Looking Back On, and Forward To, Florida's DL Unit

Reviewing, and previewing, the Florida Gators' defensive line group following the 2022 season.

Photo: Gators defensive line; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The Gators are entering a crucial offseason, the second of head coach Billy Napier's tenure, looking to turn things around after Florida posted its second consecutive 6-7 record to conclude the 2022 campaign.

After nearly two dozen scholarship players entered the transfer portal and another ten declared for the NFL Draft, the roster will undoubtedly look a lot different in Napier's second year at the helm.

Therefore, All Gators is breaking down every position on Florida's roster as the offseason gets underway, looking back on every contributor's 2022 season and looking forward to each unit's 2023.

We've examined the past and future of the offense with quarterback, running back and wide receiver, tight end and offensive line breakdowns. Now, we shift our focus to the other side of the ball with the defensive trenches.

Edge rushers will be covered separately from the defensive line, given the outside linebacker designation in the Gators' system.

Looking back

When Patrick Toney took over the reins of the Gators' defense, he maintained the three-down defensive linemen initially implemented by Todd Grantham at Florida.

With an edge rusher (JACK) on the opposite side of the strong side defensive end and five defensive backs in a base nickel set, the Gators operated a 3-3-5 throughout the majority of the 2022 campaign.

It saw changes at times, based on personnel groupings of offenses, as Toney elected to deploy more traditional 3-4 looks against some opponents. However, to break down the Gators' defense from last season, we'll look at it from the 3-3-5 setting.

Given the aforementioned three down linemen, the unit included a defensive tackle (moving around from a three-technique, 4i or five-technique), a nose tackle and a strong-side defensive end.

If there was one word to describe the unit, it was thin.

Florida hit the ground running with Gervon Dexter Sr. as the surefire starter and leader of the unit.

He firmly occupied the defensive tackle spot in the first-year system, providing a mixture of run-stopping and pass-rushing skills from several different alignments. While his impact didn't always appear significant on the stat sheet, Dexter played a substantial role in Florida's ability to clog holes and create pressure when it was able to last season.

His length and power against opposing guards pop off the film when watching the Lake Wales, Fla., native. That fact has led him to the NFL Draft this offseason.

Second-year up-and-comers Justus Boone and Tyreak Sapp served in rotation with Dexter. They each flashed signs of promise while working through the inexperience they faced after nonexistent roles as true freshmen in 2021.

At nose tackle, the campaign began with third-year sophomore Jalen Lee operating as the starter for the first three games. He served in frequent rotation — the staple of a Toney defense at peak form.

However, Lee saw his role dwindle after underachieving expectations in favor of sophomore Desmond Watson. The monstrous 6-foot-5, 415-pound lineman produced as a gap stuffer, proving as an anchor in the middle to command double teams and force ball carriers outside into the arms of the ends playing contain (ideally).

While he was sometimes limited due to his size, Watson made a notable impact in the Gators' rushing defense for his ability to free up other players to make plays on ball carriers in the backfield. His prowess as a run-stopper cannot be understated, although the unit yearned for more depth on pass-rushing downs.

True freshman Chris McClellan emerged as the year rolled on to present some of that depth. He took over for Lee as the backup for Watson midway through the season. His promise was arguably the most important and surprising of any Gators rookie contributor a year ago.

Finally, on the outside of the front lines, Princely Umanmielen occupied the strong side defensive end in all 13 contests with 11 starts under his belt.

Sporting explosive potential with elite bend off the edge, he found his footing in his first full year as a starter. Production began to match that promise toward the end of the season, as he accounted for 2.5 of his 4.5 sacks in the final five games.

Sapp provided relief of Umanmielen — at his natural DE position — showcasing the coveted positional versatility in a group without the pieces to operate there at a high level.

Below All Gators have compiled the defensive linemen' stats from 2022.

• Dexter: 55 tackles, four TFLs, two sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
• Watson: 25 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
• Umanmielen: 39 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries
• McClellan: 23 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery
• Boone: 24 tackles, one sack, one TFL
• Sapp: 20 tackles, 0.5 TFL
• Lee: Eight tackles, 0.5 TFL

Looking forward

The defensive trenches, unlike the offensive line, don't experience immense turnover heading into 2023. Instead, several contributors return to the unit to provide continuity in Sean Spencer's position room.

However, the major departure in the group was its heart.

Dexter is headed to the NFL after three years as a full-time contributor in orange and blue. His partner-in-crime as part of the 2020 class, Lee, joined him on the way out of the program, turning in his Florida gear in favor of a transfer to his home state LSU squad.

As a result, in an effort to replace Dexter and Lee — while looking to bolster the defensive line depth compared to last season simultaneously — the Gators hit the high school and transfer markets heavy this past cycle.

Cam'Ron Jackson was arguably the prized pull in the transfer portal this offseason on defense. Presenting the size, power and athleticism needed to wreak havoc in opposing backfields in the SEC after commanding double and triple teams in abundance during his time at Memphis, Jackson is a strong replacement for Dexter.

He'll serve a significant role in the Gators' front this season and likely stay there in 2024. Florida's desire to team him with Watson creates a menacing interior front for the opposition to find success on the ground.

While Jackson will step into the defensive tackle role, he's joined by a high-upside addition in Louisville transfer Caleb Banks, who aligns as a nose tackle for UF.

He'll see time off the sideline in a four-to-five-man rotation on Florida's interior.

The top-rated player in Florida's 2023 class was Gardendale (Ala.) defensive lineman Kelby Collins is also in the fold for next season. He comes into the program alongside Olympia (Fla.) product Kamran James as true freshmen with high ceilings.

Collins should field a similar role in 2023 to McClellan a year ago, receiving more time as the year goes on after being eased in. Although, the newcomer presents the build of a strong side defensive end and five-tech talent rather than McClellan's ability to bounce between the nose and defensive tackle.

The starting lineup's current projection consists of Jackson and Watson on the interior, with McClellan receiving snaps frequently in rotation depending on the scenario.

Boone, Collins and Banks should add flexibility to keep the unit fresh as the year rolls on, with the former receiving a bulk of the pass-rushing snaps.

James, Gavin Hill and Will Norman are expected to play sparingly in their first collegiate season to ensure proper development without immediate trial and error. They’ll sit alongside Jamari Lyons and Jaelin Humphries as depth.

Umanmielen maintains his role at SDE in 2023. He's slated to take a big step forward, a development needed to elevate the DL to increased success without Dexter on the inside. Sapp occupies the primary backup spot there in his third year in Gainesville.

For the unit to realize its full potential, the Gators will need more from their returners while meshing quickly with the talented newcomers. The line is the determinant of Florida's defensive success next season. 

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