Nick Dawkins comes from a lineage of athletes in his family, with him having the chance to become the third football player in his family to make the NFL.
Dawkins is the cousin of NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins and current Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins. His father, Darryl Dawkins, was a 14-year NBA player and his other cousin, Karl-Anthony Towns is the current starting center with the New York Knicks.
At Penn State, Dawkins was a player who stayed true to the Nittany Lions and waited three years before getting the starting role in 2024.
Dawkins entered Penn State as a long-term development player, coming in as a 3-star recruit and the No. 7 player in Pennsylvania in the 2020 class. In his freshman season, he didn’t see any playing time but was named the Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Year.
That honor helped him see the field consistently in two of his next three seasons before becoming the starter. Dawkins started and played in every game besides the Pinstripe Bowl from 2024-25 despite finishing his final campaign with some lingering injuries.
“I really wish I was able to show more athleticism,” Dawkins said at pro day. “Like some lingering issues and injuries that I wasn’t able to finish out a lot of the change of direction stuff.”
Metrics
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 305 pounds
40-yard dash: 5.16 seconds
Vertical jump: 32 inches
Broad jump: 9-foot-4 inches
Projections
Projected round drafted: Undrafted
Player comparison: Javon Patterson
Offensive lineman Nick Dawkins (53) gets ready to snap the ball at the Penn State football White Out against Washington on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions beat the Huskies 35-6.
Sienna Pinney
Scouting report
Dawkins played a key role in the success of the running game over the past two seasons as the center of the trenches.
His tape will showcase a lot of run plays, but Dawkins held his own in pass protection. However, he was often overshadowed by other linemen at Penn State, including expected first-round pick offensive guard Vega Ioane and the initial likely center predecessor, Cooper Cousins.
But Dawkins made the most of his opportunity. The familiarity with Drew Allar was key to some long inside runs for likely draftees Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Dawkins’ leadership was also a major key to his role on the team, commanding not only the offense with Allar, but also the team as a two-year captain.
Dawkins, who’s sometimes known as the “mayor of State College,” has also had a big impact on the Happy Valley community. He was named the 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient and Allstate Good Works Team Captain after founding the Dawkins Family Foundation to champion academic and athletic excellence for young students.
As a center, despite entering as a rookie, his leadership and goodwill could play a big factor to his potential success on an NFL roster.
Best team fit: Philadelphia Eagles
Dawkins wouldn’t hold a starting job with the Philadelphia Eagles, but could play a key role as a backup offensive lineman.
The Allentown, Pennsylvania, native would be able to grow as a lineman behind one of the consistently strong offensive lines in the NFL. Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen have the interior of the line locked down, but the depth behind the inside is very thin.
The Eagles don’t currently have a backup guard, and if Dawkins wants a chance at the NFL, he could show his versatility as a potential guard. The longtime Nittany Lion had a visit with the Eagles on Tuesday and could remain in state for the beginning of his professional career.
MORE FOOTBALL CONTENT
With 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl, Trebor Peña caug…
If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.