Xzavier Dickson to New England Patriots: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The New England Patriots may not have dipped into their familiar Rutgers pipeline, but in selecting Alabama's Xzavier Dickson, the Pats returned to a familiar source of prospects.  Bill Belichick's friendship with Nick Saban has led to the selections of Dont'a Hightower and Brandon Deaderick in the past.

Hightower is now a premier inside linebacker, while Deaderick was a serviceable starter at the beginning of his career.  Dickson is now the third front-seven player from Tuscaloosa to enter the league in Foxborough, and if he could at least provide the same kind of depth that Deaderick did, that would be a win for the Patriots.

After a heavy front-seven focus early in the draft, it's only fitting that the Patriots wrapped up their draft with the defensive lineman.  Read on for a look at Dickson's game and his odds of making the final roster.

What Dickson Brings

The 6'3", 260-pounder played outside linebacker for the Crimson Tide, but he does not have the lateral agility to remain in an upright stance in space at the professional level.  Dickson almost never dropped back in coverage for Bama, so the transition to a full-time three-point stance was inevitable.

Despite unspectacular athleticism and strength, Dickson was rather productive for one of the nation's premier defenses, leading the Alabama defense with nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2014.  As Scout.com's Jamie Newberg noted in his report on Dickson, his creative array of pass-rushing moves helps compensate for relatively unspectacular burst or power:

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Dickson runs with a quick burst to close on the quarterback and shows very good timing to get a jump on the blitz. His quickness and athletic agility lets him flush the quarterback out of the pocket and he shows good urgency getting to the ball. Even though he lacks ideal power, he has an array of moves (rip, swim, club) to get leverage. He has valid speed if some team wants to go “big” and keep him on the weak-side, as he demonstrates an explosive burst and can gain penetration even before the offensive tackle can get out of his stance.

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That's the reverse of most collegiate prospects, who typically win with physical superiority rather than technique, so it's encouraging that Dickson comes with pro-level intelligence.  However, his severe deficiencies in playing strength are a big minus, especially considering his lack of speed.  Until Dickson gains enough functional strength to hold the point, he'll be a tweener.

Dickson is also the first prospect the Pats took who does not come with a totally clean character sheet.  Bama suspended Dickson for the 2014 Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma due to a violation of team rules, which was reportedly an argument with the coaching staff, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.  It was only a one-time incident, though, and Saban must have ensured Belichick that Dickson would remain in line.

How Dickson Fits

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Dickson adds another body to the most crowded spot on New England's roster.  Perhaps the Patriots will ask him to lose weight to improve his agility and possibly allow him to remain a "Sam" linebacker, but that seems like a longer project than simply having him add more strength.  

The senior-year production was out of whack with his statistical profile over his first three seasons, but it nonetheless raises intrigue.  Too often, the draft bypasses football players for athletes, and some believe that Dickson could be a bargain who was overlooked for his measurables:

In fairness, Dickson is also out of line with the uber-athletic prospects the Patriots drafted in the late rounds.  Good coaching can mold raw projects like A.J. Derby and Geneo Grissom into useful players, but it's hard to envision Dickson ever being at a physical advantage over his competition in the NFL.

Among edge defenders, the quartet of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard and Trey Flowers are probably locks (this counts Grissom as a linebacker).  Depending on how many the Pats keep at that spot, Dickson could be competing with Zach Moore, Michael Buchanan and Jake Bequette for a single roster spot.

Bottom Line

Of New England's 11 draft picks, Dickson is the least likely to stick around.  He's an unspectacular athlete at the deepest spot on the roster, and though he plays with plus intelligence, Dickson could get pushed off the roster if someone like Moore takes a step forward.

However, Dickson does provide a fitting wrap on the 2015 draft for the Patriots, which was all about adding layer after layer of beef to the trenches.  Despite needs at some offensive skill position spots and cornerback, the lines were always going to need attention this year.  Some will argue that Belichick overdid it, but there's no such thing as too much depth at those positions.

Dickson's selection only enhances what should be a fun competition among the big uglies this summer.  Despite their Super Bowl title, New England got pushed around at times in 2014.  Belichick's draft this year is the first step toward ensuring that does not happen in 2015.