The NFL’s 2021 draft is just two months away, and that means the draft drafts are heating up. NFL draftniks like Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay are hitting their keyboards with every simulated draft imaginable.
Can you blame them? NFL fans literally eat everything they say.
If you agree or disagree with their selections for your favorite team, the fact is that it is great for discussion and debate. For me, the simulated drafts are very similar to the advanced classifications. They are someone’s personal thoughts about their team’s position / what they can do in the draft.
With that said, Mel Kiper has just released his last simulated draft, and it included several huge negotiations along the way. Don’t worry, no negotiations have taken place with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it is important to note some of the movements that occurred at the top of Kiper’s last prediction:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars – QB Trevor Lawrence
2. Atlanta Falcons (trade with NY Jets) – QB Zach Wilson
3. Miami Dolphins (by HOU) – WR DaVonta Smith
4. New York Jets (trade with ATL) – TE Kyle Pitts
5. Cincinnati Bengals – OT Penei Sewell
6. Philadelphia Eagles – WR Ja’Marr Chase
7. San Francisco 49ers (trade with DET) – QB Justin Fields
8. Carolina Panthers – QB Mac Jones
9. New England Patriots (trade with DEN) – QB Trey Lance
10. Dallas Cowboys – CB Patrick Surtain II
You read that correctly, with the Kiper negotiations FIVE defenders being selected in the Top 10, with two teams, the 49ers and the Patriots, moving on to the Top 10 to get their next flag.
So, what about the Steelers? What did they end up doing?
As I stated earlier, Kiper keeps the Steelers standing at choice 24, but the choice only screamed positional need, not the best player available. However, with several offensive tackles off the board, but still with a lot of defensive talent left, Kiper has the Steelers filling the gap in the center with the Steelers taking Landon Dickerson with his first round pick.
Here’s what he has to say about his choice:
Nº 24 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama
The Steelers have big capitalization problems and a long list of free agents that includes the edge rusher Bud Dupree, the wide receiver JuJu-Smith Schuster and the tackles of Alejandro Villanueva and Zach Banner, so your needs will become clearer as soon as we go through the free agency. But a center makes sense because of Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement – Dickerson can be an immediate replacement. I really like his game. The transfer to the State of Florida injured his knee in the SEC title game and did not play at the College Football Playoff, but Alabama coaches praised him on and off the field. He can be the anchor that Steelers need.
The choice would fill the gap left by Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement, but you will always have those who wonder if the Steelers could have gotten a player like Dickerson, or similar to him, in the second or even third round.
To get to know Dickerson a little better, here’s his NFL Draft profile from the Draft Network:
Landon Dickerson is a player who has traveled and played in Florida State (2016-2018) and Alabama (2019-2020). Playing all five positions up front, he gained experience in several positions. Settling along the countryside during the later half of his career, he settled down while in Tuscaloosa. Dickerson is a robustly constructed interior blocker that has a well-developed knowledge of how to use its structure. Extremely strong at the point of attack, he has an above average hand, body strength and conscience. Although he is a below average athlete, he wins by accelerating out of his posture, grabbing fast and not letting the clashes break. At his best, when asked to stay in a controlled environment that hardly exceeds B gaps, he is constantly looking for work on both sides. Playing with the whistle is constant, as he has the control to direct and direct the targets to the desired locations. The biggest concern with Dickerson is durability. His junior season of red t-shirts (2019) is the only year he has managed to end a healthy season from start to finish. He suffered a long list of injuries: torn right ACL (November 2016), ankle surgery (October 2017), ankle injury (2018), left knee ligament injury (December 2020).
Ideal Paper: Starting at the center or guard.
Fit Scheme: Scheme of man / gap / power.
The biggest problem with Dickerson has to be its durability. If the Steelers want to play Dickerson with their best overall choice, they need to ensure that he is a player who can step in and play every game, wasting little time. This is not to say that Dickerson’s injuries were not just accidental injuries, but certainly a red flag while the Steelers were doing their homework in this particular perspective.
What do you think of Dickerson’s prediction wearing black and gold? Do you think it could be a choice that starts on Day 1 for Steelers? Let us know in the comment section below and stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes on black and gold as they prepare for the new year of the league, NFL Free Agency and the NFL Draft 2021.