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. Being in an NFL weight room is nice, but don’t expect Dismukes to get much bigger. He left high school at 272 pounds and left Auburn weighing 296. A small difference compared to the jump some players make.
In a phrase, his uninspiring frame is maxed out.
Pound for pound, he shows some strength. Guy can hold the point of attack and plays with good leverage in the run game, getting under the pads of defenders and not allowing them to shed.
Holds the POA quite nicely against the LSU defensive tackle.
Auburn routinely let Dismukes freely release to the second level but he still gets there quickly.
Defenders are able to get into his pads and upright him but he has the lower body strength to anchor and avoid getting pushed too far into the pocket.
But he lacks the length and special athleticism to stick at the second level once he reaches. Where his short arms and small hands really hurt him.
Lack of foot speed makes him unable to provide help to the right guard and seal the corner. Pressure forces the interception.
Dismukes is a souped up version of – if you remember him from last year’s camp – Chris “Nugget” Elkins. He’ll probably have one good day of camp, stalling out Daniel McCullers in a one-on-one, eliciting an “ooh” from the crowd. But he’s a longshot to make the 53, especially with Finney being a superior prospect.
Fantastic college career but one of those players who won’t be able to replicate that in the NFL.
Percent of Making 53 Man Roster: 10%
Games Watched: vs Arkansas, vs LSU, at Mississippi St
Previous UDFA Scouting Reports:
B.J. Finney
https://steelersdepot.com/2015/03/2015-nfl-draft-player-profiles-kansas-state-c-b-j-finney/
