The road less traveled: Jaguars rookie carves path from highly-rated HBCU prospect to NFL

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie outside linebacker and edge rusher De’shaan Dixon is just doing what he’s always done.

The same approach that led him to be one of the best defensive players in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last year is the same approach he’s taking with his shot at an NFL team.

Signed as an undrafted free agent, Dixon has competed throughout rookie minicamp and organized team activities right alongside No. 1 overall draft pick Travon Walker.

Dixon had a different path to get here, though.

While Walker was chasing a national championship at the University of Georgia in the SEC, Dixon led the MEAC in sacks and was second in tackles for a loss, earning a first-team all-conference selection for his efforts.

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Dixon logged 154 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for a loss and 14.5 sacks in four seasons at Norfolk State.

He was listed as one of the 10 best HBCU draft prospects before the draft by Pro Football Focus and was listed as one of six players that were top performers during the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds, he looks the part of an NFL talent.

Now, he’s working to ratchet up his talent to make the Jaguars roster.

HBCU football isn’t any different to Dixon

In recent years there’s been a resurgence for Black collegiate athletes playing for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

A spotlight has been lit on the funding and resources that those universities lack and the disadvantage they’re put in when it comes to recruiting top athletes.

Some of that has changed because of the stardom of Deion Sanders and his unique approach to coaching at Jackson State.

Four players from HBCUs were drafted this year while many more like Dixon found opportunities as undrafted free agents.

To some, those players might lack a competitive edge for a number of reasons. For Dixon, football is the same no matter where you play it.

“Football is football — it’s 11 guys on each side of the ball and we’re all playing for the same goal, to win,” Dixon said. “Being at these other schools, all it is, is just the name of it. A lot of these HBCUs are on the come-up. Starting to get more TV games and stuff like that. It’s not really much of a difference. Football is football and we put the pants on the same way they put the pants on.”

Dixon also had a message for players from HBCU’s who are looking for an opportunity in the NFL.

Trust the process and keep praying.

“Just trust the process; keep doing what you’re doing,” Dixon said. “Work hard and graduate because once you get here it’s a business. Football is always going to be the same wherever you go but now you’re taking it to the next level. Now, you’re being more accountable. Now, it falls on you if you want it or not. So, trust the process, keep working, and keep praying. Because there’s a plan.”

High praise from coach on his effort

When rookie minicamp started, Dixon was able to get many more reps during drills because of the lack of competition.

When organized team activities began those reps started to dwindle as Dixon fell behind veterans on the depth chart.

But according to outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey, just because his reps changed doesn't mean his effort did.

“He’s done a nice job over the past few weeks of balancing out, understanding his role and understanding that he’s going to have to take those mental reps and when he does get on the field he plays all the way through the whistle," Shuey said. "His pursuit angles and everything has been really good with him.”

With Dixon taking fewer reps it could cause him to feel pressure.

Pressure to overcompensate for missed action or trying to stand out even more than he already does. Especially with other rookies getting reps ahead of him.

But according to Shuey, it’s not pressure that he’s sensed from Dixon — it’s urgency.

“He’s a quiet guy by nature; He’s a good guy, but I don’t sense him feeling a lot of pressure,” Shuey said. “I sense him taking this opportunity seriously. Trying to enjoy it. And I’m watching him mature even over the last maybe month or so. I’m watching him mature in terms of how he’s handling himself as a professional. He’s picking things up pretty fast. I don’t sense that he’s feeling a lot of pressure but what he feels is urgency. And I think that’s a good thing for him.”

Off-the-field adventures with other rookies

Since getting to Jacksonville, Dixon hasn’t been all football all the time.

He took a trip to Autobahn Indoor Speedway with other rookies and went deep sea fishing, which was a first for him.

According to him, he was pretty good on the racetrack despite what his race time said.

The fishing, that’s another story.

“You go out in the middle of the ocean and you fish,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s a little more stuff to it like being on a boat and what to do and what not to do. What to take before, because I think I was the only person that got sick out there. I was confident because I’ve been fishing before. Just not out in the middle of the ocean. It was fun though. I’d definitely do it again.”

Juston Lewis is a sports reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @JustonLewis_.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: De'shaan Dixon competing for spot on Jacksonville Jaguars roster