Nick Dawkins always keeps his word. He says he was brought up that way.
Since transferring to Penn State in 2019, Dawkins has been a backup on the offensive line and a starter on special teams, and his loyalty has not waned in his fifth season with the program.
“You can’t be at Penn State, see this community, see this atmosphere, see our fans, see how this team works, see the staff, see how much coach (James) Franklin invests in us and not want to be a part of it for as long as possible,” Dawkins said Tuesday.
Saturday will likely be Dawkins’ first start for Penn State. Dawkins has positioned himself as the Nittany Lions’ starting center against West Virginia in their season opener. It would be his first career start in his 27th game for Penn State and will come in a challenging environment.
Dawkins will face noise and chaos in his first game as quarterback Drew Allar’s primary center. West Virginia will be a tough place for his starting debut, but his teammates said Dawkins has earned the spot.
“He’s established himself as the big dog there,” said Penn State defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas. “He’s done a great job of guiding them every single day in what they do, how they work, how they approach the game, how they study film. So he’s done a great job.”
During his first four seasons at Penn State, Dawkins worked behind future NFL draft picks Michal Menet, Juice Scruggs and Hunter Nourzad. He played in 11 games in 2021, mostly on special teams, and spent the 2022 season on the bench with an injury that limited him to two games and earned him a redshirt.
After Nourzad’s departure, Dawkins entered the offseason as Penn State’s most experienced center despite never being a starting center in his career. Since then, J-Thomas said, Dawkins has “really taken control” of the offensive line. Franklin has watched Dawkins’ rise for four years, culminating in him earning the starting position and captaincy this season.
“Nick is just really smart, really charismatic and not afraid to lead through actions and words, which you don’t see as much anymore in young men, willing to speak their minds and challenge their teammates,” Franklin said. “… He can do that because he holds himself to that standard that I think everybody respects. He’s been really good. When you have intelligence and charisma and have earned the respect of the team, the players and the coaches, you’re capable of doing that. I think he’s going to have a really good year for us.”
Dawkins described being named captain as one of the greatest honors a football player can receive.
“Penn State means so much to me, Penn State football means so much to me, the guys in the locker room mean so much to me, and when they chose me to lead this team, I just felt so honored and so lucky to have this opportunity,” Dawkins said.
While he has improved his play on the field, Dawkins’ approach off the field has influenced his teammates.
“When you think of a leader, I think of Nick Dawkins in every way,” said safety and co-captain KJ Winston. “I don’t just think about football. I think about life and everything. When you’re just in the locker room and you need somebody to talk to about some life stuff and real stuff, Nick Dawkins is the guy to talk to.”
Winston described Dawkins as a smart guy with a lot of knowledge. Every time Dawkins says something, he says it “in the perfect way,” according to Winston.
Much of that wisdom comes from his family. Dawkins’ father Darryl played in the NBA for 14 years. Dawkins changed his jersey number to 53 in 2022 to honor his father, who wore it during his professional basketball career. But Dawkins is determined to forge his own path. He has a bachelor’s degree and is pursuing a graduate certificate in organizational development. Dawkins was president of the Penn State chapter of Lift For Life and competed in the 2023 WWE “Next in line” Initiative.
This season, Dawkins looks to be a leader on and off the field for Penn State.
“There have been so many great leaders before me who have left me something that I owe them for,” Dawkins said. “I really intend to owe them for that, because I gave them my word as well.”
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Sam Woloson has covered Penn State athletics for the past three years and is currently managing editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian. His writing has also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntingdon Daily News and Rivals. Follow him on X @sam_woloson.
