How Will Florida's Day Two NFL Draft Selections Fit with Their New Franchise?
The 2023 NFL Draft has officially come to a close with the final clock expiring on Saturday.
Six former Florida Gators athletes heard their names called during the annual three-day event, distributed evenly between offensive and defensive picks.
In anticipation of their future roles, All Gators will break down the team fit for all six selections organized by the day they were picked, further analyzing how each should align on their new team.
After examining quarterback Anthony Richardson's fit on Sunday, we now shift our focus to a pair of trenchmen occupying opposite sides of the ball with defensive lineman Gervon Dexter and offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence.
DT Gervon Dexter, Chicago Bears
Despite playing just three seasons at the collegiate level, Dexter is vastly experienced after serving in one of the highest-volume iDL roles in the nation over the past two seasons.
While the stat sheet doesn't showcase his value, his tape tells a different story. The Bears concur with that sentiment after their second-round selection of Dexter this draft cycle.
He now steps into an almost perfect scenario to have a better professional than collegiate career.
Playing in Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus' defensive system, Dexter will assume a healthier snap count conducive to greater efficiency relative to the 60-plus reps he earned due to need on the interior at Florida in 2022.
The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder will take on a similar role to DeForest Buckner under Eberflus during his time in Indianapolis, looking to mirror the 6-foot-7, 295-pound interior DL's usage en route to a similar multi-faceted production.
Accounting for 126 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and six batted passes while operating as a three-to-five technique down lineman in two seasons under the Bears' head coach with the Colts, Buckner presents the blueprint of what the Chicago hope to get out of the former Gators star up front.
While his run-defending ability suggests a near-immediate translation to the pros, it may take longer for Dexter's sack production to equate to Buckner's as the former grows further nuanced in that area.
Nonetheless, his second-round selection will lead to an early path to playing time over Justin Jones or Andrew Billings. It could come as soon as week one in the upcoming year.
OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been hurt by their inability to run the football of late. So, wisely, they added someone to help them run the football while simultaneously protecting their greatest investment.
Showcasing himself as an equally versed pass protector and run blocker in his lone season with the Gators, Torrence aligned as one of the most dominant players in the SEC, regardless of position.
The consensus All-American honors he drew for his performance — anchored by his elite first punch that latches onto defenders at the point of contact, strength to drive opposing players back and football IQ to diagnose stunts while effectively passing off defensive linemen to his teammates — reaffirmed that fact.
His lack of versatility to play anywhere but guard and disproportionate build received knocks in the pre-selection process, which played out during the draft as he slid well into the second round.
However, his elite skills and uber-productive history at that position evoke the belief that his fit with the Bills' offense will include an immediate day-one starting job as the team's right guard.
Slotted into another zone blocking scheme, Torrence is an ideal system fit to take on the high expectations for his second elevation of play in as many offseasons — previously going from the Sun Belt to the SEC.
He'll look to continue opening holes in the rushing game to sustain the Bills' regular season success into the postseason moving forward.
His fall down the draft board surprised many, given his near-consensus first-round status leading up to the selection process, but his value should quickly surpass the reality of being the No. 59 overall pick.
Simply put, Buffalo got a steal.
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