With Penn State getting four-star CB Johnny Dixon [5-11, 185] from the transfer portal, it opens up the possibility that Penn State might think about having So. CB Keaton Ellis [5-11, 191] or possibly Rs.Fr. CB Joey Porter Jr. [6-2, 192] take some reps in spring practice at the Field Safety position in the secondary.
Most people might think the top candidate would be Porter Jr. over Ellis to see some reps at the field safety position besides the boundary CB position in spring practice. I'm not so sure that would be the case.
From what I'm hearing both Penn State CB coach, Terry Smith, and Penn State safety coach, Tim Banks, love Porter Jr.'s play at the boundary CB position. If I had to make a guess, if a move is made by Penn State's coaching staff, I think Ellis is the most likely candidate. Penn State loves Porter Jr's size, ball skills and the physical nature of the way Porter Jr. plays press man-to-man coverage at the boundary CB position.
But I want to make this clear, from what I'm hearing a final decision to have either Ellis or Porter Jr. receive some reps at the field safety position in spring practice has yet to be made. As I understand it that decision is not a done deal at this point.
I'll also have to admit to our Lions Den members, that I was surprised Penn State was able to get a quality field CB like Johnny Dixon [5-11, 185] from the transfer portal. Dixon was considered by many SEC college football analysts as one of the five or six best lockdown CBs in the SEC for the 2020 season. I was even surprised he entered the transfer portal. But with Will Muschamp being fired as South Carolina's head football coach, I guess I should not have been surprised.
Once he entered the transfer portal, I immediately thought he would transfer to Miami [Fla]. He picked the Gamecocks over the Hurricanes when he made his decision as part of the class of 2019. I know he was impressed with Penn State and that he made an official visit, but I thought he was headed to Miami [Fla.].
Besides, Penn State Dixon had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, FSU, Georgia, Maryland, Miami [Fla.], Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and West Virginia.
What this also might indicate is that Tariq Castro-Fields [6-0, 195] possibly has made a decision not to come back for a sixth-year. There was some talk that Castro-Fields, who had a spectacular game against Indiana to kickoff the 2020 season, but got hurt in the second game of the season against Ohio State and saw only limited action in the next two games against Ohio State and Maryland, might come back for the 2021 season.
We'll have to wait and see what Castro-Fields decides to do. But I can't tell you how pleased I am that Penn State has landed Dixon. He should compete for the starting field CB position the minute he enrolls
at Penn State during the 2021 spring semester that begins on Monday, January 19.
I really like the two players, RB John Lovett from Baylor and Dixon, Penn State has gotten from the transfer portal, but I firmly believe this is just the beginning of Penn State's entrance into the transfer portal before its 2021 spring practice session that is scheduled to begin in mid-March.
It's now definitely time for Penn State to start looking for one or two quality DEs in the transfer portal with Jayson Oweh [6-5, 255] making the decision to enter the 2021 NFL draft and with Shaka Toney [6-3, 252] graduating.
Finally, here is a piece of information that Ryan Snyder of our staff found out from several Penn State contacts about what might happen when Johnny Dixon arrives on campus January 19 at the start of Penn State's 2021 spring semester:
"I did some more digging on the defensive back situation. Now that they have a veteran player in Dixon, they want to add one more defensive back. It can be a corner or safety, and it can be a transfer or high school [player]. PSU is just looking for the best fit possible. They would move one of their current corners to safety if they add another cornerback. I was told that, too."
Most people might think the top candidate would be Porter Jr. over Ellis to see some reps at the field safety position besides the boundary CB position in spring practice. I'm not so sure that would be the case.
From what I'm hearing both Penn State CB coach, Terry Smith, and Penn State safety coach, Tim Banks, love Porter Jr.'s play at the boundary CB position. If I had to make a guess, if a move is made by Penn State's coaching staff, I think Ellis is the most likely candidate. Penn State loves Porter Jr's size, ball skills and the physical nature of the way Porter Jr. plays press man-to-man coverage at the boundary CB position.
But I want to make this clear, from what I'm hearing a final decision to have either Ellis or Porter Jr. receive some reps at the field safety position in spring practice has yet to be made. As I understand it that decision is not a done deal at this point.
I'll also have to admit to our Lions Den members, that I was surprised Penn State was able to get a quality field CB like Johnny Dixon [5-11, 185] from the transfer portal. Dixon was considered by many SEC college football analysts as one of the five or six best lockdown CBs in the SEC for the 2020 season. I was even surprised he entered the transfer portal. But with Will Muschamp being fired as South Carolina's head football coach, I guess I should not have been surprised.
Once he entered the transfer portal, I immediately thought he would transfer to Miami [Fla]. He picked the Gamecocks over the Hurricanes when he made his decision as part of the class of 2019. I know he was impressed with Penn State and that he made an official visit, but I thought he was headed to Miami [Fla.].
Besides, Penn State Dixon had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, FSU, Georgia, Maryland, Miami [Fla.], Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and West Virginia.
What this also might indicate is that Tariq Castro-Fields [6-0, 195] possibly has made a decision not to come back for a sixth-year. There was some talk that Castro-Fields, who had a spectacular game against Indiana to kickoff the 2020 season, but got hurt in the second game of the season against Ohio State and saw only limited action in the next two games against Ohio State and Maryland, might come back for the 2021 season.
We'll have to wait and see what Castro-Fields decides to do. But I can't tell you how pleased I am that Penn State has landed Dixon. He should compete for the starting field CB position the minute he enrolls
at Penn State during the 2021 spring semester that begins on Monday, January 19.
I really like the two players, RB John Lovett from Baylor and Dixon, Penn State has gotten from the transfer portal, but I firmly believe this is just the beginning of Penn State's entrance into the transfer portal before its 2021 spring practice session that is scheduled to begin in mid-March.
It's now definitely time for Penn State to start looking for one or two quality DEs in the transfer portal with Jayson Oweh [6-5, 255] making the decision to enter the 2021 NFL draft and with Shaka Toney [6-3, 252] graduating.
Finally, here is a piece of information that Ryan Snyder of our staff found out from several Penn State contacts about what might happen when Johnny Dixon arrives on campus January 19 at the start of Penn State's 2021 spring semester:
"I did some more digging on the defensive back situation. Now that they have a veteran player in Dixon, they want to add one more defensive back. It can be a corner or safety, and it can be a transfer or high school [player]. PSU is just looking for the best fit possible. They would move one of their current corners to safety if they add another cornerback. I was told that, too."
