2021 NFL Draft: Alijah Vera-Tucker leads the way of top-10 IOL
By Scott Gorman
5. Landon Dickerson (OC) – Alabama
The first of two Alabama teammates on this list, Landon Dickerson is a former transfer from Florida State that won the Rimington Award in 2020 as the top center in college football. He has started every game he’s played for the past two seasons and has been consistently dominant for the Alabama offense.
Dickerson’s 2020 season ended prematurely with a knee injury in the SEC Championship game against the Florida Gators. That injury was one of the few blemishes on an otherwise stellar career for the Alabama pivot man. If he can prove healthy, Dickerson will be taken on the second day of the 2021 NFL Draft and slide in as a day one NFL starter.
6. Deonte Brown (OG) – Alabama
Another dominant Alabama offensive lineman appears in the rankings with monster OG Deonte Brown. The mammoth, 6-foot-4, 350-pound interior player is the prototype for the position in a power running scheme. He should step in as a starter to anchor inside for the next 10 years. Brown is an absolute bully with tremendous strength, balance, and instincts for the OG position.
Brown is also a proficient pass blocker, despite a lack of standout movement skills inside. The one knock here is the time it takes Brown to reach the second level. He’s not a player that does well in space but can be dominant in close quarters. In the right offense, Brown could develop into an All-Pro for the team that drafts him. I see Brown coming off the board between rounds three and four.