2024 • REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON
Season: Has started 10 games at center...Voted a team captain.
at West Virginia (8/31): Made first career start...Penn State gained 457 yards on 60 plays (7.6 yards per play)...The Nittany Lions threw for 235 yards and rushed for 222 yards, while not allowing a sack...PSU tallied eight runs of 10+ yards. Bowling Green (9/7): Penn State had nine plays of 20+ yards (five passes, four rushes)...PSU collected 438 total yards, throwing for 204 yards and rushing for 234 yards... The Nittany Lions had two 100-yard rushers (Nicholas Singleton - 119; Kaytron Allen - 101). Kent State (9/21): Penn State had a school record 718 yards of offense...The Nittany Lions had a school record 40 first downs...Penn State’s 409 passing yards are the fifth highest total in school history. Illinois (9/28): Helped pave way for the offense to gain 239 yards on the ground with three rushing touchdowns...Kaytron Allen rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, while Nicholas Singleton added 94 yards and a score. UCLA (10/5): Penn State totaled four plays of 20+ yards on offense...The Nittany Lions scored on a 16-play, 82-yard drive, covering 8:36 in the second quarter, PSU's longest drive by time since a 9:04 drive against Indiana in 2019. at USC (10/12): Tight end Tyler Warren set a Penn State and Big Ten tight end record with 224 receiving yards (on 17 catches)...Warren’s 17 receptions are a Penn State record and tied an FBS tight end record...Penn State had six pass plays of 20+ yards...The Nittany Lions tallied 518 total yards and threw for 400 yards. at Wisconsin (10/26): Penn State tallied 419 total yards, while Drew Allar and Beau Pribula each threw a touchdown pass. Ohio State (11/2): The Nittany Lions recorded four plays of 20+ yards, including three passing and one rushing. Washington (11/9): Penn State gained 486 total yards, including 266 rushing and four touchdowns on the ground...Corey Smith had a 78-yard rush in the fourth quarter, PSU's longest offensive play this season...PSU did not allow a tackle for loss in the game. at Purdue (11/16): Penn State had eight plays of 20+ yards (6 passing, 2 rushing)...The Nittany Lions tallied 539 total yards, threw for 305 yards and gained 234 yards on the ground, without allowing a sack.
2023 • REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors...Was Penn State's Public Service Award winner...Won the team's Letterman's Club Scholarship, awarded to an outstanding graduate.
Season: Appeared in all 13 games on offense and special teams.
Delaware (9/9): Saw significant time at center...Penn State tallied 541 total yards on offense, including 315 yards on the ground...The Nittany Lions ran 91 offensive plays and held the ball for a time of possession of 42:22...Kaytron Allen rushed for 103 yards on 19 carries and touchdown, while Nicholas Singleton scored three touchdowns on the ground. UMass (10/14): Played both center and guard... The Nittany Lions rushed for 246 yards and finished with 408 yards of offense in the 63-0 win...Drew Allar accounted for four total touchdowns, including three passing. Rutgers (11/18): Penn State rushed for 234 yards rushing with all four touchdowns coming on runs...Beau Pribula (71 yards), Allen (69) and Singleton (61) paced an offense which averaged six yards per carry. at Michigan State (11/24): Helped Penn State post 10 offensive plays of 20+ yards in the game, including five passing plays and five rushing plays...The Nittany Lions had three plays of 50+ yards and four plays of 40+ yards...Allen (137) and Singleton (118) both went over 100 rushing yards. vs. Ole Miss (10/30): Helped Penn State tally 510 total yards...The Nittany Lions threw for 343 yards and went three-for-three in the red zone.
2022 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Season: Redshirt season...Appeared in two games on offense and special teams.
2021 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Season: Appeared in 11 games, primarily on special teams.
2020 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named the coaching staff's Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Year along with Will Knutsson and Mason Stahl.
Season: Did not see any game action...Three-time Developmental Squad Player of the Week (Indiana, 10/24; Michigan State, 12/12; Illinois, 12/19).
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-year letterman for head coach Tim Moncman at Parkland High School...Was a team captain as a senior...Helped the Trojans to the district title as a sophomore with a 13-1 record and as a freshman with a 10-4 mark... Was recognized as Class 4-6A Mr. Pennsylvania Football Lineman of the Year as a senior... Earned all-league honors as a senior...Chosen as the Comeback Player of the Year by The Morning Call...Named All-Eastern PA Conference first team as a senior...Selected to participate in the International Bowl...Had 28 pancake blocks as a senior...Tallied 16 pancake blocks as a junior...Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals...Rated as the No. 22 guard and No. 6 recruit in Pennsylvania by 247Sports...Ranked as the No. 53 guard, No. 114 player in the region and No. 10 prospect in Pennsylvania by ESPN...Ranked as the No. 11 recruit in Pennsylvania by Rivals...Lettered twice in track & field, competing in shot put...Finished third in the lead EPC Championship meet...Was an honor roll student.
PERSONAL
Full name is Nicholas Paul Dawkins...Son of Janice and Darryl Dawkins...Has two sisters, Alexis and Tabitha...Father, Darryl, played professional basketball, including 14 years in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz...Cousin, Brian Dawkins, played 16 years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos...Cousin, Karl-Anthony Towns, played basketball at the University of Kentucky and in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves...Cousin, Dion Dawkins, played football at Temple and in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills...Has participated in community service projects, PALS club and FCA...Hobbies include playing basketball and lifting...Earned his degree in recreation, park and tourism management...Pursuing a graduate certificate in organization development and change essentials...Would like to become a director of operations for a professional sports team.