Trey Dean III inks UDFA contract with New York Jets

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•04/29/23•

ZachAbolverdi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators safety Trey Dean III has signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent.

Dean spent five seasons with the Gators and was a starter for four of them, finishing his UF career with 255 tackles, 18 pass deflections, four interceptions and five sacks.

“Could have went out last year, decided to come back, but I feel like coming back helped me a lot. I learned a lot,” Trey Dean said of Florida’s Pro Day. “I just do it bigger than football. I have a foundation for kids, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. God’s will, it’s just a start and everybody’s going to see on Sundays.”

Dean took home MVP honors in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl in early February after being a standout performer in practices throughout the week.

Dean made an interception in the end zone off a tipped ball and returned it 16 yards. He was named defensive MVP of the game for the West team.

Dean showed out in practice earlier in the week and had a pair of interceptions on Day 3, including a pick-six on a play where he jumped the route.

“I always have room for improvement,” Dean told Patriots reporter Tamara Brown. “I’ve been taking what we learned in the meeting rooms. Coach [Bill] Belichick is the best in the business and I just came out here and executed.”

Dean recorded more than 80 tackles in each of the past two years, making 81 tackles last fall and a career-high 88 tackles in 2021. The 2020 season was his first as a safety with the Gators, appearing in 11 contests and starting the SEC Championship Game against Alabama.

As a true freshman, Dean started nine of the final 10 games at cornerback after Marco Wilson sustained a season-ending injury in Week 2. Dean then switched to nickel in 2019, starting the first six games of the season before coming off the bench for the rest of the season.

Dean is the second UDFA signee for the Gators, who had six draftees in quarterback Anthony Richardson (first round, 4th overall, Indianapolis Colts), defensive tackle Gervon Dexter (second round, 53rd overall, Chicago Bears), offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence (second round, 59th overall, Buffalo Bills), linebacker Ventrell Miller (fourth round, 121st overall, Jacksonville Jaguars) and receiver Justin Shorter (fifth round, 150th overall, Buffalo Bills) and linebacker Amari Burney (sixth round, 203rd overall, Las Vegas Raiders).

Offensive lineman Richard Gouraige signed an UDFA deal with the Buffalo Bills, safety Rashad Torrence II inked a contract with the Los Angeles Rams and EDGE Brenton Cox Jr. landed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.

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