Football: From receiver to linebacker to tight end, Dickerson a complete player

Dorin Dickerson might play tight end, but if you were to look up the definition of a complete… Dorin Dickerson might play tight end, but if you were to look up the definition of a complete overall football player, he would be it.

Dickerson, now a senior at Pitt, was recruited from nearby West Allegheny High School to play receiver. As one of the most electric high school players in recent history from western Pennsylvania, he rushed for 1,428 yards, had 423 receiving yards and scored 36 touchdowns in his senior season.

But after seeing minimal time at receiver his freshman year at Pitt, he was moved to linebacker, where he recorded 15 tackles in 2007, playing in all 12 of the team’s games.

Despite his sophomore success, he was again moved to a new position — tight end — before the beginning of last season.

The switch to defense might have frustrated some players, but Dickerson said it made him a better player. It forced him to bulk up and be more physical.

Now he is one of the best blocking and receiving dual-threat tight ends in the world of college football — and he loves the position.

“You get to hit somebody. It’s not like you’re playing receiver, where you barely get hit,” Dickerson said. “When you’re a tight end, you’re in the mix every single second.”

Dickerson’s high school coach Bob Palko, father of former Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, said he believes playing linebacker helped Dickerson understand how to attack on offense.

“Learning how to read linebackers’ drops and understanding how to read coverages a little bit more helped him,” Palko said.

This season, Dickerson leads the Panthers with nine receiving touchdowns while tallying 32 catches for 332 yards, ranking him second on the team.

But it seems that it’s his blocking, not his receiving stats, that means the most to Dickerson.

“To me, blocking is fun,” he said. “There’s nothing better than seeing somebody break a 30-yard run off of your block.”

When he arrived at Pitt four years ago, Dickerson was listed at roughly 200 pounds, but the move to linebacker added muscle to his frame. He now weighs 230 pounds — enough mass to hold off almost any rushing linebacker.

He attributes this to a rigorous personal workout routine, along with strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris’ demanding regimen.

“I’ve worked on my strength a lot more. I’m as strong as ever, fast as ever and as big as ever as I am now,” Dickerson said. “I do a lot of powerlifting, and I do a lot to keep my speed up.”

Since becoming the Pennsylvania Class AAA player of the year following his high school senior season, it was no secret that he was a great pass catcher.

But the newly developed blocking element of Dickerson’s game has made all the difference, and people have noticed.

He was recently nominated for the John Mackey Award, which is given to the United States’ premier tight end. He could also be a front runner for the award as the season continues, as he is a matchup nightmare for any defender to try to cover.

“He causes a heck of a lot of mismatches,” Palko said. “How do you cover him? You can’t cover him with a linebacker, and most of the time, you can’t even cover him with a safety.”

When you add senior tight end Nate Byham to the mix, Pitt might just have the best tight end combination in the country.

“We’re athletes,” Dickerson said. “We can catch, block or do whatever.”

Whether its catching a 27-yard touchdown pass for the go-ahead score against Connecticut or blocking someone to spring running back Dion Lewis loose, Dickerson will make his final season at Pitt count.

And he’s not looking to change positions again any time soon.