaching carousel that the Orange and Blue experienced in recent years, having burned through three new skippers before bringing on [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] to right the ship.

There is little question that the new administration has a steep hill to climb to get the Gators back to their previous level of success. Even though [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]’s tenure saw three straight New Year’s Six bowl game appearances, it still came to a tumultuous close as the program imploded upon itself due to neglect, leaving things in shambles for the next coach to clean up.

With that in mind, ESPN senior writer Adam Rittenberg recently published his college football’s top 25 future power rankings and where he placed Florida may rustle a few jimmies among the Gator Nation. Take a look at his entry below.

22. Florida Gators
2022 Future QB ranking: Not ranked
2022 Future offense ranking: Not ranked
2022 Future defense ranking: 21
2021 Future team ranking: 8

Scouting the Gators: Florida is the type of program that could surge in these rankings as soon as 2023. There’s always talent in Gainesville, and coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] looks like a smart hire for a program that hasn’t made the CFP and last won the SEC in 2008, the Gators’ most recent national championship. But an unexpected transition — no one pegged [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] to be fired at this time last year — could lead to a down year or two, especially in the improving SEC East Division. The biggest immediate question is the offense and whether dual-threat quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] will provide a consistent spark. Richardson must show greater accuracy and fewer mistakes in the pass game, but he has sophomore eligibility and room to grow under Napier.

Florida also received some QB insurance in Ohio State transfer [autotag]Jack Miller[/autotag]. Running back could become a multiyear strength. [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] followed Napier from Louisiana to Florida after a 12-touchdown season as a freshman in 2021. Johnson leads a sophomore group that includes [autotag]Nay’Quan Wright [/autotag]and [autotag]Demarkcus Bowman[/autotag]. Florida also added ESPN 300 recruit [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag]. Junior [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] leads a young wide receiver group with opportunities to shine. The Gators need sophomores [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] and [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] to stay healthy, or someone else to emerge. They return two veteran tight ends in [autotag]Keon Zipperer[/autotag] and [autotag]Dante Zanders[/autotag] but need options for 2023 and 2024. Offensive line has some concerns, especially depth at tackle, but returns junior center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] and some other interior pieces. Florida has a 2023 commitment from [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], ESPN’s top-rated center in the class.

The defense has fewer immediate questions. Florida returns proven players such as safety [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], end [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. and tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag]. Both Cox and Dexter could play multiple seasons and lead a line that needs others to emerge this fall, including sophomore end [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag]. Florida could become a back-to-front defense in Napier’s first few seasons, as the secondary returns Dean and sophomores [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] and [autotag]Tre’Vez Johnson[/autotag] at safety, and talented young cornerbacks such as [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]., an ESPN top-50 recruit who appeared in every game as a true freshman. [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag], ESPN’s top-rated safety and No. 18 overall recruit, headlined Napier’s first class. Seniors [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] lead a linebacker group that will look to build long-term depth this season. [autotag]Derek Wingo[/autotag] has sophomore eligibility, and Florida added ESPN 300 linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] in the 2022 recruiting class.

Despite just making the top 25 list by a few spots, the future is beginning to look bright again in Gainesville. Napier and Co. have done a great job on the recruiting front so far, and once the new regime has its plans for the future fully implemented, the Swamp should once again be a favorable destination for the best in the business.

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This Gator among 247Sports 100 true freshman who matter in 2022

This Gator is among the top true freshmen who matter in 2022.

Florida football’s 2022 campaign will be a transition year for the program as it shifts gears from the Dan Mullen era straight ahead into new head coach Billy Napier’s debut season. Alongside the turnover seen among the coaching staff have also been changes in the personnel on the field, with players departing to the pros as well as through the transfer portal, while some also arriving through the latter.

All of this turmoil makes Napier’s first recruiting class — much of which is a holdover from the previous regime — even more important as the team looks to bounce back from a very disappointing 2021 season. 247Sports’ Chris Hummer recently published his list of 100 true freshmen who matter this coming fall and included one neophyte Gator from the 2022 class: defensive lineman [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag]. Here is what he had to say.

McClellan arrived at Florida with college-ready size and that showed in spring ball. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound interior lineman looked like someone who could contribute in the SEC right away, which is huge for a Gators program in need of depth along the defensive interior (and still looking for help in the portal). Look for McClellan to be in the rotation at defensive tackle behind [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag].

The four-star lineman out of Owasso (Oklahoma) in the 2022 recruiting cycle ranked No. 113 overall and No. 16 nationally at his position, per the 247Sports Composite, while ranking Nos. 121 and 16, respectively, according to the On3 Consensus. If he can take the step forward that Hummer is suggesting the Gators would get a massive boost on its D-line — an area of great need heading into fall.

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This Gator is among The Athletic’s most intriguing SEC prospects

The Athletic thinks AR-15 is Florida’s top NFL draft prospect.

Florida football had a weak showing in the 2022 NFL draft with just three former Gators getting their names called during the seven rounds of selections a few weeks ago. Much of that is attributable to a recession in talent due in part to former head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]’s negligence on the recruiting trail.

Fortunately, brighter days are likely ahead for the Orange and Blue as new head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] assumes the helm and attempts to steer the ship back in the right direction. However, there is at least one holdover from the previous era who is poised to make some noise in the 2023 NFL draft — specifically, quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag].

The electric signal-caller had an up-and-down redshirt freshman season, displaying moments of absolute brilliance while also demonstrating a need for improvement in his gameday skills as well as an inability to remain healthy. Nonetheless, the media in general view the Gainesville native as a future star for the Gators as well as a potential pro.

The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner recently reviewed the Southeastern Conference and listed which player from each school was the most intriguing NFL draft prospect, with the obvious selection being made for Florida. Here is a look at his justification for picking Richardson, as well as a few other potential players.

Richardson is a redshirt sophomore who’s made just 66 pass attempts in his college career. There are moments when it looks like Richardson is a long way off. And then there are electric moments when he looks like a future star (the second half vs. LSU, for example). The 6-4, 237-pounder has undeniable physical traits with his arm and legs.

Everyone at Florida gets a fresh start with Billy Napier. And one of Napier’s first big tasks in Gainesville will be getting everything to click for Richardson. He has to walk before he can run. But if it takes off early for Richardson, watch out.

Other Gator prospects to keep an eye on: [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. (Edge), [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] (DL), [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] (LB) and [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] (OL).

AR-15 is as good of a bet as you can get on the Gators right now as far as his talent ceiling is concerned. Still, the questions surrounding his apparent fragility on the field will need to be answered before any can come of his celestial talent — it does not matter how good you are if you cannot play. However, if Richardson can jump that hurdle, there is a very good chance that he will make the leap to the pros in 2023.

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Check out where ESPN thinks Florida’s future defense ranks

Will the new coaching staff lead Florida to an elite defense over the next few years? ESPN like UF’s chances.

If you like way-too-early predictions and projections, ESPN’s latest ranking of future defenses might interest you. Georgia made it clear in 2021 that defense is king, at least for now, and it’s worth taking a look ahead at which teams have the most talent on that side of the ball.

Before we dive into it, let’s take a look at exactly what’s being measured in these defensive rankings. It’s impossible to know exactly what a team is going to look like over the next couple of years, but ESPN has opted to take the current rosters and look as far ahead as 2024 to get the job done. Returning players, incoming transfers and expected NFL departures are all factored into these rankings. Still, those changes can continually affect a program if they come up consistently.

With that being said, ESPN has Florida at a respectable No. 21 on the list after finishing at No. 12 last year. The drop is hardly surprising considering the disaster of a defense the Gators have fielded over the past two years. Let’s not forget that defensive coordinator [autotag]Todd Grantham[/autotag] was the first domino to drop in the collapse of the Mullen regime. [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] and [autotag]Zachary Carter[/autotag], two key contributors over the last two seasons, are also gone via the NFL draft.

“Florida is one of the tougher teams to project after so many changes, on both its roster and the coaching staff. But the foundation on defense, combined with a promising start to recruiting, vaults the Gators into the rankings for the first time in this year’s FPR series.”

Co-defensive coordinators [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] have plenty of talent to work with in 2022 and showed promise by nabbing five-star safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] among a handful of other blue-chip recruits in a short cycle.

[autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. are the players to look for up front, and “the development of others will significant” as well. [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] leads a young group of linebackers, including freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag], and the secondary has some returning talent in [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag], [autotag]Rashad Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr.[/autotag] [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is also coming back from an injury that kept him out all of last year.

That leaves Florida sixth in terms of future defenses in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia, Texas A&M and Alabama take up Nos. 2-4 on the list, in that order, after reeling in strong recruiting classes year after year. If [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] can keep up the early success he’s had at Florida bringing in young talent, then Florida should start to close the gap between No. 21 and those three schools in the top five.

At the very least, the goal should be to get above Kentucky (No. 18) and start creeping up on LSU (No. 9). There’s a real feeling that Florida can reclaim the title of DBU over the next few years with former LSU defensive backs coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] in tow. The recruiting class of 2023 should have a huge impact on the Gators’ future defense ranking.

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DL transfer portal target sets official visit date to Florida

Florida quickly pivoted from Darrell Jackson to ASU defensive lineman Jermayne Lole, who set an official visit to the Swamp.

Swamp247 reported that Arizona State defensive lineman [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag], who entered the NCAA transfer portal before the May 1 cut-off date, set an official visit to see Florida on May 20 last Friday. If a player entered the portal after that date, they would have to apply for a waiver to be immediately eligible.

Lole has also set official visits to see Louisville for the weekend of May 13, Texas Tech for the weekend of May 27, and Oregon for the weekend of June 3. They reported that USC is also trying to Lole on campus but a date hasn’t been set yet.

It’s also not out of the possibility that he elects to return to the Sun Devils. One of the main reasons driving Lole’s decision to enter the portal is because he wants to explore his name, image and likeness value. A third-party Arizona State collective that hasn’t officially launched yet is trying to convince Lole to stay.

In three seasons with the Sun Devils, he recorded 122 tackles, 20 of which were for a loss and 11 sacks. Lole didn’t play last season due to a triceps injury.

The Gators and head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] quickly pivoted to Lole after former Maryland defensive lineman Darrell Jackson transferred to Miami over them.  Florida is still looking for defensive line help to pair with defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag].

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Florida football trying to make up deficit in NIL space

How is Florida and head coach BIlly Napier faring in the name, image and likeness space?

It felt like Florida was simply outbid when former Maryland defensive lineman Darrell Jackson elected to transfer to Miami over the Gators. He tagged the company LifeWallet when he made his announcement, which is owned by the Hurricanes’ billionaire booster John Ruiz that has given name, image and likeness deals to players, as well as potential transfers and recruits. It made fans ponder about how Florida is faring in the NIL space?

Head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] told boosters after his national signing day press conference that he needed $20 million to field a contending SEC roster, according to The Athletic.

To help reach that number, Eddie Rojas has established the Gator Collective which allows Florida fans to contribute to a player’s NIL. Fans can make pledges as low as $5.99 a month. After being founded last August, the Gator Collective has collected over 2,200 subscribers and has raised more than $500,000. However, it’s still a long way away from that $20 million figure.

Hugh Hathcock has helped Napier and Florida make up a significant amount of that deficit. He started the Gator Guard which is the same thing as the Gator Collective but is an exclusive club for high net-worth Gators. Within 48 hours, the Gator Guard has produced commitments worth $5 million.

However, Napier doesn’t want those funds to be used just for landing more talented transfers and recruits since college football has sort of turned into free agency. He wants some of it to be spent on current Florida players like quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag].

The Gator Collective has signed 20 football players to five- and sixth-month deals while compensating 60 more.

Florida is not at that $20 million mark, but it is slowly getting there.

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