The Chicago Bears didn’t blink when they took Gervon Dexter in the 2nd round of the draft. They knew what the criticism would be. He’s a pure run defender. He doesn’t have the necessary tools to be a dynamic interior pass rusher. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus disagreed. They felt his mixture of power, size, and athleticism held near-limitless potential. His coaches at Florida never really explored it. With adjustments to his technique and fundamentals, Dexter could become a far better player in the NFL.
Glimpses of that player have begun popping up over the past week. The Bears held joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts for two days. Luis Mcleod, a pass rush specialist for Florida, attended one of them. Here, he took a video of Dexter during drills where he caught the rookie working over five-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson.
Right away, it’s evident how much more explosive Dexter is out of his stance. The most encouraging part is the hand technique. His ability to keep a star like Nelson off his body and create instant pressure on the “pocket” is impressive. This carried over into the game last Saturday, where the rookie narrowly missed his first sack.
Gervon Dexter is attacking his development with a will.
Watch him practice for only a few minutes and you can feel the intensity. He goes hard. His work ethic also stands out. Shortly after the Bears signed star pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, Dexter began peppering him with questions about how to enhance his arsenal of moves. Ngakoue took him aside after practice and began teaching him certain techniques. That cross-chop the rookie used on Nelson is one of his staples. The fact Dexter was able to learn the move and apply it so quickly is a great sign.
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He still has work to do. Learning these new moves is one thing. Applying them with consistent success is another. Gervon Dexter also needs to get better at his pad level. He still tends to stand too tall after the snap, making him much easier to block. These are normal issues for a young player to work through. The great news is he has an experienced coaching staff to help guide the way. Defensive line coach Travis Smith was an apprentice of Rod Marinelli, one of the best in the business for many years.
If Dexter listens well, he will be a good player.
