Florida Gators 2022 Recruiting Outlook: Defensive Tackles

Analyzing the current state of the Florida Gators 2022 defensive tackles big board ahead of the summer's recruiting frenzy.

Photo: David Turner; Credit: University of Florida athletic association

Since April 17, the date that the NCAA officially announced when the prolonged recruiting dead period would come to its inevitable end, June 1 has been circled on the calendar for prospects and coaches alike.

In order to preview what is sure to be a hectic recruiting news cycle, AllGators releases the Florida Gators 2022 recruiting predictive big board for each position of need. After kicking off the slate of defensive outlooks with defensive ends, our attention now turns to the defensive tackle targets.

Related: Offensive Outlooks

Florida Gators 2022 Recruiting Outlook: Running Back

Florida Gators 2022 Recruiting Outlook: Wide Receivers

Florida Gators 2022 Recruiting Outlook: Tight Ends

 Florida Gators 2022 Recruiting Outlook: Offensive Line

Overview

The emphasis following the Gators 2020 SEC Championship loss to Alabama was anchoring down the trenches on both sides of the football.

Equipped with a prestigious history on the defensive front, Florida has continued to find success from the ends since David Turner started leading the pack in 2019. 

However, the line's interior has struggled in comparison, but not due to a lack of development. Instead, the middle of the Gators' defensive line faltered from an overall depth perspective — given the unit's inexperience — highlighted when Gators 3-tech Kyree Campbell missed the opening stretch of the schedule (three games) last season.

As a result, Florida failed to combat opponents rushing attacks, culminating in an abysmal showing against Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller in a UF loss.

With Campbell and starting nose tackle T.J. Slaton departing from the program this offseason, Florida took to the transfer market to round up Antonio Valentino and Daqaun Newkirk as immediate fixes on their defensive front. 

Despite their successes in the portal, Florida is looking to build for the future in this recruiting cycle by adding talented pieces to pair alongside youngsters Gervon Dexter, Jalen Lee, Lamar Goods, Desmond Watson and Christopher Thomas.

Walter Nolen

Regarded as the second-best overall player in the nation regardless of position, Nolen is viewed by many of the top powerhouses in the country as a priority target.

That sentiment is no different at the University of Florida.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, Nolen already holds a frame ready for the next level as a rising senior in high school. Winning with exceptional power, speed and hand technique, Nolen presents the ability to clog up holes from the interior defensive line or track down ball carriers with impressive speed for someone of his stature.

Being able to provide a near-guarantee that he will operate in a significant capacity early on in his career, Florida looks to use Dexter — a true freshman in 2020 — as a blueprint for Nolen’s role early on. However, given his polished talents, his snap count could exceed that of Dexter’s first year.

Showing mutual intrigue for how Florida’s defensive line operates, Nolen included the Gators in his top eight schools in early April 2021. While beating out other contenders (Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Georgia and LSU) will be a daunting task, UF will get their chance when Nolen travels to campus on his official visit.

Currently slated to attend the star-studded June 4 weekend in Gainesville, Nolen will likely be greeted with the best Florida has to offer in a concerted effort to secure the biggest impact player the class of 2022 has to offer.

Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy

When trying to find blue-chip defensive line prospects in the 2022 recruiting class, UF must look no further than its own backyard.

Suiting up for Lakeland High School — a Gators pipeline once upon a time — Dindy ranks in the top 20 in the overall 247Sports composite rankings.

Pairing well-distributed weight and average height for a defensive tackle, Brownlow-Dindy packs an impressive punch in his hands off the ball, jarring opposing offensive linemen with his explosiveness. Adding concentrated power and athleticism to his mix of skills, the Florida native has garnered deserved interest dating back to his sophomore year.

Despite setting up officials with Ohio State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma during the month of June, Dindy has yet to bookmark the calendar for a visit in his neighborhood at the University of Florida.

While this likely indicates that Dindy will check out the Gators in season, UF will have to tap into their bag of tricks to keep the Lakeland product in the state.

Chris McClellan

Looking to the midwest for a 6-foot-3, 290-pound unit in the form of McClellan, Florida has been heavily interested in luring away the Oklahoma native from his home state schools of Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

Operating in a versatile manner, McClellan has shown a knack for making plays in the backfield with power at the point of attack and calculated hands from both the inside and outside of the defensive line, building a sense of excitement for how he will be utilized at the next level.

As of right now, McClellan sits as the target to keep an eye on for the Gators at the defensive tackle spot, in terms of his talent and the possibility David Turner and Garrick McGee are able to close on him.

However, with other schools like Ohio State and USC in the running for McClellan, the summer stretch will be crucial for the Gators in acquiring the trench monster. McClellan is set to visit Gainesville on June 4.

Dominick James

Struggling to obtain players from the talent-rich IMG Academy in the past few seasons, the Gators continue to test their luck with an Ascenders defensive lineman. 

Occupying a large portion of the IMG middle in 2020, James serves as a 6-foot-2, 278-pound hole stuffer accounting for 30 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, one sack and one batted pass.

Heavily sought after by the likes of LSU, Ohio State, South Carolina and Oregon, recruiters David Turner and Todd Grantham will attempt to close on James by scheduling a visit in the future.

If Florida is to turn around their misfortunes at IMG by landing James, the Gators will be getting a giant anchor in the middle that moves with nimble feet and can find success on all three downs.

Honorable Mentions:

Christen Miller

To kick off honorable mentions, we go to a Cedar Grove (Ga.) prospect who has had an interesting relationship with Florida.

Previously viewed as one of the top prospects on the Gators big board and reciprocating heavy interest with UF, an odd turn in Miller's recruitment has seemingly pushed the two sides away from one another. 

Having visits scheduled for Ohio State, USC and Louisville — and with home-state Georgia likely to get one eventually — Miller only has one more official visit in his arsenal. As a result, luring Miller back into the fold looks to be a long shot, but his presumed commitment elsewhere will not be due to UF's lack of effort.

Jamari Lyons

Venturing back into the state of Florida, the Gators look to Viera High School in Melbourne (Fla.) in an attempt to acquire uber-productive defensive tackle prospect in Lyons. 

Accounting for 79 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception in 2020, Lyons saw a vast increase in attention from Power Five schools but has largely stayed connected with teams that offered him prior to his junior season, one being UF.

Set to visit on June 4, Florida will get a chance to sell Lyons on the Gators over Miami, Indiana and NC State to keep him in their back pocket for the closing weeks of 2022.

Daniel Lyons

Another Lyons on the Gators' board (with no relation to the other).

Explosive off the line as a 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive lineman for Homestead (Fla.) High School, Lyons has been linked to the Gators since they extended an offer back in 2019, confirming that in an interview with AllGators in March.

Totaling 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles as a junior, Lyons has been linked to Florida State alongside the Gators for his services, with Ole Miss also in the picture. Yet to schedule a visit to UF with his primary recruiter Turner, Lyons is currently viewed as a spot filler for misses at the top of the board.

Deone Walker

Standing at 6-foot-6, 330-pounds, Walker is the type of monstrous figure on the defensive front the Gators are looking for. 

Carrying his weight well to operate as a consistent run-stopping force on both the inside and outside of Cass Technical's defensive line, the towering presence looks to occupy snaps on early downs throughout his playing career.

However, playing out of Detriot (Mich.), Walker may fall as an afterthought in the Florida recruiting efforts.

Final Thoughts

A stout defensive presence up front can completely alter the trajectory of any team in college football.

Understanding that, head coach Dan Mullen has stressed the importance of bringing in more beef to line the trenches in recruiting.

Focused on obtaining the necessary depth they need to enter the future in a comfortable position where interior defensive lineman are concerned, the Gators have a multitude of prospects in their crosshairs.