Another Intriguing Prospect for the Vikings if They Trade Down in the NFL Draft
Josh Frey
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There has been much chatter surrounding what the Minnesota Vikings will do in next week’s NFL Draft. From edge rusher to left tackle, the pleas from fans for Rick Spielman to get this draft right are deafeningly loud. The good news is this: the Vikings have a ton of options between trading, whether that be up or down, as well as just staying put at 14. The bad news is, well again, the Vikings have a ton of options. If Minnesota finds a way to screw this one up, it will just go on the list of headaches this franchise has caused its fans over the years.
Today, we’ll be looking at an offensive line prospect who will almost certainly be available for the Vikings if they choose to trade down from the 14 spot. In fact, this player isn’t even someone I think Minnesota takes in the first round. If the Vikings trade down, they will most likely acquire a late first rounder and an additional second round pick. With that second round pick, Rick Spielman and the front office should consider former Alabama center, Landon Dickerson.
Background
Let’s get the risks out in the open to start off. Dickerson tore his ACL in the SEC title game last winter. Remarkably, he still suited up for the national title game and took snaps during victory formation.
Even with that great story, though, the injury is a concern moving forward. Football players in general, but especially offensive linemen that are 6’5 and 320-pounds, need to have strong knees to support the massive amount of strain they put on their bodies. It isn’t the first injury that Dickerson has suffered, either. He started playing collegiate ball at Florida State where his football career was nearly derailed by both an ankle injury and another torn ACL.
Then, in 2019 he transferred to Alabama, and everything changed. He earned an immediate starting role at guard, which is where he spent most of his playing time at FSU, before transitioning to becoming the Crimson Tide center. He played every game from 2019 to 2020’s SEC title without any injury troubles, solidifying himself as one of the best o-linemen in the nation.
As for Dickerson’s recovery, things seem to be going well, which is promising. In fact, I might go so far as to say he’s fully recovered given this stunt he pulled at Alabama’s Pro Day in March.
https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1376957885943545856?s=20
Is now a bad time to mention that one of the biggest knocks against Dickerson going into the draft is his athleticism?
Dickerson’s Fit
If you’ve read any of my content over on TheDraftTeam.com, you know that one of my favorite things about NFL prospects is their versatility. No matter the position, if a player can be comfortable in multiple schemes and formats, I think that bodes well for them at the next level.
Dickerson embodies that. As mentioned, he spent most of his time at Alabama playing center, but Dickerson does have experience at every position along the line. He has taken snaps at tackle, and he has started at both guard positions.
With the Vikings, this experience at guard could be very valuable. Garrett Bradbury deserves to have a chance at playing with decent guards before Minnesota gives up on him. Ezra Cleveland playing at right guard last year shouldn’t deter the Vikings from taking one, either. The Vikings need to find out what they have with Cleveland at left tackle before they commit to shoving him to the inside.
In my recent mock draft over on TDT, I have Dickerson going 35th overall to Atlanta. If you can’t tell, though, I think I have become higher on Dickerson than a lot of the other analysts, and potentially other NFL teams. It would not be all that surprising if Dickerson fell into the 50s given his injury history. This would give the Vikings their opportunity in the mid-to-late second round, depending on who they trade with.
Not only that, but Dickerson has proven to be a leader. Many offensive linemen are, but Dickerson stands above most for me. His willingness and determination to suit up for a national title game despite such a devastating injury is just the latest example of that. That is the type of guy, whether he gets immediate starting reps or not, that you want in the locker room and on the sidelines.
Closing Thoughts
We’ve all been through our lists of needs for the Vikings. It’s clear the top two at this point are offensive line and defensive end. If the Vikings trade down from 14 and acquire a second round pick, this route could fix both before we even reach pick 60.
Taking a pass rusher in the 20s will be much more valuable than potentially having to reach for Gregory Rousseau at 14. Then, if Minnesota can get Dickerson in the second round and move him back to right guard, he can immediately improve the Vikings o-line in 2021. It’s not the only route by any means, but it could prove to carry the most value.