Steelers Could Use Little-Known Family Tie To Land Monster Combine Standout On Draft Day 2

Welcome to the pre-draft season! Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft starting on April 27th, we will be releasing draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up…

Steelers’ Draft Prospect, Gervon Dexter (Defensive Tackle), Florida, Junior

OVERVIEW: It was no secret that the Steelers’ rush defense has taken a step back in recent seasons. Coming off a 2021 season where the defensive unit struggled at almost every level, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the front office had to feel embarrassed being the doormat for AFC North running backs. So much so, they were ranked dead last in the league and allowed 2,483 yards on the ground for the season. 

Fast forward to 2022, this led to the front office reloading the defensive front in the offseason by adding Larry Ogunjobi and then drafting DeMarvin Leal. With the bolstered defensive front consisting of Cameron Heyward, Ojunjobi, Chris Wormley, Tyson Alualu, and Montravious Adams, the group got back to their run-stuffing ways in 2022.  But with Alualu, Wormley, and Ogunjobi set to hit the free agency market in 2023, the Steelers need fresh, young talent on the inside of the defensive line to continue that trend. Enter, Gervon Dexter.

PROS: Dexter tested incredibly well at the combine. Coming in measuring 6’6” and weighing 310 pounds, he ran a 4.88-second 40-yard dash and worked well through the shuttle run. He’s a large, physical presence along the line and has long arms measuring over 32 inches. He has great ability to dip his shoulders under the offensive linemen’s hands and force his way into the backfield. 

From a positional standpoint, Dexter brings a relatively versatile skill set as a defensive tackle. He is able to hit different gaps, yet has the speed to set the edge in containment reps. 

At the combine, Dexter showed off his impressive technique ability. He’s able to fluidly transition from a bull-rusher into that shoulder-dipping swim move scouts look for. With his combined size and speed, Dexter is built for a 3-4 scheme defense, which is what the Steelers run. Looking at what the Steelers like to see in a defensive tackle, being able to force turnovers is critical. 

In college, Dexter tallied two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and five sacks. In addition, he added a pair of batted-down passes as well. Dexter has all the right traits that Defensive Line Coach Karl Dunbar likes to see in order to develop young talent into a consistent three-down anchor.

CONS: Although he has top-end speed, Dexter’s initial burst off the snap is lacking. In college, he seemed to be the last one to get off at the snap which forced him to be late getting to the ball. When facing double teams, Dexter tends to get washed away on the play and has trouble breaking free. His hand technique also needs work. His hands move lethargically against offensive linemen and this slows down his progression to get into the backfield. Because of this, Dexter’s pass-rushing ceiling isn’t as high as scouts would like. 

He’s relatively limited in terms of his pass-rushing ability and punching through multiple blockers on his way to the quarterback. His slow, heavy handwork and burst could cause Dexter to sit outside of the top 50 in teams' big boards.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Late 3rd Round

In a defensive tackle class consisting of names such as Jalen Carter, Calijah Kancey, Myles Murphy, and Bryan Bresee, Dexter may find himself drifting to the later Day Two boards. In addition, with teams focusing on other priorities in the first few rounds of the draft, defensive tackles tend to find themselves still available heading into the back half of the draft. For reference, only six defensive tackles were selected in the first four rounds of the 2022 draft. But given the talent pool and constant desire for depth along the defensive front, we may see teams select defensive linemen earlier than last year. That is why I see Dexter as a late third-round pick.

VERDICT: Coach Dunbar and the Steelers seem to have liked what they saw out of Dexter at the combine. After meeting with some of the Steelers’ brass in Indianapolis, Dexter is slated to travel to Pittsburgh later this month for a Top 30 visit. History tells us that these types of visits result in the prospect’s name getting called later in April. Not to mention, the Steelers also have key insight into Dexter that other teams don’t. 

Coach Dunbar’s son, Karmichael Dunbar, is Florida’s assistant strength and conditioning coach who worked with Dexter throughout the 2022 season. The Steelers are attracted to these types of family ties and this may be the driver to seeing Dexter’s name called at the 80th overall spot.

Where do you see Dexter going in April? Would you want to see him in the black and gold? Let us know in the comments!

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