| 31 January 2012
Jr Film:
Sr Teaser Film (watch the ball skills at 0:27, 0:40, and 0:42):
Measurables: Physically, he has almost everything you want. Roughly 5’11, with long arms, and solidly built. 180 now, and has room to add more good weight. Explosive top end speed and acceleration. Very good feet and balance. A little pet criterion I like to see in any skill athlete---How fast can he pick up his feet and put them down? If it is quick enough to look blurred, I’m usually sold on him athletically—Dawson passes this test easily. Strong for a CB. Incredible ball skills---top of the line---could easily play WR. Excellent leaping ability. Really can’t state how athletic he is---he’s cast very much in the Brandon Boykin/Branden Smith mold---but his hands and ball skills are better than either. Some players have track speed, and some have football speed. Sheldon’s definitely translates to when the pads come on. The only complaint is that we’d all like to have him be 2-3 inches taller, like Sanders Commings.
Against the run: I love how he tries so hard against the running game, and doesn’t play like a diva (looking at you, Deion). Years as an excellent runningback have made him physical, IMO. Although it’s not technically a run, his determination at 3:28 brought a smile to my face---gets blocked to the ground, but doesn’t quit, and fights through to notch a TFL on the smoke screen. No shirking his responsibilities against the run—runs to the ball very well.
Does what he needs to get the ball carrier on the ground, but he’s not going to knock anyone out. I don’t necessarily like all his diving cut tackles, either==Marcus Lattimore is liable to just run right through that… but he’s not a huge guy, at the moment. The coaches will work with him on his tackling technique, I’m sure. Does a very good job when he uses his quickness to run around blocks, and not through him—see 3:42 of the junior highlights. He’s just a blur going around the attempted block of the wr. Very difficult to block in space, substantially easier to block in tight areas.
In coverage: Film of him in coverage is very limited, but the attributes you see in him as an athlete are very translatable---he can run with anyone, short and long. Has the quickness and length to disrupt the short passing game. Loose hips and VERY quick feet---although I have heard some question his backpedal ability—that is very coachable. Big time motor to never give up on a play. Tracks the ball well, and just look at the teaser highlights of his senior year to see his incredible ball skills. You have to love guys like this who just take well thrown balls away from receivers.
Negatives: Still needs to continue to develop physically, getting bigger and stronger. Backpedal technique is a bit raw, as is his tackling. There’s nothing wrong with him that good coaching can’t correct, besides the aforementioned lack of overall excellent size.
Who he reminds me of: Brandon Boykin, with better hands for the interception. I make no apologies for comparing him to one of the best UGA CB’s in recent memory, because he’s just that good, and Rivals.com can go jump off a bridge—they missed the boat on this one. I think they’re very, very similar athletically and size wise—Dawson might be a hair taller and longer, with Boykin being a bit thicker right now. Both can do it all---offense, defense, special teams. Dawson is one of my favorite players in this class even as a running back, and has some similarities to Keith Marshall, although he’s overall not as well rounded a ball carrier. Branden Smith is also a comparison athletically, although Dawson will definitely have a significantly thicker and stronger body when he’s ready to play, and he’s more instinctive in coverage. Overall, Dawson was one of the top guys at DB on our board, and it’s easy to see why. All SEC potential for this young dawg, once he gets a few things ironed out technique wise. (Feel like we’re going to be saying that about quite a few of our signees this year---Truly a great time to be a Georgia Bulldawg!)
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