Penn State center Nick Dawkins enters the final season of his college career with a grudge. Despite being a redshirt senior, Dawkins has yet to earn a full-time starting job with the Nittany Lions, although he is expected to do so this year.
With the Big Ten expanding, Dawkins is primed for a breakout 2024 campaign that could easily launch him into NFL Draft conversations.
In 2023, Dawkins was slotted behind now-Kansas City boss Hunter Nourzad and saw 180 snaps. While 180 is a lot of snaps for a backup lineman, discussion has primarily focused on Dawkins’ leadership ability, a quality often attributed to veteran linemen.
While there is no doubt that Dawkins possesses this quality, helping players like highly touted freshman Cooper Cousins adapt to the program, his ability as an agile and versatile lineman will help him improve his stock next season.
With the aforementioned expansion, Penn State will face UCLA, USC and Washington in 2024.
Coming from the Pac-12, all three defenses are accustomed to using finesse and athleticism to break through the interior offensive line.
The perfect combination comes from offensive linemen with the ability to use their agility in pass protection, as well as being able to step up to the second level and block oncoming traffic.
For reference, the expected starter weight at the nose tackle position for all three programs does not exceed 315, a generally small build for a nose guard.
Those contests will be a chance for Dawkins to demonstrate his ability to hang with fast linemen, something he’s excited about.
“On defense you see a lot of speed (in the Pac-12),” Dawkins said in April. “When you’re able to show that on tape… you can really show your versatility.”
Penn State football center Nick Dawkins (53) prepares to kick the ball during practice Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Holuba Hall in University Park, Pennsylvania.
joel haas
The versatility Dawkins mentioned could be huge throughout the season, as he can go from competing against a 290-pound Tech to a 339-pound nose tackle like Michigan’s Kenneth Grant.
The experience and strength the 6-foot-4 center has gained over the years will leave him well equipped to handle both challenges.
Additionally, Andy Kotelnicki’s scheme seems to fit Dawkins’ style of play perfectly. Kotelnicki has done well to adjust his scheme to his talent, so there will likely be a mix of Penn State’s old running game and his own.
It’s worth noting that Kotelnicki’s scheme has been very successful, racking up 211.3 rushing yards per game at Kansas in 2023.
In this pro-style multiple scheme, expect Dawkins to pull and get into space from time to time while Kotelnicki works to get running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen into open lanes, two things Dawkins does well.
That wasn’t seen often in the 2024 Blue-White Game, as Penn State showed off a basic playbook, but it should be fully expected in the fall.
If Dawkins can take advantage of an offensive coordinator and a schedule that favors his style of play, he could experience similar excitement as Nourzad and 2022 starting center Juice Scruggs.
Both Nourzad, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and Scruggs, who was selected 62nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, did not assume full-time starting center duties until his last season at Penn State. Like Dawkins.
Dawkins is more than capable of following in the footsteps of Scruggs and Nourzad, not only in college, but in the NFL as well.
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