Eagles LG Landon Dickerson Has Arrived - But Does He Know It?
PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson is doing just fine, an easy personnel assessment to make, at least for those who don’t spend much time around the third-year pro.
Already a Pro Bowl selection by his second season, the 335-pound road-grader has been as advertised coming out of Alabama as the 37th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Dickerson, 24, has quickly become an elite student at “Jeff Stoutland University” and a charter member of the league’s best offensive line.
If you talk to Dickerson, however, you might think the North Carolina native is struggling to survive in the league.
"A lot,” Dickerson said when asked what he needs to work on this offseason despite his demonstrated success. “Pass protection. Run blocking. Stunts and games. Screens. Vision."
Essentially everything, and that’s been Dickerson’s mindset since he arrived in Philadelphia. He’s been his own toughest critic, and that statement is made understanding just how tough Stoutland, the Eagles’ well-regarded offensive line coach, is on his pupils.
Dickerson really seems to think he’s not who he is as a player and that’s a gold mine for a coach trying to push a talented prospect to the elite level.
In the case of Dickerson, the only thing standing between him and All-Pro status would be tightening up a little in pass protection because he’s already got the reputation of mauling opposition defensive linemen with what can only be described as a country-strong type of power rarely seen.
Most young offensive linemen need a year or two in an NFL strength program to reach a level where they can start pushing people around but Dickerson arrived in Philadelphia with the ability to dole out more pancakes than the local IHOP.
“If you want to think about it in that sense, run blocking you are kind of the attacker coming off the ball. Pass blocking, you’re going backwards while another guy runs full speed at you,” Dickerson said. “It’s kind of like do you want to get punched, or punch somebody?
“I’d prefer to punch somebody.”
The one lingering concern with Dickerson is a troubling injury history dating back to college at both Florida State and Alabama. The only reason he fell to No. 37 in the draft in the first place was a torn ACL in the SEC Championship Game back in 2020.
Despite some bumps and bruises along the way with the Eagles, Dickerson has started 34 consecutive games, including the postseason, since he was inserted as a starter early in his rookie year.
“It’s football. It’s a contact sport,” Dickerson said. “Things are going to be hurt. You keep playing. It’s pretty simple.
“If you want to do something bad enough, you find a way to do it.”
The Eagles, meanwhile, have the best of both worlds with Dickerson, a player who’s arrived but doesn’t seem to know it.
“I still feel like I just got here,” said Dickerson.
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-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
