Former Alabama four-star LB Sterling Dixon commits to NC State

NC State lands commitment from former Alabama LB Sterling Dixon.

The new reality of college football is that every major program is going to suffer significant transfers after each season. For the second straight year, portal departures hit the Alabama Crimson Tide pretty hard, but most of the core pieces for 2025 are still intact.

Among the departures was former four-star and No. 209 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle LB Sterling Dixon. The Alabama native only saw playing time in games against Western Kentucky, Missouri and Mercer, but that isn’t uncommon for a true freshman. Regardless, Dixon pursued greener pastures after LBs Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson decided to return to Tuscaloosa for the 2025 season.

Dixon announced that he will be transferring to North Carolina State, with four years of eligibility remaining where he will probably have a chance to play immediately. Auburn and LSU also heavily pursued Dixon in the portal.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Alabama freshman linebacker to reportedly enter NCAA transfer portal

The freshman appeared in three games during the 2024 season.

After only one season with the program, Alabama Crimson Tide freshman linebacker Sterling Dixon has reportedly entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Dixon is the second member of Alabama’s inside linebacker room to enter the transfer portal this offseason, joining Jeremiah Alexander.

RELATED: Which Alabama players have entered the transfer portal this offseason?

As a true freshman, Dixon simply did not play much with the Crimson Tide, appearing in only three games. Over those three games, Dixon ended the year with a stat line of only one tackle, which came in the season opener against Western Kentucky.

Prior to Alabama, Dixon was originally a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2024 recruiting class, which is where he was considered as a four-star edge rusher out of in-state Spanish Fort High School.

Dixon is one of multiple Alabama players to enter the transfer portal during the day Saturday, joined by others such as Elijah Pritchett and Ty Lockwood.

40 days until Alabama football kicks off the 2024 season

Just 40 days separate us from the start of the 2024 Alabama football season opener against Western Kentucky!

In 40 days, Kalen DeBoer will usher in a new era of Alabama Crimson Tide football, replacing the legendary [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] as head coach in Tuscaloosa.

Coach DeBoer and the Crimson Tide will take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Aug. 31 to kick off the 2024 college football season inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

At Roll Tide Wire, we will count down the days until Alabama football takes the field.

Freshman linebacker [autotag]Sterling Dixon[/autotag] wears No. 40 for the Crimson Tide but has not yet taken a snap for Alabama.

Before Dixon, linebacker [autotag]Kendrick Blackshire[/autotag] wore No. 40 but would transfer twice this offseason. Once to the Texas Longhorns then to the UTSA Roadrunners.

Here are the top photos of Blackshire in his time with the Crimson Tide where he accumulated 25 tackles in three seasons.

LSU fighting hard to stay in the race for 4-star Alabama EDGE commitment

The Tigers are doing everything they can to flip a blue-chip Mobile prospect from the Crimson Tide.

Four-star edge rusher [autotag]Sterling Dixon[/autotag] remains locked into his commitment with Alabama, but LSU may have gained some ground after hosting the Mobile prospect over the weekend.

Dixon told On3’s Billy Embody that the Tigers “threw the kitchen sink” at him over the weekend. He said he’s especially impressed with the way the Tigers used [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] as a true freshman, and per his meetings with defensive coordinator Matt House, LSU apparently has similar plans for him.

Though initially recruited to play the edge, Dixon said the Tigers now want him to play inside linebacker, where it seems Perkins is also likely to move this year.

In addition to his meeting with House, he also reportedly spoke to coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] for about 30 minutes as well as with running backs coach and top recruiter [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag].

Dixon reiterated that he’s fully pledged to Alabama, but the Tigers are making things difficult for 247Sports’ No. 188 player in the nation.

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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Auburn ramping up efforts to win over 2024 Crimson Tide recruit

The head coach is after a recruit from the team’s biggest rival.

The Tigers currently have two recruits in the 2024 class, but Hugh Freeze and his staff have been actively working to lure another 2024 prospect from the team’s biggest rival.

Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente reported on Sunday (subscription required) that Auburn has been increasing its efforts to win the favor of 2024 edge rusher Sterling Dixon, who is currently committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Here is a little of what Dixon told Auburn Undercover about Freeze’s efforts:

“They’ve been calling pretty much every week, making sure that I feel like a priority and I really love them. I’ve been talking to Coach Freeze the most. He called me earlier, he’s a pretty cool guy and I mess with him.”

Dixon committed to Alabama on Dec. 1 of 2022, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to evaluate his options. He attended Alabama’s junior day on Jan. 14 of this year, but he also attended Auburn’s junior day on the 28th of that month, so his commitment to the Crimson Tide doesn’t appear to be unwavering. On top of that, the article stated that Dixon is primed to visit a few other schools such as Colorado and LSU.

As it stands, the Tigers currently have the No. 20-ranked recruiting class for 2024 with three recruits.

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Alabama commit Sterling Dixon receives DL MVP at Under Armour Next Camp

2024 Alabama linebacker commit Sterling Dixon received the defensive line MVP award at the Under Armour Next Camp over the weekend. He was one of many Alabama targets that participated in the camp.

Alabama 2024 linebacker commit Sterling Dixon won the defensive line MVP Award at the Under Armour Next Camp over the weekend. Dixon participated in a series of drills including one-on-ones against some of the Southeast’s top talent.

Dixon has been committed to the Tide since December. He is Alabama’s lone linebacker commit in the 2024 recruiting class.

During his junior season at Mobile Christian School, Dixon recorded 172 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, and 18 sacks.

He has entertained other schools in his recruitment but seems pretty solid with the Tide. Dixon attended Auburn‘s Junior Day last month. He will likely be on Alabama’s campus multiple times during his senior season.

It is also worth noting that 2024 safety Cameron Pruitt is Dixon’s cousin. Pruitt is being heavily recruited by the Alabama coaching staff but has no timetable for his decision.

Dixon seems to have a good relationship with the Alabama coaching staff as well. Both the coaching staff and Dixon might be able to get the in-state prospect to commit to the Tide.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football recruiting news.

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Friday Night Notes: Alabama adds 2 more blue chips, Georgia flips a 4-star WR and more

The latest football recruiting news from around the country.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

The rich tend to get richer. That’s the case in the broader economy and in the world of recruiting, where Alabama is crushing the competition. Already leading this year’s recruiting race, this week they added two more four-star prospects, one from this cycle and one for the next.

On Thursday, MCHS (Ala.) four-star Edge Sterling Dixon (class of 2024) announced his commitment to Alabama in a creative way. He shared a video on Twitter recreating an iconic scene from Friday with his friends.

Dixon (6-foot-3, 211 pounds) was an extremely popular recruit, earning offers from 30 different schools, including several SEC rivals. He’s ranked No. 16 at his position and No. 13 in the state.

Earlier this week, Nick Saban and company also got the commitment of four-star wide receiver Jaren Hamilton. Ranked No. 31 at his position and No. 50 overall in the state of Florida, Hamilton (6-foot-1, 188 pounds) adds another potential pro receiver to what has become an NFL factory in recent years.

Alabama still ranks first in the 2023 race, and thanks to Dixon, they’re No. 4 in the 2024 recruiting cycle, trailing only LSU, Notre Dame and Georgia.

Alabama lands commitment from in-state, 2024 EDGE Sterling Dixon

Alabama landed a commitment from 2024 edge rusher Sterling Dixon on Thursday.

Alabama’s 2024 recruiting class received a boost on Thursday. 2024 edge rusher Sterling Dixon announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide. He chose Alabama over other SEC programs Auburn, Georgia, and LSU.

Dixon is the fifth prospect to commit to the Crimson Tide as a part of the 2024 recruiting class. He is the second defensive prospect that has announced his commitment. The other is five-star defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe.

After next season, there will likely be a lot of turnover at edge rusher. Dallas Turner will be a junior and Chris Braswell will be a senior. Therefore, they will likely declare for the 2024 NFL draft barring something unexpected. Dixon could see some early playing time.

Today, Roll Tide Wire breaks down Sterling Dixon’s recruiting profile.

Alabama offers 2024 in-state edge rusher Sterling Dixon

Alabama offered Dixon after a good camp performance on Monday. He currently holds 27 offers from programs all across the country.

Year after year, it seems like Alabama has endless options at the edge rusher position. In 2022, the Tide will have four former five-stars at the position with Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell and Jeremiah Alexander on the team’s roster.

Recently, Alabama extended an offer to 2024 edge rusher Sterling Dixon. He plays for Mobile Christian Academy in Mobile, Alabama, which is the same high school that current Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson once played for. The Tide could look to use that connection as a potential recruiting pitch.

Alabama has had three edge rushers drafted in the past five years and will look to continue that hot streak in the near future. The Tide will likely be in the mix to land Dixon.

Oklahoma continues deep dive into the state of Alabama with offer to 2024 4-star EDGE Sterling Dixon

Oklahoma’s efforts to recruit SEC territory continue as the Sooners offered four-star EDGE, Sterling Dixon, out of Mobile, Alabama.

Oklahoma’s foray into the state of Alabama to find talented football players has been one of the more notable changes in the recruiting philosophy with this new coaching staff under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Oklahoma was never this active or prevalent in the state of Alabama under [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag], but the Sooners are clearly prioritizing the state.

The latest native of Alabama to receive an offer to play at Oklahoma is 2024 EDGE prospect, Sterling Dixon. Dixon, a four-star prospect out of Mobile Christian School, stands 6-foot-3 and has received quite a bit of attention from SEC schools like Auburn and Arkansas. Auburn already has a crystal ball prediction in favor of landing Dixon, however, it’s early in the 2024 cycle, and things could still change.

Dixon’s calling card is his first step quickness and his lateral agility, which allows him to get on top of offensive linemen while they are still off balance. This allows him to beat them to the edge or push outside then cross their face inside with speed to get into the backfield. It’s clear he needs more weight on him to play in college, but Dixon looks like a nice upside player with more refinement to his technique.

Sterling Dixon’s Recruiting Profile

Predictions

Film

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