2022 Florida Football Season Preview: Defensive Line

There’s less than a week left until Florida kicks off the 2022 college football season, and Gators Wire is breaking down the entire roster before kick-off. After working our way through the offense, it’s time to look at the defensive side of the ball, the unit that struggled significantly more in 2021.

First up is the defensive line, which includes both tackle positions and a strongside defensive end. Gervon Dexter Sr. is the outright leader of the group following the departure of veterans such as Zach Carter and Khris Bogle among others. The position room is relatively young and inexperienced, leaving Dexter as the only player locked into a starting role.

The good news is that those young players should be ready to take a big step forward. It will become evident who can handle the increased workload and who can’t rather quickly, and the depth chart should be much more clear following the first few weeks of action. Still, we have a pretty good idea of what things will look like up front for UF against Utah on Saturday.

Here’s a look at all 12 offensive linemen on the Gators’ 2022 fall football roster. Edge rushers will be included with our breakdown of the outside linebackers on the team.

See also:

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Quarterbacks

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Running Backs

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Wide Receivers

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Tight Ends

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Offensive Line

Starter: No. 9 Gervon Dexter Sr. (Jr.)

James Gilbert/Getty Images

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Gervon Dexter Sr. is primed to be the leader of Florida’s defensive line for the first time in his career, and he might be the only locked-in starter for the Gators’ unit when the season begins. He’s a preseason All-SEC second-teamer according to the Associated Press, CBS Sports, Coaches and the media as well.

Dexter has the most experience of the group, playing in all 25 games of his two-year career at UF and starting in nine last season. He could line up at either tackle or end this season given the team’s youth, but he’s served as a three-technique DT for most of his time with the team. However he’s used, Dexter is poised to raise his draft stock over the course of 2022 and has the potential to be a first-rounder, according to ESPN.

Nose Tackle: No. 92 Jalen Lee (Jr.)

UAA Communications/Tim Casey

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[autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] is the starter here at nose tackle and could see a big jump in usage after missing part of last year with an injury he suffered in week one. Still, Lee saw action in eight games last season, including his first career start against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl. After spraining his ankle, Lee fell too far on the depth chart and was overshadowed by veterans and transfers brought in at the position such as [autotag]Tyrone Truesdell[/autotag] and [autotag]Antonio Valentino[/autotag].

With much of last year’s group gone, Lee has enough experience to warrant a start in week one. If things don’t go well, though, there are plenty of reserve tackles that want a shot. Either way, this spot figures to be somewhat of a rotating door this season, especially early on.

Defensive End: No. 33 Princely Umanmielen (Jr.)

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

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[autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] gets the third spot on the line, likely to line up at the strong-side defensive end position opposite [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]. Like Lee, Umanmielen made his first career start against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl. He’s been one of the hardest workers on the team since the new staff took over and looked impressive at times during fall camp.

Umanmielen can be an incredibly effective pass rusher when he’s given the chance. His knack for getting around tackles is more than appreciated by the staff, but this will be the most playing time he’s ever received. There are plenty of ends behind him hungry for time on the field, so he’ll after to perform well to stay out there.

Reserve End: No. 94 Tyreak Sapp (R-Fr.)

UAA Communications/Isabella Marley

One of the top two ends behind Umanmielen is redshirt freshmen [autotag]Tyreak Sapp[/autotag], who didn’t record a snap last year after enrolling just before the start of the season and slowing his development. However, it doesn’t seem to have had too much of an effect on him. Sapp has received plenty of praise throughout fall camp and Napier has made it clear that he’s in line for increased snaps this season as a key member of the defensive line rotation.

Reserve End: No. 12 Justus Boone (R-Fr.)

UAA Communications/Isabella Marley

The other top end behind the starters is [autotag]Justus Boone[/autotag], who saw action in two games last year, recording a solo tackle and assisting on two others. He’s also impressed through fall camp and should see plenty of action in 2022. There’s a chance he moves to the inside at some point, but that would probably come only after Dexter leaves.

Reserve Tackle: No. 21 Desmond Watson (So.)

UAA Communications/Jordan McKendrick

Now it’s time to talk about backup tackles. College football’s favorite 400-pounder, [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag], is first in line to replace Lee whenever he needs a break. Watson, obviously, is good to clog a hole (or two) every snap he’s on the field, and he might even require some extra attention just because of his size. The word is that he’s dropped a few pounds but still kept his size, which should help with mobility this year. He appeared in all 13 games last year, collecting seven total tackles (two solo) and a half sack.

Reserve Tackle: No. 7 Chris McClellan (Fr.)

UAA Communications/Jordan McKendrick

[autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag] is the first freshman to appear on the list, and while he could redshirt, Napier has made it seem like there’s a chance for him to play significant snaps this season. He enrolled early in the spring, giving him a leg up on some of the other first-year players who are still getting used to the college level. His power has been evident in fall camp, but there are still technical issues to work on.

Reserve Tackles: No. 95 Jamari Lyons (Fr.), No. 66 Jaelin Humphries (R-Jr.) and No. 90 Chris Thomas Jr. (R-Fr.)

UAA Communications photo by Hannah White

[autotag]Jamari Lyons[/autotag] is the other true freshman on scholarship in the defensive line room. A four-star recruit out of Viera High, he’s viewed as a developmental piece in his first year with the Gators that will probably redshirt.

[autotag]Jaelin Humphries[/autotag] is in year four of his role as a depth interior lineman for Florida. He’s appeared in just two games over those three years and failed to see action last year.

The final scholarship defensive lineman on the roster is [autotag]Chris Thomas Jr[/autotag]., who was one of the three players cut by Napier earlier this year. He was added back to the roster after six weeks away from the team, but the odds of him playing still feel slim after the summer dismissal.

Walk-Ons: No. 93 Keenan Landry (So.) and No. 98 TJ Murphy (Fr.)

UAA Communications photo by Jordan McKendrick

Billy Napier’s staff originally recruited [autotag]Keenan Landry[/autotag] while they were at ULL. Instead of signing with the Ragin’ Cajuns in 2021, Landry went to Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, though. After a year of junior college, he made the simple decision to unite with Napier’s staff in Florida as a preferred walk-on. He contributed 31 tackles (13 solo) and one sack through nine games with the Bulldogs.

[autotag]TJ Murphy[/autotag] joined the team as a preferred walk-on in the summer. He’s a graduate of Cardinal Mooney in Sarasota, Florida.

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