Throughout the 2023 NFL draft process, many mock drafts heavily featured Gervon Dexter as a potential star player for the Chicago Bears. Dexter was an ideal choice for the team since they were in need of a three-technique, and if they missed out on Jalen Carter, Dexter was a strong candidate to fill that role.
Can Gervon Dexter bring star power to the Chicago Bears?
Furthermore, Dexter possesses all the qualities that any coach or evaluator would desire in a player. He was a former basketball player and is still raw since he played basketball until his junior year in high school. However, within only four or five years of playing football, he has made it to the NFL.
His innate abilities are not teachable, as he possesses the supreme size and athletic traits. Interestingly, his traits are uncannily similar to those of Chris Jones.
At first, glance, comparing Gervon Dexter to Chris Jones may seem overly optimistic, but the comparison holds some validity. Dexter’s recruitment to Florida was led by head coach Dan Mullen, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, and defensive line coach David Turner – the same coaches who recruited Chris Jones to Mississippi State. Mullen even saw the potential for Dexter to become the next Chris Jones and shared this with others during the recruitment process.
While Dexter’s development took a turn when his coaching staff left, his natural athletic ability is still evident. His potential is supported by the fact that he was recruited by the same coaches who identified and nurtured the talent of Chris Jones. With the right coaching and development, there is a possibility that Dexter could become a star player for the Chicago Bears.
There is a Chicago Bears connection to this story, as the team’s General Manager Ryan Poles was on the Kansas City Chiefs staff when they drafted Chris Jones. Jones slipped to the second round, but the Chiefs were able to see his potential by talking to the coaching staff and understanding his role.
Now, Poles see similar potential in Gervon Dexter and have discussed how the Bears could maximize his talents in an NFL scheme. It’s clear that Dexter possesses the raw athletic ability that can be developed with the right coaching, and Poles’ experience with Jones suggests that he has an eye for identifying such potential.
As the Bears continue to build their roster, it’s worth keeping an eye on how they approach Dexter and whether they view him as a potential star in the making. With the right coaching and development, he could become a force to be reckoned with on the field.
” “You’re kind of piecing it together. Foot speed. The ability to get skinny. The acceleration of burst to finish. The toolbox in your pass-rush skills. Those go into it. And then what is he asked to do at his school? So for Dexter, little bit more of a square stance, read and mirror, when that’s the case, you’re not really on your toes and penetrating and getting up the field, so you got to piece those things together and that can help you show where the upside is and how in our system it can be even better in terms of how they affect the quarterback.””
– Ryan Poles
Comparing players based on their athletic abilities and playing styles is not uncommon in sports. However, when the coaches who recruited both players make the comparison, it carries more weight. That’s the case with Gervon Dexter, a player heavily mocked to the Chicago Bears during the 2023 NFL draft. Dexter’s former college coach, Dan Mullen, saw the potential for him to become another Chris Jones.
Interestingly, the Bears’ General Manager, Ryan Poles, was part of the Kansas City Chiefs staff that drafted Chris Jones. When Jones fell to round two, the Chiefs had to talk to the coaching staff and understand his potential to get more out of him.
