Alabama football has to replace a ton of stars.
With the structure of college football and the amount of players Saban sends to the NFL early, fans are used to a mass exodus of talent. Alabama football is losing a Heisman winner, another Heisman finalist, three starting linemen, the best running back in college football and the dynamic asset that is Jaylen Waddle. That’s just on offense.
Thankfully, Alabama is also bringing in the best recruiting class ever. It will be a challenge, but there is talent on the roster that will be ready to replace every star that is heading to the NFL.
While all of these players are valuable in many ways, there is one player who will be the hardest to replace, and it might surprise you. That is Landon Dickerson, Alabama football’s starting center.
Dickerson was not the most talented player on last year’s team. That being said, he was the best center in college football. Once you reach a certain level of talent, the diminishing returns do not separate the impact you have. Instead, you have to look at the intangibles.
That is where Dickerson sets himself apart. Despite being a transfer, he was loved by every person in the Alabama football locker room. His impact reverberated through the team, and their bond was proven when Dickerson went down with a knee injury.
Despite the injury, Dickerson came back to take the team’s final snaps. That type of determination is rarer than anything a player can do on the field.
Dickerson’s leadership was apparent on the sidelines, but his impact in the game itself was often overlooked. His chemistry with Mac Jones helped force offsides penalties consistently, and he had a highlight block in almost every game.
His character is also proven by his ability to give back. He is raffling off his iconic bumper to raise charity for a firefighter with cancer. Instead of searching for financial gains after leaving the Tide, his first act involving money was to help someone in need. That shows who he is as a person, and that adds to why he will be so hard to replace.
Alabama football will have the best offensive line recruiting class ever, but no one will ever live up to what Landon Dickerson did. It will be hard to replicate Najee’s hurdles or Smitty’s highlight catches, but the one thing that will be the hardest to replace is the amazing person that is Landon Dickerson.