Rimington Award winner Landon Dickerson to leave Alabama football for NFL Draft

Landon Dickerson will not take advantage of the NCAA’s COVID-19 eligibility waiver, electing to enter the 2021 NFL Draft and leaving Alabama with a void to fill at center.

The Rimington Trophy winner suffered a knee injury in the SEC Championship Game that kept him out of both of UA’s College Football Playoff games, ending his season and UA career two games premature. Before that injury, Dickerson started every game at UA since transferring in from Florida State.

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Dickerson has an heir apparent in Darrian Dalcourt, but Dalcourt is not the only option. Chris Owens could fill that spot, as he did in the College Football Playoff, but Owens will be an option at other positions, too. Current starting guard Emil Ekiyor Jr. also has trained at center, and freshman Seth McLaughlin snapped in pregame warmups of every game in 2020.

Reach Brett Hudson at 205-722-0196 or bhudson@tuscaloosanews.com or via Twitter, @Brett_Hudson