According to a report by Lions247, redshirt freshman Penn State linebacker Lance Dixon has entered the transfer portal.
Dixon was rated a four-star prospect coming out of high school by most recruiting services but the 247 Network rated Dixon a five-star talent due in large part to his perceived upside and the No. 9 linebacker overall in his recruiting class.
In his debut season at Penn State the Michigan native made 10 tackles with five of those coming against Ohio State in a Week 2 meeting. Dixon also forced a fumble during that game. While he was not a primary feature of the linebacker group in 2020, Dixon seemed poised for a more significant role on the Nittany Lions’ defensive unit – if not as a starter in 2021 – as his career progressed.
The Wolverines are likely a landing spot for Dixon in the coming days or weeks as it would give the West Bloomfield native a chance to reunite with three former high school teammates in Ann Arbor.
As for the Nittany Lions, Dixon’s departure thins out a linebacker room that is still finding its footing after an up-and-down 2020 campaign. Penn State will continue to lean on veteran linebacker Jessee Luketa, as well as some combination of Brandon Smith, Curtis Jacobs and Ellis Brooks in addition to younger less proven option on Penn State’s roster.
Dixon is the latest in a fairly short but not insignificant number of transfer portal departures for Penn State this offseason as he joins defensive tackles Antonio Shelton and Judge Culpepper in the portal along with offensive guard CJ Thorpe and quarterback Micah Bowens.
The Nittany Lions have also been on the receiving end of the transfer portal as well, picking up five incoming targets that impact both sides of the ball.
