Florida Football Recruiting: Dimitry Nicolas can put linemen on skates

Four-star defensive tackle Dimitry Nicolas put out his final 13 schools and Florida football is still in the running for his services.

Following a weekend visit to Gainesville, we take a look at what the Miami area native would bring to the Gators if Gainesville winds up being his final home.

Florida Football: Nickle and dime

Listed at 6’3″ and 280 pounds, Nicolas is in the size range of most top-rated high school defensive linemen with the understanding that he will need to get up into the 320 pounds range come college.

On film, Nicolas was simply stronger than any of the opposing linemen he went against. It didn’t matter if they blocked with one guy or tried to double-team him, Nicolas frequently had guys on skates going backward into their own backfield.

The are real numbers in the weight room to back up the strength Nicolas portrays on film. On his Twitter page, he showcases a squat of 500 pounds and a trap bar deadlift approaching 600 pounds.

The drawback to Nicolas, and perhaps why he is a three-star from 247 Sports where Rivals and On3 have him as a four-star, is that he tends to play very upright. Because he is so much stronger than his competition, he gets away with only needing a bull rush.

This isn’t to say that he doesn’t have a motor, as he will chase down QBs when they leave the pocket, but he will need to develop another move in his arsenal once he gets to the college level.

Right now, it looks like it is going to come down to Florida and Miami as the two main schools for his services. His visit to Gainesville over the weekend followed up a visit he took back in January to see Billy Napier and crew.

There is great potential with Nicolas and he will be one to watch.