For over a decade, Maurkice Pouncey was an anchor for the Steelers in the middle of their offensive line. Now, following his retirement, front office management has an opportunity to fill the void with star-studded Alabama center Landon Dickerson.
As most people know, there’s elite talent outside of the first round every draft. With all the glitz and glamor surrounding round one festivities, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype.
Last year, you’d think Chase Claypool’s first-year production came directly from the first round. Well, it didn’t, and the same type of immediate impact could come from this year’s second round for the Steelers.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert admitted the center depth this year at his pre-draft press conference is unusually deep.
“Usually there aren’t a lot of centers in a given draft, but we feel good. There [are] quality centers in this draft that we think are starter-capable, and it’s unusual for that position.”
No matter where I end up, I will give everything I have to the team and city!I’m blessed with the opportunity to continue playing football and I couldn’t ask for anything more! #NFLDraft #RollTide pic.twitter.com/AiDkpPA30q
— Landon Dickerson (@Landon_2012) April 28, 2021
Dickerson possesses first-round talent
Dickerson comes from an elite program and conference. Every week, players in the SEC have their abilities tested against the best of the best. There’s no question he proved his worth when he was healthy.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound center showcased his skills from the jump. Originally committed to Florida State, Dickerson became the first true freshman offensive lineman to start for the Seminoles since Jamie Dukes in 1982. He allowed just two sacks in his two seasons at FSU while on the field as a guard.
Following the 2018 season, Dickerson entered the transfer portal with two seasons of eligibility left. His athleticism glared when head coach Nick Saban decided to move the North Carolina native from guard to center despite never playing the position.
Since 2018, Dickerson allowed one sack. In 1,269 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed a minuscule 34 quarterback pressures. The list goes on and on when speaking of the accomplishments. His trophy case is filled with accolades. Also, it’s important to mention that he was a captain of one of Saban’s most dominating Alabama teams of all time.
The heralded group at Pro Football Focus feels the same way about Dickerson. They graded him favorably as well with an overall score of 91.3 — 76.2 pass blocking and 92.8 run blocking.
Dickerson is a tactician at the line. He bends well, is more athletic than he’s given credit for and — perhaps most importantly — he’s a leader.
All of the Alabama players rallied around him throughout the years. That showed on the final play of the National Championship game when he snapped the ball.
His love for the guys is reciprocated as well. At his home, he created an at-home workout facility when everything was shutdown due to COVID, even setting up a JUGS Machine in the back for receivers.
Well since the secrets out about the home gym we might as well post some pictures and videos of the setup . pic.twitter.com/sqp2QEEka4
— Landon Dickerson (@Landon_2012) April 23, 2021
Injuries scaring teams away
As I hinted at above, one problem exists; Dickerson’s injury history runs deep.
There’s no question Dickerson would be a first round pick if the draft was based on talent alone. Teams have to account for his time missed due to injury.
He suffered a torn ACL at FSU in 2016. Ankle problems in 2017 and 2018 also plagued Dickerson before transferring to Alabama. Then, following recovery, he finally played a full season at Alabama in 2019.
Hopes were high Dickerson could continue down a road of good health in 2020, but bad luck struck once again for him. He suffered another torn ACL during the SEC Championship against Florida.
As time elapses, his recover seems to be going well. The ginormous center celebrated Alabama pro day with cartwheels behind quarterback Mac Jones during an interview.
Final thoughts
Dickerson, if healthy, is going to be a plug-and-play guy right away. From all reports thus far, there’s no reason to not believe he won’t be fully healthy by September or October coming off of his ACL injury.
And if that’s the case — notice all the ifs — the Steelers can afford to take a flyer on him and roll the dice.
There’s a familiarity with incoming running back Najee Harris that’ll make their transition smoother. Dickerson’s ability to open up the interior run game for Harris helps this offense tremendously. I can assure you B.J. Finney or J.C. Hassenauer won’t be starting at center in 2021.
Let’s also not forget world-class orthopedic surgeon Freddie Fu is based right here in Pittsburgh and works for the Steelers. He’s the same surgeon Zlatan Ibrahimović traveled all the way to the United States for to have perform career-saving knee surgery. So, I’m not kidding when I say that’s an advantage.
Once healthy, Dickerson’s skillset could solidify the Steelers at the center position for the next ten years or more just like Pouncey did.
Cinello covers all things Pittsburgh sports. Connect with him on Facebook (Joey Cinello), Twitter (@JCinello) and LinkedIn (Joseph Cinello)
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