Nick Dawkins
{{Short description|American football player)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox college football player
|name=Nick Dawkins
|image=
|caption=
|school= Penn State Nittany Lions
|currentnumber=53
|currentposition=Center
|class={{redshirt}} Senior
|major=
|birth_date=
|birth_place=
|heightft=6
|heightin=4
|weight_lb=298
|highlights=
- Wuerffel Trophy (2024)
|highschool=Parkland (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
|pastschools=
- Penn State (2020–present)
|bowlgames=
|espn=4431060
}}
Nicholas Paul Dawkins is an American football center for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Early life and high school
Dawkins attended Parkland High School in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions over offers from schools such as Indiana, Northwestern, Boston College, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia.{{cite web |last1=Juliano |first1=Joe |title=Nick Dawkins, son of Sixers great Darryl, commits to Penn State |url=https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/penn-state/penn-state-nittany-lions-darryl-dawkins-nick-20190422.html |website=Inquirer.com |access-date=January 12, 2025}}
College career
During Dawkins first four seasons from 2020 through 2023, he appeared in 26 games for the Nittany Lions with no starts as he played behind future NFL draft picks such as Michal Menet, Juice Scruggs, and Hunter Nourzad.{{cite web |last1=Hill |first1=Avery |title=Why Penn State center Nick Dawkins could be set for big 2024 |url=https://www.psucollegian.com/football/why-penn-state-center-nick-dawkins-could-be-set-for-big-2024-column/article_484eefa8-1971-11ef-b994-d3ca28bb179b.html |website=The Daily Collegian |access-date=January 12, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Woloson |first1=Sam |title=Nick Dawkins Takes His Place as Penn State's Center of Attention |url=https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/nick-dawkins-takes-his-place-as-penn-state-s-center-of-attention-01j6cmhbc6q2 |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=January 12, 2025}} Ahead of the 2024 season, he finally became a starter for the Nittany Lions, becoming the team's starting center for the first time.{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=Branson |title=Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins got inspiration to help others from father |url=https://andscape.com/features/penn-state-offensive-lineman-nick-dawkins-got-inspiration-to-help-others-from-father/ |website=Andscape |access-date=January 12, 2025}} Dawkins was also named a team captain.{{cite web |last1=Scaracella |first1=Rich |title=Nick Dawkins, Dominic DeLuca are selected Penn State team captains |url=https://www.dailylocal.com/2024/08/17/nick-dawkins-dominic-deluca-are-selected-penn-state-team-captains/ |website=Daily Local |date=August 17, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025}} In 2024, Dawkins started in all of Penn State's games including their three playoff matchups,{{cite web |last1=Bodani |first1=Frank |title=From Nick Singleton to Nick Dawkins: Which Penn State football players to return in 2025? |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/football/2025/01/10/which-top-cfp-players-will-return-to-penn-state-football-in-2025/77507663007/ |website=York Daily Record |date=January 10, 2025 |access-date=January 12, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Pickel |first1=Greg |title=Penn State center Nick Dawkins wins Wuerffel Trophy, college football's top community service award |url=https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/penn-state-center-nick-dawkins-wins-wuerffel-trophy-college-footballs-top-community-service-award/ |website=On3.com |access-date=January 12, 2025}} earning honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference honors.{{cite web |last1=Bodani |first1=Frank |title=He's No. 1 nationally in community service: Why it's Penn State football's Nick Dawkins |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/football/2024/12/12/penn-state-footballs-nick-dawkins-wins-wuerffel-trophy-before-cfp/76941665007/ |website=York Daily Record |date=December 12, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025}} He was also honored for his work off the field being named the winner of the Wuerffel Trophy and being named to the AFCA Good Works Team.{{cite web |last1=Flounders |first1=Bob |title=Penn State’s Nick Dawkins wins the Wuerffel Trophy for community service and leadership achievement |url=https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2024/12/penn-states-nick-dawkins-wins-the-wuerffel-trophy-for-community-service-and-leadership-achievement.html |website=PennLive.com |access-date=January 12, 2025}}
Personal life
Dawkins is the son of former NBA champion Darryl Dawkins.{{cite web |last1=Bodani |first1=Frank |title=Penn State football anchor Nick Dawkins: Learning, living, leading from his famous father |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/2024/06/06/nbas-darryl-dawkins-still-shapes-penn-state-football-son-nick-dawkins/72612057007/ |website=York Daily Record |date=June 6, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Groller |first1=Keith |title=Penn State’s Nick Dawkins learned it’s important to give back from his legendary father |url=https://www.mcall.com/2024/12/17/penn-states-nick-dawkins-learned-its-important-to-give-back-from-his-legendary-father/ |website=The Morning Call |date=December 17, 2024 |access-date=January 12, 2025}} He is also the cousin of Hall of Fame defensive back Brian Dawkins and NBA all-star Karl-Anthony Towns.{{cite web |last1=Rudel |first1=Neil |title=Dawkins at center of PSU leadership |url=https://www.lewistownsentinel.com/sports/penn-state/2024/12/dawkins-at-center-of-psu-leadership/ |website=Lewiston Sentinel |access-date=January 12, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://gopsusports.com/sports/football/roster/player/nick-dawkins Penn State Nittany Lions bio]
{{Wuerffel Trophy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawkins, Nick}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Players of American football from Allentown, Pennsylvania
Category:American football centers