2021 Receiver Cristian Dixon Talks Possibility of Joining Teammate, LSU Commit Raesjon Davis in Baton Rouge
Mater Dei High School in Los Angeles is considered to be one of the hubs of college football recruiting. In the last two classes alone, the Tigers have received commitments from five-star cornerback Elias Ricks of the 2020 class and five-star linebacker Raesjon Davis of the 2021 class.
Now LSU is turning its attention to another member of the 2021 class that plays at Mater Dei, four-star receiver Cristian Dixon. At 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, Dixon is currently the No. 33 ranked receiver of the 2021 class and holds nearly 20 offers from Division I schools.
A few of the programs showing Dixon the most interest at this time are California, Oregon State, Michigan, USC and of course LSU. Of those schools, the only visit he has planned currently is to Baton Rouge in the fall to catch LSU vs Alabama.
Most recently, Dixon and Davis took a visit to Baton Rouge on March 7, where they were able to hang out with Ricks for the weekend and experience more of an inside look at the program. The two were able to catch LSU's first spring practice of 2020 and Dixon said what stood out to him the most, is the competition between all of the players.
"LSU is known for being DBU so you can definitely feel the competition between the receivers and the defensive backs," Dixon said. "You've gotta show up and you've gotta go hard."
Dixon said Ricks and Davis don't try to force any decisions on him but rather tell him about why they chose LSU and why it'd be a great fit for him.
"It's just all love, there's no better place to develop and get you ready for the next level," Dixon said. "Ultimately that's the goal, to go to the league and LSU is going to prepare you for that and prepare you for life really."
Ricks attended IMG Academy for his senior season of high school so Dixon was never able to play with him. He did spend last year playing with Davis and the two are preparing for a state championship in their final season.
"We just want to win a state championship and go out with a bang senior year," Dixon said. "I really want that state championship and that's something we're both striving for."
In addition to leaning on words of encouragement from Davis and Ricks, Dixon has made sure to stay in touch with multiple members of the LSU staff throughout his recruiting process. Coach Ed Orgeron, receivers coach Mickey Joseph and passing game coordinator Scott Linehan are all coaches he's either communicated with or met.
"I know he [Linehan] was in the league for a long time so I know he definitely has a different perspective of looking at things," Dixon said. "Coach Mickey has basically told me that 2021 is a big class and that they need four or five receivers coming out because Ja'Marr and Terrace should be gone."
One of the biggest preaching points Orgeron wanted to hammer home with Dixon is that the train isn't slowing down. LSU wants to maintain that championship status and it's bringing in players like Dixon that keep the Tigers at the top of the mountain.
"The culture's changing and they want to be a powerhouse for a long time," Dixon said. "LSU is continuing to change itself and keeps leveling up. They definitely make you feel wanted."
Between past and present LSU stars at the receiver position, Dixon said the most exciting part about potentially playing for the Tigers would be living up to the standard set by those before him.
"Ja'Marr [Chase] won the Biletnikoff, Odell [Beckham] and Jarvis [Landry] went there so there are definitely ballers and you gotta live up to that standard," Dixon said. "You gotta work every day and you gotta come in and show them that you can live up to they hype."
Dixon is making sure to put in that work seven days a week as he strives to improve on his route running, releasing from the defensive backs, yards after the catch and making people miss.
"I feel I'm really good at the tough catches, the catches that most people aren't supposed to come down with. I feel like if I can continue to improve on some of the more technical parts of the game, I'll see a big jump in productivity," Dixon said.
