Preseason accolades are still rolling in for the Gators. The SEC announced five Gators named to the Preseason Coaches All-SEC team on Tuesday afternoon.
O’Cyrus Torrence (First Team), Gervon Dexter (Second Team), Brenton Cox (Second Team), Trey Dean (Third Team), and Ventrell Miller (Third Team) were the selected players.
These names may look familiar to you, as these five Gators also earned media preseason conference honors a few weeks ago. The only difference in the preseason selections for the Gators is that Dexter was a 2nd team selection on the coaches’ All-SEC team and a 3rd team selection on the media All-SEC team.
O’Cyrus Torrence
Torrence was the biggest offseason addition for Billy Napier and the Gators. The Louisiana offensive line transfer has received a multitude of accolades during the talkin’ season. He’s the lone preseason First Team All-SEC selection for the Gators and the only Gator to land on the preseason AP All-American team, being placed with the 2nd team on the national list. All of this is without Torrence playing a single snap of SEC football. Torrence had a very productive three seasons with Louisiana, where he started 35 games during that span. Torrence could have been an NFL draft pick this offseason, so don’t think Torrence lacks the size or skill to play in the SEC.
Gervon Dexter
Dexter may have the most potential as anybody on the Gators roster and I’m excited to see what he can do this season. The Gators certainly need him to produce this year as the defensive tackle unit has major question marks surrounding them. Dexter claimed he is going to play on the edge this season, but I think I’m calling his bluff. I don’t see this staff letting him primarily play on the edge with the current state of the defensive tackle room. Dexter finished 2nd on the team in QB hurries last season with seven. Dexter finished last season strong with four tackles for losses, totaling a loss of 48 yards against FSU and UCF. Dexter will look to keep the momentum going into the 2022 season.
Brenton Cox
Another player that needs to keep his momentum going into next season is Brenton Cox. Cox led the defense in almost every category last year. Team best 14.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks, and 12 QB hurries. However, most of this production came in the final five games, as he totaled 20 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks, and 6 QB hurries during that span. Cox has battled injuries throughout his career, hindering his production. Cox will need to stay healthy to be a dominant force for the Gators this year.
Trey Dean
Dean has had an interesting career at Florida to say the least. Inconsistency in the previous coaching staff’s scheme and roster management has hurt Dean’s production and development during his time at Florida. Dean is very excited that he gets to play under Billy Napier and Patrick Toney. Dean is a veteran presence and a leader in the local room, a lot of players look up to him. Dean led the team in tackles (91) and pass breakups (9) last season. I’m counting on Dean to be a turnover machine for the Gators this season.
Ventrell Miller
Miller’s journey in a Gator uniform is one that makes him a fan favorite. In 2020, Miller could have been considered Florida’s best player. The 2021 season ended with a season ending injury after just two games. Miller returns for the 2022 season and a fresh start under Billy Napier. Miller will need to work on his pass coverage to evolve into a complete package for the Gators. There’s no doubting Miller is a leader in the locker room and an elite run stopper, which is where the Gators will need the most help this season. Miller has played in 38 games for the Gators, totaling 166 tackles, 15 TFL, 7.5 sacks, and 6 pass breakups.
You’ll see these Gators all over the stat sheet during the 2022 season.