Former Florida defensive sort out Gervon Dexter Sr. and offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence spent final season serving to one another enhance.
On Friday evening their arduous work paid off as two teammates on opposites aspect of the soccer had been chosen in the course of the second spherical of the NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears selected Dexter with the No. 52 general choice. Seven picks later, the Buffalo Bills picked Torrence No. 59.
The two gamers arrived at nearly the identical level taking very completely different paths.
Dexter was a 5-star recruit from Lake Wales in 2020 with limitless potential when UF signed him.
Torrence was a evenly recruiting offensive lineman from rural Louisiana who was ranked exterior the nation’s high 1,500 gamers within the 2019 class when Billy Napier lured him to Lafayette.
Both would make an instantaneous affect.
Torrence moved right into a beginning position after a starter was injured and finally earned freshman All-American honors. Dexter intercepted a go at Ole Miss throughout his first sport for the Gators however not often made the massive performs anticipated of a participant standing 6-foot-6 with greater than 300 kilos plus a basketball background.
Given his measurement, pace (4.88 in 40) and flexibility, the Bears selected potential over manufacturing (10.5 tackles for loss in three seasons). The Gators’ lack of inside line depth additionally pressured Dexter to common greater than 60 snaps in 2022.
Torrence was a rock. He finally developed right into a consensus All-American after he adopted Napier from Louisiana to Gainesville following three seasons collectively. The native of tiny Greensburg (pop. 718) in Louisiana’s northeast established himself as one of many nation’s high offensive linemen.
Per Pro Football Focus, he completed the 2022 season with a grade of 88%, tops nationally amongst inside offensive linemen, whereas permitting simply eight pressures. He didn’t yield a sack in 4 seasons.
Torrence turned the primary UF lineman chosen consensus All-American since Maurkice Pouncey in 2009. Pouncey was chosen No. 18 general by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010. A yr later the Miami Dolphins chosen his brother Mike No. 15.
The honor earned Torrence a brick exterior Ben Hill Griffin Stadium’s southwest nook.
With greater than school 3,000 snaps to his credit score, he was one of many few plug-and-play inside lineman accessible.
“I’m coming in ready to start, ready to compete from Day One,” he stated March 30 at UF’s Pro Day.
Standing 6-foot-5, 330 kilos with an wingspan of practically seven toes (83⅞ inches) and 11¼-inch arms, Torrence is a handful for a defender. The 23-year-old performs with sound approach and is aware of the tips of the commerce honed throughout 47 school begins, 11 of them final season at UF.
Yet Torrence needed to wait longer for a workforce to draft him than he had hoped or pundits had predicted. Many pegged Torrence as a first-round choose after his 2022 season and powerful efficiency on the Senior Bowl.
He was handed over and surprisingly drafted after Dexter, who was deemed a top-75 choose however not anticipated to go forward of Torrence.
The Los Angeles Rams had used the No. 36 choose on TCU inside lineman Steve Avila. A guard in school, Avila can also play middle, providing place flexibility groups covet.
The New York Jets, one other workforce in want of inside linemen, chosen Wisconsin middle Joe Tippmann at No. 43. Then with the No. 48 choose, Tampa Bay chosen North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch, who confirmed the flexibility to play all 5 positions on the road however is seen as an NFL guard.
Torrence finally discovered a house with one of many AFC’s high groups and can block for star quarterback Josh Allen. Dexter heads to a workforce in want of assist. The 2022 Bears ranked No. 29 in whole protection.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @osgators.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com