Xavier Nixon
Encyclopedia
Xavier Nixon is an American football
offensive tackle. He currently attends the University of Florida
in his junior year. A former high school All-American, Nixon is regarded as one of the best offensive tackle prospects of his class.
, while his parents were stationed at Fort Bragg
. He attended Jack Britt High School
in Fayetteville, where he was a two-way lineman. Leading Jack Britt to the Class 4-AA state championship game, Nixon was named first-team all-state on the offensive line in his senior year. In addition to his time on offensive line, he collected 50 tackles while playing on defense. Nixon also earned All-American honors by Parade
and USA Today
, and was an invitee to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com
, Nixon was listed as the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect in the nation in 2009. He chose Florida at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
, he made his first career start at left tackle, replacing Carl Johnson who moved inside to left guard. Nixon is the first freshman to start at left tackle for the Gators since Reggie Green in 1992. Since Nixon moved into the starting lineup, quarterback Tim Tebow
has been sacked
four times in three games. He was sacked 21 times in the previous nine games.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle. He currently attends the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in his junior year. A former high school All-American, Nixon is regarded as one of the best offensive tackle prospects of his class.
High school career
Being descended from a military family, Nixon grew up in Fayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, while his parents were stationed at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
. He attended Jack Britt High School
Jack Britt High School
Jack Britt High School is a public high school in southern Cumberland County, North Carolina. Jack Britt has met all seventeen of the Yearly Progress Goals mandated by the Federal No Child Left Behind Legislation....
in Fayetteville, where he was a two-way lineman. Leading Jack Britt to the Class 4-AA state championship game, Nixon was named first-team all-state on the offensive line in his senior year. In addition to his time on offensive line, he collected 50 tackles while playing on defense. Nixon also earned All-American honors by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and was an invitee to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
, Nixon was listed as the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect in the nation in 2009. He chose Florida at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career
As a true freshman at Florida, Nixon started the season as backup at left tackle. In a game at South Carolina2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his fifth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in...
, he made his first career start at left tackle, replacing Carl Johnson who moved inside to left guard. Nixon is the first freshman to start at left tackle for the Gators since Reggie Green in 1992. Since Nixon moved into the starting lineup, quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
has been sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
four times in three games. He was sacked 21 times in the previous nine games.