This is according to former Umgungundlovu Academy of Sport coach Xolani Madlala.
The 20-year-old, who was promoted to the Maritzburg first team at the start of last season under then-coach Ernst Middendorp along with Siphesihle Ndlovu and Bandile Shandu, passed away in a car crash on Sunday morning.
Dlamini came from the now-defunct Umgungundlovu Sports Academy, which has produced players such as Maritzburg's Ndlovu and Lindokuhle Zondi and Kaizer Chiefs trio Wiseman Meyiwa, Brylan Peterson and Luyanda Mdlalose.
Dlamini shone for Sukuma Comprehensive School during the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup in 2015 where he caught the attention of Maritzburg and was snapped up.
'Vicks' helped the Team of Choice finish fifth in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge last term, notably scoring a cracker of a goal from range against Golden Arrows at Umlazi's King Zwelithini Stadium. He was nominated for the MDC Player of the Season prize.
Madlala says he knew Dlamini was a special talent early on.
"In 2010 he was at our academy, just after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This boy comes from Howick, Mphophomeni, and when we saw him all the coaches agreed that there's something special about him," Madlala tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"As young as he was at that time he showed us 'I'm a star player'. You won't believe at the age of 14 he was already playing Castle League [now SAB League]. And I'm telling you this boy has always been special, hence he wore number 10. He was special.
"Even the late Ted Dumitru called him 'maestro' because of the way he played football. He had a football brain and he was the most intelligent player, personally as a coach, I've ever, ever worked with in my years of development.
"And again, I've never worked with a player so intelligent because he could see things that no one can see, hence we called him Vicks, because when you apply Vicks on your chest the pain goes away."
He adds: "We used to call him also 'Five minutes' because Mlondi could see five minutes ahead. So that boy was special and not only to me but to everyone. As short as he was, he could protect the ball very skillfully, he was fleet-footed.
"But I have to give credit to the late Ted Dumitru because without him we wouldn't have found this boy. Ted used to come at PMB three or four times and he used to say 'this one has the football brain' and every single aspect you can ask from a professional player.
"If death wouldn't have taken his life, he would've gone far and may his soul rest in peace."
Dlamini, who had recovered from a fibula injury sustained in the off-season, played six times for Maritzburg in 2016/17.