De’shaan Dixon NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Norfolk State EDGE | Bleacher Report

Photo Credit: Norfolk State Sports Information Department

HEIGHT: 6’4″

WEIGHT: 247

POSITIVES

— Tall, rocked-up build with good length.

— Energetic and physical player. Scraps and works to the ball until the whistle.

— Consistent punch in the run game. Helps him anchor fairly well.

— Flashes of good upper-body strength and power to control blocks.

— Decent range in space.

NEGATIVES

— Poor snap get-off. False steps out of his stance all the time; not particularly explosive.

— Not a natural bender. Shows stiffness when trying to round the corner as a pass-rusher.

— Hand usage as a pass-rusher is a bit wild right now. Needs to be more planned out.

— Does not have a clear dynamic pass-rushing trait. More of a hustle player than anything.

2021 STATISTICS

11 G, 54 TOT, 12.5 TFL, 9 SK, 1 FF

NOTES

— Unrated recruit in 2017.

— Took over starting job in 2019.

— 2019 third-team All-MEAC.

— 2021 first-team All-MEAC.

OVERALL

De’Shaan Dixon has the size and physicality of an NFL run defender, but he will need to improve his pass-rushing skills at the next level.

Dixon is a scrappy player. As a run defender, he does well to use his length and consistently strike offensive linemen first. His strength may come and go, but he does show moments of overwhelming power, which could be something he unlocks with better coaching. He also does well to hold his ground, showing plenty of anchor to hold up in the pros.

Additionally, Dixon plays with a red-hot motor. He is relentlessly scrapping to free himself from blocks and chase down ball-carriers until he hears the whistle. When coupled with his solid range, he has stretches where he is around the ball all the time.

However, Dixon needs a lot of work as a pass-rusher. His issues start with his snap get-off. Dixon tends to take extra steps getting out of his stance, which prevents him from exploding out and threatening the edge immediately. Even then, his bend is lackluster at this stage. He does not win around the corner consistently enough.

Furthermore, Dixon does a worse job using his hands and length as a pass-rusher than he does as a run defender. His pass-rushing effectiveness boils down to effort and glimpses of impressive strength, but nothing more.

Dixon can find a backup role for himself as a tough, run-defending outside linebacker who helps clean up as a pass-rusher. To bloom into a legit rotational player or starter, though, he’ll need to tap into something more as a pass-rusher.

GRADE: 5.7 (Backup/Draftable – 6th-7th Round)

PRO COMPARISON: Poor man’s Tyus Bowser

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen