Penn State cornerback Johnny Dixon breaks silence on his NFL status after going undrafted
Penn State football had eight players drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft last month, which was one of the highest totals among college programs this year. However, one name that was left out of the process was cornerback Johnny Dixon. Dixon not only went undrafted but has yet to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent. After rookie mini-camps in the NFL concluded last week, Dixon provided an update about why he hasn’t found a home in the NFL yet.
Dixon told Blue White Illustrated in March that he suffered a hip injury at the Senior Bowl and has been recovering since then.
Dixon’s postseason has been fraught with hurdles
It’s safe to say that Dixon’s offseason hasn’t gone to plan. As he mentioned in his X post, Penn State fans were upset with him, and fellow starting cornerback Kalen King opted out of the Peach Bowl. Penn State lost to a high-octane Ole Miss passing attack that put young cornerbacks Cam Miller and Zion Tracy in a tough spot with their first starting experience.
The decision to opt-out was followed by an injury at the Senior Bowl during the practice portion, during which Dixon and King struggled to stay with opposing receivers. The injury also prevented dixon from competing at the Combine and showing off his skills that might have enticed a team to take a shot on him anyway. Dixon’s self-reported 40 times during training would have gone a long way to help his case.
“I was running in the low 4.4’s. I was going to try and get a high 4.3 at The Combine,” Dixon told reporters at Penn State Pro Day.”
While he didn’t suggest a timeline for his return to football, Dixon’s ominous phrasing hints that the injury will keep him out of action for quite some time. As an undrafted player, he’ll have an uphill climb to join a roster or practice squad if he’s still recovering from an injury that is clearly more serious than first reported.
Dixon’s Penn State career
Dixon is one of Penn State’s most successful transfer portal stories, setting the groundwork for players like A.J. Harris to join the program this offseason. Dixon spent two seasons with South Carolina before joining the Nittany Lions in 2021 as a developmental player. He then split duty with King, battling each week for a starting spot opposite Joey Porter Jr. in 2022. Neither King nor Dixon had improved years for their final run in Happy Valley. Despite that, Dixon compiled 13 passes defended in his career and a 67.7 passer rating in his coverage, according to PFF. Dixon and fellow Penn State starter Curtis Jacobs were the two Penn State players invited to the Combine who went undrafted.
