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South Carolina DT Gerald Dixon Jr. became the second former Gamecocks player of the night to be signed to a UDFA contract by the Atlanta Falcons. Earlier this evening, Brandon Wilds inked a deal with the NFL team.
Dixon, a durable and big defensive tackle from Rock Hill, SC, played in all but two games during his tenure at South Carolina and started all but one game in his final two seasons in Columbia. As a redshirt senior, he registered 28 tackles and two TFLs, short of his career high 29 tackles as a junior in 2014. Dixon played on the defensive line along with his half-brother, Gerald, a defensive end. Dixon's father, Gerald Sr., was a ten-year veteran of the NFL, playing for four teams while recording 23 sacks and 375 total tackles.
Dixon may have some work to do if he is to make the 53-man roster as a defensive tackle at the next level. Incumbents Ra'Shede Hageman and Jonathan Babineaux combined for 57 tackles in 2015. But his size - 6"3, 327 pounds - gives him a good edge over his teammates, and if he can play to his potential, he will become a key run-stopper.