LSU Tigers 2021 Offensive Tackle Commit Garrett Dellinger's SI All-American Player Profile
Garrett Dellinger kicked off what the LSU coaching staff is the first of many offensive linemen to join the program out of the 2021 class. At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Dellinger fits the mold of a two or three year starter at one of the tackle positions.
The Clarkston High School product committed to Ed Orgeron and company back on June 24 after initially whittling his list down to the Tigers, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State. Dellinger told LSUCountry after his commitment that a contributing factor to choosing LSU was the relationship he built with coach James Cregg.
"Just talking to him, not just about football but about personal stuff to, that's how I got a good feel of him," Dellinger said. "I really feel like he's just a great person and somebody I want to be coached by. When we talk about football, it's a lot of the various schemes and drills he suggests for me to study and to work on."
Now that he's on board, the next steps for Dellinger is making sure the program can continue to add significant weapons to an already impressive class. It's something that linebacker Raesjon Davis and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier have done since joining the Tiger family in January and April.
"We might end up signing the best wide receiver class in the country if it all shakes out the right way," Nussmeier said. "We should pull off one of the best o-line classes in the country as well and to me that's super exciting.
"It was really cool getting to know Garrett and kind of give him a pitch as to why you should choose us," Nussmeier added. "I'm really excited. He's a really, really good kid, a really, really good football player. I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I'll have him protecting me for four years."
Here is the SI All-American player profile for Dellinger for the highly skilled tackle out of Clarkston, Michigan.
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-6, 260 pounds
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Clarkson (Mich.)
Frame: Big and thick shoulders with very good width on a 6-foot-6 frame. Solid body definition with excellent potential to increase mass and bulk.
Athleticism: Plays with solid knee bend and ankle flexion; comes out of stance well with fair snap quickness. Good footwork in bucket-stepping to execute inside and outside zone blocking concepts. Flashes adjust ability in short space when asked to pull inside, as well as when adjusting track on second level in space. Solid balance in pass set with body quickness to mirror and hustle.
Instincts: Possesses very good awareness on first and second levels in running game. Good punch and accurate with hand placement at the point of attack; will work to reset his mitts to counter on reach blocks. Works well on scoops and combos and can also not lose his man in traffic on pulls. Uses a 45-degree set in pass-protection with decent feel and anticipation for inside counters.
Polish: Technique and skills shine in zone-blocking concepts with footwork and punch accuracy. Will need to continue to add bulk and strength to increase point-of-attack power at the college level. Also will need to acquire more reps against better pass-rushing competition, improve his pass-protection punch timing and eliminate his current tendency to cross his feet when attempting to off-set rushers around the arc.
Bottom Line: Dellinger currently plays left tackle and has the frame to stay on the edges in college. He will need to gain some college seasoning in pass protection, yet his awareness, footwork and hand placement in the running game are good traits for an offensive line coach to work with. He projects as a swing tackle in an offense that features inside and outside zone-blocking concepts in its rushing attack.
