This is one in a series of stories breaking down each of the players on Penn State football’s 2026 roster.
As Penn State snapped a six-game losing streak against Michigan State, its longest since 2004, a rare postgame sight followed.
Interim head coach Terry Smith gave true freshman cornerback Daryus Dixson the green light to speak with the media. It had been more than a decade since a Penn State true freshman had been made available, as most programs traditionally keep freshmen off-limits to reporters.
But Dixson was different.
Following Penn State’s 28-10 win, he sounded far more like a seasoned veteran than a first-year player still learning the demands of major college football.
“I feel week to week I’ve gotten better,” Dixson said. “I just feel like today was just to really show everything. I still got a lot to work on, but we still working every week.”
As the season progressed, many felt Dixson had become Penn State’s most complete cornerback.
One indicator was his production when Penn State sent him after the quarterback. Dixson led all Penn State defenders with a 91.3 pass-rush grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
Granted, rushing the passer is not a primary responsibility for a cornerback the way it is for a defensive lineman or edge rusher, but Dixson recognized his ability to get home when called upon.
“I can blitz, so when coach called that play for me to blitz, I want to make it home every time,” Dixson said.
Dixson’s primary responsibility, of course, is coverage. That is where he showed steady growth as he transitioned through his first season in major college football.
His final two games, against Rutgers and Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl, were his two highest-graded performances of the season, according to PFF, among games in which he played at least 30 defensive snaps.
Height: 6-feet
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Weight: 186 pounds
Hometown: Perris, California
Before Penn State: Dixson played at Mater Dei High School, becoming a team captain by his senior year. That season, Dixson helped Mater Dei finish 11-0, ending the year with 26 tackles and two interceptions. He was a consensus four-star prospect and regarded as a top-20 cornerback nationally.
At Penn State
2025: Dixson played in all 13 games, making two starts. He ended the season with 24 tackles, including 14 solo stops and two tackles for loss. Dixson had a sack against eventual national champion Indiana, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and six pass breakups. He recorded a season-high three pass breakups in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Where he stands: Dixson enters his sophomore season as a bona fide starter and should line up opposite either Audavion Collins or Jahmir Joseph, another 2025 freshman cornerback who made an early impact for Penn State.
Dixson has been on an upward climb since he arrived on campus. Based on what he showed during his freshman season, along with his performance in the Blue-White Practice and the feedback surrounding his development, that climb has continued.
He should be one of Penn State’s starting cornerbacks this fall. On a defense that has questions at edge rusher, Dixson’s play in the secondary will be even more important.
He’s not yet at the stage of his career where opposing offenses are likely to avoid him entirely in coverage. That means he should have plenty of opportunities to make plays on the ball in his second season.
A quote about Dixson: “Their approach, those guys are unbelievable. Both of them are well over 3.0 students, so everything about them is right. How they attack the game, how they prepare for the game.
“They’re obviously athletic and talented. But their mental approach is what separates them.” — Terry Smith on Dixson and Joseph.
