Continuing our post-draft evaluations, we’re diving into the Pittsburgh Steelers undrafted free agent pool. We’ll do full breakdowns of the players that have enough tape available. Kicking off our evaluations is Auburn center Reese Dismukes.
#50 – Reese Dismukes/C Auburn: 6’2/6 296
The Good
– Pound-for-pound strength who is able to stick and hold the point of attack
– Built-in leverage who is able to get under pads when attacking in the run game
– Technician who plays with proper hand placement and does a good job keeping his lower half under him in both phases, no wasted motion or false steps in his game
– Even-keeled, consistent player on tape who doesn’t get too high or too low
– Shows a bit of a burst out of his stance, scheme-aided, but gets to the second level without issue and has shown some competency in combination blocks
– Shows an anchor and even though he can get knocked back by strong punches, shows the ability to catch the defender without getting run into the pocket
– Fantastic starting experience against quality competition
– Decorated career
The Bad
– Undersized player who will be routinely dwarfed in the NFL, lacks ideal length (32 1/4 arms) and has baby hands (8 /7/8), latter was the smallest figure by an offensive lineman at the Combine
– Frame is maxed out, player who stopped growing a long time ago
– Overall, underpowered who can hold point of attack but has trouble moving bodies off the line of scrimmage
– Lack of length allows defenders into his pads in pass protection, loses leverage and causes him to get upright
– Doesn’t have especially quick feet whose position helps mask it but can’t seal the corner against defensive tackles who try and dip him
– Isn’t always able to stick in space and will fall off his blocks
– Upside and potential seems limited
Other
– Four year starter for the Tigers, 50 career starts
– 2014 Rimington Trophy award winner, given to the nation’s top center
– First-team AP All-American senior year
– Two-time First-Team All-SEC (2013, 2014)
– Top five center prospect by nearly every outlet coming out of high school, including being named the top center by ESPN
– Team captain junior and seasons of high school, team won state title senior year, became the first player in school history to have his jersey retired
– Received offers from Auburn, Alabama, Stanford, and Florida State
– Only gained 24 pounds from beginning of college career to NFL combine
Tape Breakdown
Similar to fellow UDFA BJ Finney, Dismukes isn’t much to look at and that is one obvious reason why the Tigers’ four year starter found himself without a team after seven rounds.