A two-year star for the Rockets, Gant proved the benefits of a change of scenery.
Dallas Gant was a promising four-star linebacker prospect coming out of Toledo’s St. John Jesuit HS in 2018, with plenty of Power Five offers.
Gant stayed true to his native Ohio, choosing to commit to the Ohio State Buckeyes over an exhaustive list of offers from Power Five teams, which included: Boston College, Duke, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, UCLA, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Over a four-year stay in Columbus, Gant established himself as a key reserve linebacker and core special teams player, with 54 career tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss. Gant entered the transfer portal in 2022, eventually landing back home in Toledo, playing at his father Jim Gant’s alma mater.
Going back home was an opportunity for Gant to earn a starting role and prove he could be a contributor to a team at the next level, and it was a challenge Gant met with aplomb.
Gant immediately won a starting linebacker job and played his way into back-to-back selections to the first-team all-MAC defense, finishing his Rockets career with 233 tackles, 14.5 tackles-for-loss, one sack, one interception, eight passes defensed and three forced fumbles. The Rockets also made the Mid-American Conference title game in both years he anchored the defense, taking the crown in 2022.
Despite his pedigree, he was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine alongside teammate Quinyon Mitchell, making Toledo’s Pro Day extremely important for Gant. He excelled, with excellent explosion numbers, decent speed and ideal height.
Gant’s draft stock soared after his Pro Day performance, earning several visits with NFL teams. He’s now seen as a near-lock in late Day 3, with most mock drafts placing him in rounds 6-7.
As a prospect, Gant presents a fascinating case for NFL scouts. His run-stopping skills and intellect make him an excellent linebacker, but his size could project him to be more of a safety at the next level unless he bulks up.
What immediately stands out in film is Gant’s ability to diagnose the run and attack it. He plays a lot larger than his size would suggest, with efficient tackling and decent hit power despite weighing in at just 228 lbs.
NFL Draft countdown day 22 plays 11
Dallas Gant LB Toledo – Ohio State transfer
6”2 230
6.30 RAS
4.66 40-170 tackles the last 2 yrs
-Athletic upside in coverage roles
-Plus run defender
-VersatileThe State of The Jungle War Room 3.0, next WEDNESDAY @Firststarlog pic.twitter.com/GlaXCNZBpe
— Logan Fulmer (@Fvlmer) April 4, 2024
The stats bare out as such when combined with film; Gant had over 100 tackles in both seasons in Toledo.
What also stands out about Gant are his attacking angles. He is able to strafe in stride with his assignment and corral them pretty quickly on stretch runs, and when asked to attack inside, does not hesitate to tear through gaps where he can see them to get into the backfield. Gant keeps his legs churning and does not give up on plays, which coaches will like a lot for someone at the bottom of the roster.
Gant’s pass coverage at the linebacker spot is also attractive to teams; he had eight pass break-ups as a Rocket, with his recovery speed and hit power coming into effect several times in-game.
Heck of a play from Toledo’s Dallas Gant to play through the hands and break this pass up.
The Ohio State transfer is an interesting G5 LB prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft class. pic.twitter.com/zrvED2VP15
— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) December 2, 2023
Gant’s experience both as a starter and as a special teamer dating back to his time at Ohio State will also be valuable to potential employers, as the NFL’s renewed kickoff rules will emphasize larger bodies with more hit power to counteract the speed of returners coming off a running start. Gant’s build and cannonball style could fit the bill in that department right away.
His speed and play style makes him an incredibly intriguing option as a developmental late-round prospect, as he is capable of playing inside or outside at linebacker in nickel or dime subpackages and could potentially become a slot or box safety at his size.
Naturally, no prospect is perfect, and Gant does have a number of issues to address if he wants to stick in the pros.
The most obvious issue is the classic “tweener” build. Gant stands at six-foot-two, 228 lbs. as of Toledo’s Pro Day, and he looks about maxed out on his frame, which limits his ability to increase his ceiling.
Gaining weight could potentially mean losing some speed and acceleration, which for Gant’s style of play, could effectively neuter him at the linebacker spot. At the same time, he is a bit slow at a 4.68-second 40-yard dash to be stuck at safety and call it a day— even if his explosion and size at the position are ideal.
His effectiveness at corralling assignments and quick first step which make him such an excellent run defender is also fairly exploitable; he was poor against misdirection plays and counters, and could be slow to figure out where the ball was in these situations, effectively taking him out of the play.
Gant, due to his career path, will also be an older prospect in this year’s draft. He’s due to turn 24 before training camp starts, with his breakout season coming at 22 years of age. This could limit his opportunities in future years with the last of the COVID-affected classes phasing out of the draft pool.
What Gant ultimately brings to the table is a proven winner’s mindset, having experienced team success at both Ohio State and Toledo in conference play, individual success with multiple first-team all-MAC nods and a tough-nosed play style which will endear him to coaches at the next level.
Gant has the trappings of a modern-day NFL linebacker, with other smaller-school prospects such as Florida A&M’s Markquese Bell proving there is a path for older tweeners to have success at the pro level with such a build.
All in all, Gant will at the very least have his name called in the NFL Draft, as he has the experience and production which attracts coaches at the pro level. He should have an an immediate opportunity to win a role as a special teams ace right out the gate wherever he goes, with the potential to be a rotational sub-package linebacker or box safety should he hit his potential.