Nittany Lions nab South Carolina CB from transfer portal
Penn State has made its second addition from the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.
Announcing his decision via Twitter, South Carolina cornerback Johnny Dixon will join the Nittany Lions.
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Dixon, a former Rivals four-star prospect from the Class of 2019, was recruited heavily by Penn State coming out of Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Fla. He even took an official visit in 2019 for the White Out game against Ohio State.
“I’ve been to some big games down here, but they were nothing like what I saw up at Penn State,” Dixon said at the time. “It was loud from start to finish. Really, it was completely different. Everyone was up at all parts of the game. It was just a completely different vibe than anything I’ve experienced before.”
Dixon eventually chose South Carolina over Miami and Penn State. Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and Oregon were a few other schools that offered. He was also childhood friends with Jordan Miner, another Tampa native who committed to Penn State but ultimately was forced to step away from the sport due to a heart condition.
This season, he appeared extensively for the Gamecocks in his second year in the program. In 10 games, he had 555 snaps, finishing with 34 tackles while allowing 316 yards on 24 receptions while targeted 42 times, according to PFF's advanced metrics. He also tabbed five passes defended and a fumble recovery on the stat page.
As a true freshman in 2019, Dixon started one game in the opener and appeared in all 12 for the Gamecocks, finishing with three tackles and an interception.
Dixon will have four years to complete three seasons of eligibility with the Nittany Lions due to the NCAA's decision to allow a free year of eligibility for all 2020 participants. He will be immediately eligible.
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