Florida Gators 2021 Positional Review: Defensive Line

Photo: Gervon Dexter and Zachary Carter; Credit: Zach Goodall

After reviewing each position across Florida's offense for the 2021 season, it's time to flip sides and analyze the Gators' defensive performance during their most recent campaign.

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Offensive line

Much like, well, basically every position on offense, there were a lot of ups and downs for the Gators' defensive line last season. Keep in mind, this unit doesn't include BUCK rush ends such as Brenton Cox Jr. or Khris Bogle, rather, it focuses on the two interior linemen and three-point stance defensive end in UF's previous base defense.

The highlight of the unit was undoubtedly defensive end Zachary Carter, who had a breakout year in his fifth season at UF, tallying 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, two batted passes, a forced fumble and 29 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Carter rotated between end and three-technique tackle and was successful in both spots. Carter was UF's best run defending lineman, per PFF, holding rushers to 0.9 yards on average when he'd make a tackle. He also posted a respectable 11.9 percent pass rush win rate.

As a result of his productive year, Carter has since been invited to the NFL Combine and will hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft. His three upperclassmen counterparts — Antonio Valentino, Daquan Newkirk and Tyrone Truesdell — may not be as lucky.

The trio of transfers added to the defensive line before the season — in Truesdell's case, one week before the season-opener — filled in for the departed T.J. Slaton and Kyree Campbell along the interior, but did not do much to impact games on a consistent basis. Valentino, Newkirk and Truesdell combined for only 29 tackles, two sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and 26 pressures, fewer than Carter in each category on his own.

Truesdell got the job done as a run defender with a 1-yard average depth of tackle, however, he was only awarded 93 run defense snaps to prove his worth due to his lack of offseason work with the team. Valentino and Newkirk finished with 2.4 and 3.4-yard AVDTs in 2021, respectively.

It will be interesting to see how rising junior Gervon Dexter builds upon his first season as a starter. Dexter has been serviceable in both rushing and pass defense and has made a handful of flashy plays, but he has yet to truly live up to his five-star status out of high school.

In fairness, Dexter was utilized across the entire defensive line after beginning his career as a pure three-technique and training as a nose tackle last offseason, and he earned some reps at defensive end throughout the year as well. Dexter was handed a lot of responsibility for a young player and managed to lead the entire defensive line in tackles with 50, however, he only posted 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, one batted pass and 24 pressures otherwise. His ADVT was 2.7 yards. 

Due to his pressure count, we could see Dexter having a breakout campaign of his own in 2022, especially if Florida's new coaching staff allows him to settle into one position and thrive within it.

The only other defensive lineman to take the field for 100 or more snaps was sophomore Jalen Lee, whose best performance of the year was as a starter against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl, finishing with three tackles. True freshman Desmond Watson earned 94 reps as he continued to reshape his frame and compiled seven tackles, including half of a tackle for loss, and a 2.3-yard AVDT throughout his first season at UF.

AllGators will cover Florida's outlook across the defensive line more in-depth in the coming weeks.

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