Penn State picked up a rare commitment from California on Monday, adding On3 Industry four-star cornerback Daryus Dixson to its Class of 2025. Listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Dixson earned an offer from the Nittany Lions last June and had been steadily communicating with assistant coach Terry Smith throughout the past few months.
But it was Smith’s visit to Mater Dei during the spring contact period that helped convince Dixson and his family to check out Penn State for the first time.
“I’ve been [building] a relationship with coach Terry Smith over the phone and then he came down to see me recently,” Dixson said. “I love the energy and passion and love he has talking about the game of football.”
Of course, that visit took place this past weekend. He told On3’s Steve Wiltfong late Sunday evening that a few things stood out.
“My visit to Penn State was amazing,” Dixson told Wiltfong. “I would say a takeaway for me would be the way they made me and my family feel like it was home, and how just the culture is all together. Also, how big the stadium was is crazy.”
Dixson added, “It is about family there. That was big, and the relationships are genuine, so that had an impact on my decision. Then it was about player development. That is big for me, too. I trust in the coaches and believe they can get me to where I want to be.
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Head coach James Franklin’s presence throughout the visit also grabbed the attention of Dixson and his parents.
“Me and Coach Franklin talked a lot throughout my visit over the weekend,” Dixson said. “He’s a good coach, and I like how active he is with his players. He’s a coach that was with me through my whole official visit and that showed me a lot. Coach Franklin was talking with me, my parents and he is just a genuine guy.”
Throughout his recruitment, Dixson totaled more than 30 scholarship offers. He took an official visit to Washington last weekend and was planning to check out Tennessee but is no longer expected to make that visit. Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma and USC all hosted him multiple times in recent years.
Dixson holds a three-star rating by On3 but is considered a four-star at the other three major recruiting sites. That makes him a four-star in On3’s Industry Rankings, coming in at No. 135 nationally. He’s the 14th-ranked cornerback and No. 13 overall in California for the 2025 class. Last season, he totaled 56 tackles in 14 games, adding five tackles for loss, six interceptions and a forced fumble.
Dixson is the second cornerback to commit to the Nittany Lions, joining Pittsburgh nativeXxavier Thomas. Penn State is also in a good position with Ohio native Josh Johnson, who we logged an RPM pick for on Sunday. Both Maryland native Brandon Finney and New Jersey’s Jahmir Joseph are also high on the staff’s board.
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