Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft starting on April 29th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up...
Landon Dickerson (Center), Alabama, Redshirt Senior
Dickerson weighs in at 330lbs, standing at 6'6" and is one of the best interior lineman in the draft.
Overview:
Landon Dickerson is a former 5-star recruit out of North Carolina who was one of the most sought after offensive lineman in the country. He originally started his career at Florida State where he became a freshman starter at right guard before a torn ACL ended his season after seven games. The following two seasons he had his seasons cut short by ankle injuries, but made starts at guard and both tackle spots over that span. He transferred to Alabama where he remade his career as an elite center who led the Crimson Tide's dominate front. However, in the SEC championship game, he tore his other ACL ending his season yet again. Dickerson is one of the best lineman prospects in the draft, but injuries and durability raise several questions on his future.
[incontent2]
Pros:
- Strength at point of attack is very good
- Finishes plays through the whistle
- Burst of off the line
- Good hands with a strong punch
- Tight feet and doesn't get his legs outside his base
- Size
- Versatility, can play center or guard and even has experience at tackle
- Experience in many different protections and blocking schemes
- Capable athlete
- Consistent in climbing to the second level
- Football IQ is very high
- Leader on and off the field
- Lot of starting experience
Cons:
- Solid, not great athlete. Can struggle mirroring linebackers in space
- Injuries, 4 of 5 seasons ended because of injuries
- Leans too much at times in the run game
- Feet can die on hard contact not getting as much push
- Bends at the waist more than you'd like to see
With the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers are left with a hole in the center of their offensive line, as well as need help in the run game. Dickerson has the ability and power to fill in that hole and potentially help fix the run game issue early on and be a long-term replacement.
Hand Technique and Footwork:
Below the waist might be the only true hole in Dickerson's game. Too often he will stop his feet on contact and results in stalemates at times with powerful defenders. Besides that though, his footwork is great. He rarely over extends or gets his feet too close together, he does well when climbing to the second level, and doesn't long stride when in space which can result in some being out of control. His hand usage is some of the best in the class for any of the linemen, as he shoots his hands with incredible quickness and power. His first punch alone is enough to get some defenders off balance and forced to give up some ground. He has average length for the position, so his hand technique is very key in his ability to have success.
Mobility:
While Dickerson is a serviceable athlete, you won't confuse him for Pouncey by any means. Dickerson does a good job climbing to the second level and tracking down work in open space when he is moving forward. In the open field and climbing to the second level, his lateral mirroring ability definitely could be better, but he typically gets the job done by understanding his angles and his hand placement. In pass protection, he does a very good job working between both guards and isn't easily worked around as he can mirror pretty well in this regard. While he isn't the shining star in terms of mobility, he definitely has enough athleticism to eliminate any worries for potential teams looking to draft him.
Power and Strength:
This is probably Dickerson's strongest area as he is a road grader of a blocker. He has incredible burst off of the line and possesses as much power as any lineman in this class. He consistently pushed defenders back and is able to eliminate even some of the strongest interior defensive lineman from plays. I'm not going to go into too much more detail here, just know that Dickerson is one strong dude.
[incontent3]
Football IQ:
As a 5th year player, it isn't a surprise to many that Dickerson's football IQ is very high. He is able to recognize defensive stunts with ease and call out all the protections for his offensive line. Having experience at basically every position on the offensive line gives him a better understanding of how to approach blocks and his teammates assignments. Rarely, if ever, did you see him have any issues getting beat on stunts or having a breakdown in communication with his other linemen. He should be able to step in immediately and be able to lead the communication along the line.
NFL Comparison - Brandon Linder:
Both Brandon Linder and Dickerson bring similar skillsets coming out of college. Both had positional versatility playing all three primary offensive line positions, and both are the leaders of their unit in terms of communications. They both possess great upper body strength and burst off of the ball which led to great success in college. Linder has struggled some with lower body strength, but that shouldn't be a problem with Dickerson as long as he gets healthy.
Draft Projection - Late 1st or 2nd Round:
Dickerson is a very tough grade, and I am sure there is a wide range of grades for NFL teams too. On one hand, he is a stud of a lineman that should be able to step in day one and have success. On the other hand, he has a long injury history that includes tearing both ACLs, including one in December 2020. If it was based on his play alone, he'd likely be an easy choice for a 1st round pick, but his injuries make that a very muddy picture.
Let us know below what you think about Dickerson as a prospect, and let us know what other prospects you could be interested in seeing a profile on!
#SteelerNation
