How Marcus Freeman’s message led to 2025 DL Davion Dixon’s Notre Dame commitment
Davion Dixon’s recruitment didn’t last until dinner because the 2025 defensive lineman decided to serve a commitment to the Notre Dame coaching staff as an appetizer.
Headed into last weekend’s unofficial college recruiting visit, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Dixon didn’t expect to verbally commit, nonetheless, within the first few hours of his time back in South Bend.
But after meeting with head coach Marcus Freeman, the Miami (Fla.) Belen Jesuit sophomore recruit had heard enough. He shared the good news with the Notre Dame coaching staff during dinner Friday night.
“All other colleges want to talk about straight football,” Dixon told Blue & Gold. “When I talked to coach Freeman, we didn’t talk about football one time. We just talked about what Notre Dame has to offer. And that’s when I changed my mind about Notre Dame.”
After all, the Irish have been on Dixon’s mind for the last 10 months. He participated in a camp session last June, which allowed him to work in front of Al Washington. The second-year defensive line coach offered Dixon a scholarship eight months later — after an impressive junior season.
The three-star recruit racked up 70 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hurries, 10.5 sacks and five pass breakups in 11 games. He also had a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
Before accepting Washington’s offer at dinner Friday, Dixon had reported 17 others. Over half of those were from Power Five programs, including Florida State, Florida, Michigan State, Penn State, Auburn and Nebraska.
Although, in some ways, his recruitment is just getting started, Dixon didn’t see any reason to prolong it. The Irish checked all his boxes beginning last June.
“When I went to the Notre Dame camp, I said, ‘Wow, this is an amazing campus,’” Dixon said. “They have a good football program and a new head coach. I don’t see why he can’t win a national championship.”
Various factors led to Dixon’s Notre Dame commitment
There were several reasons why Dixon – the No. 328 overall player, No. 33 defensive lineman and No. 48 prospect in Florida per the On3 Industry Ranking — decided to shut down his recruitment in favor of the Irish. But the primary one was what Notre Dame could offer him off the field.
“If you get a degree from Notre Dame, any job you apply to, they’re going to put you at the top,” Dixon said. “Because you have a Notre Dame diploma.”
Dixon said he found a sense of camaraderie on the football field, which he best described as a brotherhood. And the bond he hopes to share with his teammates is why Dixon is confident he’ll also excel as an athlete at Notre Dame.
“I got brothers over there,” he said. “So they can help me through football or hard times. They’re going to push me through it.”
He began building that bond with his future teammates during the Blue-Gold Game on Saturday. He was one of nine Irish verbal commits in town for the annual intrasquad spring game. Dixon said he connected with 2024 defensive tackle Owen Wafle, quarterback CJ Carr and EDGE target Bryce Young.
Though attending the game became a competition of which recruits could stay undercover from the South Bend sleet, not even the weather could rain on his parade.
“I didn’t even think about that,” Dixon said. “I just decided I’m a part of the brotherhood at Notre Dame.”
Because Dixon is a high school sophomore, college coaches haven’t even had the chance to directly contact him. Furthermore, the early signing window for 2025 FBS recruits is about 20 months away. Other coaches will surely reach out to Dixon and recruit him to their schools. However, he doesn’t have any interest in entertaining other offers.
“My dad always says, ‘Never give another school a chance to get to you,’” Dixon said. “Because once you commit, you have to finish it. I’m going to finish with Notre Dame. That’s where I want to go. No school is going to take me from it.”
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