Kevin Dotson provides big-bodied option for Steelers on offensive line

Kevin Dotson provides a big body the Pittsburgh Steelers can put in the interior of their offensive line.

The question is when.

“His ability to compete for playing time will be etched out as we get to know him and so forth,” coach Mike Tomlin said Saturday after the Steelers selected Dotson in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. “We like his pedigree. We think he has the type of talent that will allow him to (compete immediately), but he’ll write that story with how he performs.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic that has put NFL offseason team activities on hold, nobody knows when Dotson will be able to start writing that story.

It could be this year, provided there is a full training camp and preseason that will afford the 6-foot-4, 310-pound lineman from Louisiana a chance to compete at left guard.

It could be in 2021 after Dotson is given a year to acclimate himself into the Steelers pass-blocking and run-blocking schemes.

It also could depend on the configuration of the Steelers offensive line. Ramon Foster’s retirement and the loss of B.J. Finney in free agency opened a spot at left guard and the top backup interior position, respectively.

The Steelers signed nine-year veteran Stefen Wisniewski to compete at left guard or fill Finney’s role if he doesn’t earn the job. Matt Feiler, the starting right tackle last season, could be switched to left guard, the position he played against the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 when Foster was out with an injury.

With the start of the season more than four months away, Tomlin isn’t in any hurry to provide clarity on the makeup of his line.

“Obviously, we’re very comfortable with Matt’s position flexibility,” he said. “And those are some things that are going to be determined, maybe not by what he brings to the table but maybe by what others around him bring to the table in terms of guard depth or tackle depth.

“He provides us that type of flexibility. We’ve got complete confidence in him, and we’re excited about taking a look at what the young guard has.”

Dotson, who will turn 24 in September, started 52 consecutive games at Lafayette, a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Despite playing at a non-Power 5 level, Dotson impressed enough as a redshirt senior to be named a first-team AP All-American.

General manager Kevin Colbert described Dotson as a “self-made senior,” and offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett used the term “people mover” to describe Dotson’s strength and physicality in the trenches.

“He is the type of guy when you look at that old-school run game stuff like back in the day when you run through guys, this really flashes on his tape,” Sarrett said.

Does he flash enough to become an immediate starter?

“The best five will start,” Sarrett said. “I think this guy is realistically that guy who can go in and compete for the spot.”

Another factor could be the development of tackles Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner.

Okorafor, a third-round pick in 2018, started at right tackle against the Rams when Feiler was moved inside. But it was the only appearance of the season for Okorafor, who appeared in 13 games as a rookie but was surpassed by Banner on the depth chart last year.

Banner served as the jumbo tight end last year and appeared in 14 games.

“I think we’ve watched Chuks and Zach grow over the last couple years, and I think there is a comfort level that both of those guys are NFL tackles,” Colbert said. “At what level, we’ll see because they’ve been backups and spot starters and package players, but we’re comfortable with where they are.”

The only certainty is Dotson won’t be thrown into the tackle mix.

“Dotson is a guard,” Colbert said. “He hasn’t played any other position, and that’s fine because he’ll be a guard with us.”