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Summer time is usually when we football-starved fans are on roster-watch for late additions and departures, and it looks like MSU may have a somewhat surprising addition to its football team for the 2014 season.
Rashun Dixon, a former 4-star safety prospect out of Terry, Mississippi and brother to MSU legend Anthony "Boobie" Dixon, has been rumored to be considering a return to Starkville to play football for a few months now, and this tweet last night seems to give legs for that rumor to stand on:
#HailState I can't wait to get on the field, I'm ready to grind for #MYState
— Rashun Dixon (@Sir_Peanut) June 16, 2014
Dixon signed with Sylvester Croom's MSU team out of high school in 2008, but the MLB Draft came calling for the multi-talented Dixon, and he signed with the Oakland Athletics after a 10th round draft selection that June. Since then, Dixon has spent time with various organizations at the minor league level, registering a .242 career average with 59 home runs and 254 RBIs in approximately six seasons. Dixon's return to MSU to play football would be allowed under NCAA rules as he has only exhausted his amateur status for baseball.
While the school has yet to officially announce his return, Dixon's addition to the team would certainly be a big one. State fans would certainly love to have another Dixon roaming the football field, even if this one is on the other side of the ball from where his brother starred in recent years. Rashun's situation would certainly be an interesting one, as most athletes that return to college football from minor league baseball have starred as quarterbacks (Brandon Weeden and Matt Mauck are two that immediately come to mind). While Rashun is six years removed from being a high school prospect, his baseball career has surely left him at or near the required athletic level to play college football. He may need some time with the strength and conditioning program, but there's no doubt that he has the athletic ability to contribute if he's given the chance.
If he stays at safey, Dixon would come in behind listed returning starters Kendrick Market and Deontay Evans. As far as I know, he would also have four full years of eligibility should he chose to use them. We'll keep an eye out for any official word should Rashun's addition come to fruition.
Hail State