2023 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Postseason: Earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and honorable mention from the media...Was Penn State's Tim Shaw Thrive Award winner with Hunter Nourzad. Preseason: Named to the Reese's Senior Bowl watch list.
Season: Started 12 games at cornerback...Finished with 26 tackles (20 solo) to go along with an interception, forced fumble, three pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Rankings: Led all FBS cornerbacks with 4.5 sacks.
West Virginia (9/2): Posted three solo tackles and added two pass breakups. at Illinois (9/16): Intercepted a pass in the third quarter and returned it 21 yards...It marked the longest interception return of his career...Added two solo tackles. Iowa (9/23): Made a solo stop. at Northwestern (9/30): Posted two solo tackles. at Ohio State (10/21): Collected a career-high two tackles for loss and recorded a solo sack in the first quarter...Also tied his career high with five tackles (3 solo)...Added a pass breakup. Indiana (10/28): Made four tackles (2 solo)...Added a solo sack in the fourth quarter. at Maryland (11/4): Posted a solo sack in the second quarter...Made two solo stops. Michigan (11/11): Made two tackles. Rutgers (11/18): Forced a fumble in the second quarter and registered a solo sack in the third quarter...Made three solo tackles. at Michigan State (11/24): Posted two tackles and assisted on a sack, marking his fifth game in the last six where he has recorded at least a half-sack.
2022 • JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Selected honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media.
Season: Started 13 games at cornerback, making six starts...Tallied 23 tackles (17 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
Rankings: Finished tied for sixth in the Big Ten in pass breakups (10)...Led all cornerbacks in the Big Ten in sacks (3).
at Purdue (9/1): Made three solo stops, including a sack for a loss of 10 yards...Added two pass breakups. Ohio (9/10): Recorded a sack in the third quarter and a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss...Tallied two total tackles. at Auburn (9/17): Registered two tackles and a quarterback hurry. Central Michigan (9/24): Recorded first career interception as a Nittany Lion...Broke up a career-high three passes. Northwestern (10/1): Broke up a pass. at Michigan (10/15): Assisted on a tackle. Ohio State (10/29): Totaled four solo tackles...Added a sack and recorded his first career forced fumble. at Indiana (11/5): Made two solo stops, including a tackle for loss...Added a pass breakup. Maryland (11/12): Recorded a solo stop...Also added a pass breakup. at Rutgers (11/19): Recorded an interception in the second quarter and broke up a pass...Made three tackles. Michigan State (11/26): Posted two solo tackles. vs. Utah (1/2): Made three tackles (2 solo) and broke up a pass.
2021 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 12 games...Made 10 tackles (8 solo) with two pass breakups and a half tackle for loss.
Ball State (9/11): Made three solo tackles. Villanova (9/25): Had one pass breakup. Illinois (10/23): Tallied a pass breakup. at Maryland (11/6): Recorded two solo tackles. Michigan (11/13): Assisted on a tackle for loss. at Michigan State (11/27): Made two solo stops. vs. Arkansas (1/1): Tallied two tackles (1 solo).
2019-20 • SOUTH CAROLINA
Awards: 2019: Named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
Season: 2020: Appeared in 10 games, making eight starts...Made 34 tackles (28 solo) with five pass breakups and a fumble recovery. 2019: Saw action in all 12 games, making one start as a true freshman...Tallied three tackles including one tackle for loss and one interception.
2020: Tennessee (9/26): Recorded a solo tackle and a pass breakup. at Florida (10/3): Made five tackles (4 solo) to go along with two pass breakups. at Vanderbilt (10/10): Tallied two solo tackles and a pass breakup. Auburn (10/17): Recorded three tackles (2 solo). at LSU (10/24): Made four tackles (3 solo). Texas A&M (11/7): Had four solo tackles. at Ole Miss (11/14): Tallied five tackles (4 solo)...Recovered a fumble, the first of his collegiate career. Missouri (11/21): Made two solo stops. Georgia (11/28): Recorded five tackles (4 solo). at Kentucky (12/5): Tallied 3 tackles (2 solo) and a pass breakup.
2019: vs. North Carolina (8/31): Made first career start...Assisted on a tackle. Charleston (9/7): Recorded first career interception. Alabama (9/14): Tallied two solo tackles and a tackle for loss.
HIGH SCHOOL
Played cornerback at Chamberlain High School for head coach Jason Lane, graduating in 2019...The Chiefs went 8-2 during the 2018 season...Was a varsity starter for four seasons...Logged 15 tackles and four pass breakups as a senior...Missed the majority of his junior campaign with an injury...Collected 102 career tackles with 14 pass breakups and three interceptions in 30 games...Rated as the 51st-best player in Florida, the nation's 45th-best cornerback and No. 435 overall, according to 247Sports.
PERSONAL
Full name is John J. Dixon...Son of Roger and Daphney Dixon...Majoring in recreation, park and tourism management.