Steelers 2022 undrafted free agents: Who will stay and who will go?

OT  Jake Dixon

Duquesne, 6’-5”, 312 lbs., 34 reps 225 lbs.

As I’m sure most of you know, Duquesne University is in Pittsburgh. They’re a Division I, FCS school in the Northeast Conference. They play at Arthur J. Rooney Field which is named for the man, himself. So, the Steelers scouts didn’t have to travel far to find Dixon.

Dixon is a converted tight end who also has a full season as a long snapper. He has two seasons as the Dukes starting left tackle but is still learning how to play the position. He made the honor roll multiple years and has many academic honors. He was a three sport star in high school, playing volleyball, basketball, and football.

His Pro Day broad jump of 9’,1” would’ve landed him in 8th place among offensive tackles. Showing good explosion, his vertical of 30.5” would’ve put him in 6th place. He posted an impressive 34 reps of 225 lbs which would’ve been 1st place among all Combine participants.

I watched the game between Duquesne and the Big 12’s Texas Christian University. The Dukes were way overmatched but Dixon didn’t give up any sacks or pressures. They didn’t run much in his direction but he did execute an impressive multi-level block on one play. I didn’t see him get over-powered in any rep in this game.

Dixon’s athleticism is obvious when he’s move blocking. He can reach his primary assignment quickly and shows good leg drive. He easily gets to the second level and zeroes in on his assignment. He also looked good when Duquesne used him in the H-Back position, just off tackle. There he was asked to pull to the opposite side of the O-Line and looked smooth and self-assured doing it. In pass blocking, his kick slide and mirroring are good but his hand use isn’t fully developed. This leads to problems sustaining blocks.

With NFL coaching he should be able to correct his hand use so he can fully utilize his impressive upper body strength. If that happens he may have a real shot at success in the NFL. Dixon is a more natural fit for OT but with his ability to pull I could also see him moving inside. With his smarts and his long snapping experience, he might, also, be able to handle playing center. That gives him the versatility the Steelers like from their reserve offensive linemen.

He’s going to be facing a big jump in competition but I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in the preseason. He has intriguing athleticism and untapped potential. The Steelers had good luck developing former tight end, Alejandro Villanueva. I don’t know if Dixon is on that level but there are similarities.

Chances of sticking: Dixon has a good chance of being retained and developed on the practice squad and might see time on the roster as a reserve if injuries pile up on the O-Line.