Gators 2023 NFL Draft Profile: DB Trey Dean III

Photo: Trey Dean III; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The 2023 NFL Draft is approaching, marking the peak of the professional football offseason.

As NFL free agency cools down after the initial surge to fill spots of need, teams are solidifying their big boards for the eventful selection period set to take place from April 27-29.

Multiple University of Florida talents are in the midst of preparing for the draft process. Eight of the 11 entrants recently participated in the NFL Combine. They finalized their athletic metrics at the school's Pro Day on March 30.

In anticipation of the selection ceremony, All Gators will provide player draft profiles for the 11 Florida representatives. The series will include the player's history, strengths, weaknesses, scouting report, best fit and most up-to-date Gators-centric mock draft selection.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson, offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence and defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. were evaluated prior to the team's Pro Day.

After a brief hiatus of the series to focus on the conclusion of the Gators' spring regimen, we return our focus to the draft profile series seven days until the 2023 NFL Draft process begins. We analyzed edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. on Thursday.

Next up is a multi-year starter at multiple spots in the secondary, Trey Dean III.

Player History

As a native of Hampton, Ga., Dean entered the fold at the University of Florida as a former four-star prospect. He chose the Gators over Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and a slew of other potential suitors on Early Signing Day in the 2018 class.

Expected to serve in a reserve role behind starters CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson in year one while he was groomed for a future lead role in the cornerbacks room, Dean was thrust into action after Wilson suffered a season ending injury in week two against Kentucky.

Sliding into the starting spot opposite Henderson, Dean held his own to provide promise for the future of his collegiate career. He accounted for five pass breakups and one interception within the heightened role and created what Florida hoped to be a third viable option following his predecessors return.

However, that wasn’t the case.

When Wilson retook the field in 2019, Dean was forced to scoot inside to the nickel cornerback position for a short time. His impressive freshman production failed to be replicated at the spot and he quickly saw his snap count shrink as the year went on.

Heading into the Gators 2019 Orange Bowl appearance, Dean endured talks of a position switch internally. Although originally reluctant, he agreed to make the move to safety. He occupied that spot for the remainder of his collegiate career.

His junior season saw him operate in rotation at the spot before he fully took over as a starter for the final two years of eligibility.

Dean compiled 255 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 18 pass breakups, four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 57 games at UF.

Strengths

• Positional versatility.
• Lateral movement and burst.
• Man-to-man coverage skills/history.
• Physicality.
• Physical makeup.

Concerns

• Straight-line speed.
• Range in coverage.
• Lack of discipline.
• Zone coverage skills.

Scouting Report

Contrary to popular belief, Dean put nearly as much good on tape as he did bad for the Gators dating back to his 2018 arrival. While his wrongs stood out in a defense that gradually regressed in each season he donned orange and blue, the traits the chiseled 6-foot-2, 206-pound DB displayed indicate further untapped potential.

His past as a productive man-to-man coverage man displays the fortitude to take individual coverage assignments from his expected strong safety spot in a man-heavy scheme.

If he remains a safety, one-on-one matchups with tight ends will bode well for him (and his team) as he possesses the size, length and physicality to hold his own against pass catchers, namely tight ends.

However, he can get hurt when he's forced to work in zone coverage in the backend, which is why limitations appear for his future role, at least at this time. 

Without the straight-line speed to cover ground at the pace asked for at the next level — displayed by his concerning 4.75 40-yard dash metric during the combine — and his struggles in judgment when operating in said coverage, there will likely be a desire to keep him in the box unless he's head-up with an opposing pass catcher.

From that box spot, Dean's physicality translates. His above-average run diagnosis skills, impressive burst from his spot to meet ball carriers at or near the line of scrimmage and strong pop of the pads when working downhill have led him to account for over 250 tackles in five seasons.

Despite immense struggles throughout his career at Florida, Dean showed vast improvement in the final six games of his fifth year in Gainesville. The lapses in coverage, missed tackles and other mental voids nearly vanished on tape during that stretch, although they will still linger in evaluators' minds.

Overall, Dean's calling card will be his ability to operate in multiple roles on the backend. Serving as a versatile asset for an NFL franchise to utilize at any of the five modern defensive back spots (two boundary corners, two safeties, nickel cornerback), he's a high-upside defensive back piece that will arguably have a better professional career than he collegiately.

Best Fit(s)

Dean would best align in a man-heavy coverage system that allows him to matchup in head-up coverage with tight ends and slow wideouts on occasion with a heavy presence in the box against the run from his strong safety position.

While that remains the case, he spent time operating within a New England Patriots-esque defensive system during his time at the Shrine Bowl. Earning defensive MVP awards for his contributions, Dean looked to fit well into the scheme they employed and drew praise from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for his performance during the week.

Dean is flexible in that sense but would maximize his skillset in a man-first scheme.

All Gators mock simulator selection

Round 5, Pick 174: Las Vegas Raiders