Iowa defensive lineman commit Daviyon Nixon offered a scholarship by Alabama
By Tyler Devine
IOWA CITY, Iowa – If things had worked out the way they were supposed to, Daviyon Nixon would be a freshman on the Iowa football team and wouldn't have a scholarship offer from Alabama.
But things don't always go as planned in recruiting and Nixon now has a tough decision to make.
Does he stick with Iowa, which has been at this side for over a year, or does he switch his allegiance to college football's most dominant program over the past decade?
“My heart is still with Iowa,” said Nixon, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle from Kenosha, Wis., who now attends Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. “I’m not making any decisions yet, it’s just an offer. I just got the offer and I’m just thinking about my next move and just trying to finish the season.
“The plan right now is to still go to Iowa in December.”
Nixon was committed to Iowa’s 2018 recruiting class as a three-star defensive lineman.
However, due to an academic issue, Nixon couldn't enroll at Iowa this fall, so he went the junior-college route instead with the plan to enroll at Iowa in December.
He has stayed committed to Iowa this fall, but the offer from Alabama could change things once Nixon has more time to mull it over.
“Right now it’s pretty tough, but I haven’t really been thinking about it that much because I’m just trying to finish out the season before I do anything,” Nixon said.
“It’s pretty big. Everyone has a dream to play for Alabama. That’s the number one school in the country. But it’s just an offer at the end of the day.”
One thing that could impact Nixon’s ability to make that decision is Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz’s no-visit policy for committed players.
Ferentz stipulates that verbally committed players are not allowed to visit other schools.
Nixon would like to visit Alabama, but isn’t sure it’s worth the risk.
“It effects it a lot actually,” Nixon said of Ferentz's no-visit policy. “Now, I want to take a visit to Alabama but I’m not sure what I’m doing at the end of the season.”
Nixon said he also has heard from Nebraska and Michigan State, but nothing that would make him think the two schools are close to offering.
Nixon has until Jan. 15, 2018 to decide on a school, and he could sign a letter of intent with Iowa as soon as Dec. 20.
The NCAA passed a rule this year that allows junior college and high school players to sign their national letter of intent with a school before the regular period that begins in February.
Nixon has 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the season for Iowa Western.
Nixon picked Iowa over scholarship offers from Buffalo, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan coming out of high school.