Packers draft prospects to know: Florida IDL Gervon Dexter
By Paul Bretl
Next up in my ‘Packers prospects to know’ series is Florida interior defensive lineman Gervon Dexter. You can find the other players that have been highlighted below.
Gervon Dexter was a member of Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks List’ prior to the 2022 season, and we saw why with his performance at the NFL Combine. Dexter measured in at 6’5″, weighed 310 pounds, and posted an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.70 out of 10, which included a 4.88-second 40-time. Out of all interior defensive linemen, Dexter had the fourth-best RAS.
At 21 years old, Dexter has 1,259 career snaps, most of which have come in the last two seasons. During that two-year span, he recorded 48 pressures – 24 each season – and six total sacks. The 24 run stops that Dexter had in 2022 specifically were the eighth most among all interior defensive linemen. Most of his career snaps came lined up in the B-gap, according to PFF, but he does have about 200 snaps in the A-gap as well as over the tackle.
Dexter’s game needs continued refinement for him to truly unlock his potential, but with that athleticism he possesses, the upside is tremendous. Right away, Dexter would likely slot into the fourth interior defensive lineman role behind Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and TJ Slaton.
Although some refinement is needed, and his impact could be small initially, this also feels like a very Brian Gutekunst-esque selection, as he bets on Dexter’s physical traits.
Over at The Draft Network, Dexter is the fourth-ranked interior defensive lineman and the 66th-ranked prospect overall. For more on his game, here is a snippet of what Keith Sanchez wrote in his pre-draft report.
"“Overall, Dexter is a prospect that has physical tools that will instantly give him an opportunity to be a starter in the NFL. The question for Dexter will be whether he will continue to develop his skill set to be an impactful starter in the NFL to match those rare physical traits.”"
As I wrote about recently, the interior defensive line position for the Packers hasn’t garnered a ton of attention this offseason, but it very much could be an early-round pick for Green Bay.
At this moment, there are only five defensive linemen on the roster, and only three have any playing experience. For a position that is heavily rotated with four or even five players seeing playing time each week, depth is needed.
On top of that, the Packers also need overall better play from this position group. It’s not a coincidence that when the defense was playing it’s best football at the end of the 2022 season, so was the interior defensive line group, who held up better against the run and was generating more regular pressure.
The best way for a defense to wreck any run or passing play is with a quick push from up the middle. When that’s taking place, there isn’t a position group on the defensive side of the ball that doesn’t benefit.