4-star CB Daryus Dixon commits to Penn State: 'It is about family there'

Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star cornerback Daryus Dixson considered schools across the country, including those in his own backyard.

But he found his next home in State College, Pennsylvania. After his official visit over the weekend, Dixson has committed to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions.

“It is about family there,” he told On3. “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.

… When I got out there and saw everything with my family, it looked good, the relationships were strong and I decided Penn State was where I wanted to be.”

Dixson got to spend an extended amount of time with Franklin, another key factor in his decision.

“Me and Coach Franklin talked a lot throughout my visit over the weekend,” he 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.”

Penn State has the whole package for Dixson

Washington and Tennessee were the other top contenders for Dixson. And while he liked those programs a lot, he loves the combination of academics and football with the Nittany Lions.

“It really hit me with Penn State when we got into the academic room,” he added. “I got a look at football, then academics, and it hit me that Penn State was the place.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder is the No. 135 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 14 cornerback and the No. 13 recruit in California.