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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t see any playing time but was named the Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wish I was able to show more athleticism,\u201d Dawkins said at pro day. \u201cLike some lingering issues and injuries that I wasn’t able to finish out a lot of the change of direction stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Metrics<\/p>\n
Height: 6-foot-4<\/p>\n
Weight: 305 pounds<\/p>\n
40-yard dash: 5.16 seconds<\/p>\n
Vertical jump: 32 inches<\/p>\n
Broad jump: 9-foot-4 inches<\/p>\n
Projections<\/p>\n
Projected round drafted: Undrafted<\/p>\n
Player comparison: Javon Patterson<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
Sienna Pinney<\/p>\n
Scouting report<\/p>\n
Dawkins played a key role in the success of the running game over the past two seasons as the center of the trenches.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Dawkins\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
Dawkins, who\u2019s sometimes known as the \u201cmayor of State College,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Best team fit: Philadelphia Eagles<\/p>\n
Dawkins wouldn\u2019t hold a starting job with the Philadelphia Eagles, but could play a key role as a backup offensive lineman.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Eagles don\u2019t 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
MORE FOOTBALL CONTENT<\/p>\n
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