Jr. Gerald Dixon

* Two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll

2015: Fifth-year senior who started every game in 2015, logging 28 tackles with a pair of tackles for loss… matched his then-career high with five stops, including three solos, with a forced fumble at Georgia… credited with tackle for loss against UCF… left the Missouri game early with a sprained knee… posted a career-best six tackles at LSU with a pass break up… credited with a quarterback hurry against Vanderbilt… had three tackles including a tackle for loss, against The Citadel… recognized as one of four Everyday Effort award winners in the spring… credited with 84 career tackles in 49 games, including 27 starts… had 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks… also blocked two kicks… a two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll… participated in the East-West Shrine All-Star game following his senior season.

2014: Junior defensive tackle who started 12 of 13 games… recorded 29 tackles, forced one fumble and blocked a pair of kicks… blocked 42-yard field goal attempt against East Carolina, the first by a Gamecock since 2011… tied a then-career best with four tackles versus Georgia, which he previously set against the Bulldogs in 2013… recorded a tackle for loss at Vanderbilt… tied a career-high with four tackles and recorded his first career forced fumble at Auburn… made a career-high five tackles at Florida and blocked a field goal late in the contest, keeping the Gamecocks alive in a game they would win in overtime… had four stops including a sack in the Independence Bowl win over Miami… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2013: Played in 12 games, making one start… credited with 18 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss… started the opener against North Carolina and responded with three tackles, including a half-sack and a quarterback hurry… posted a career-high four stops against Georgia… logged a seven-yard tackle for loss at Tennessee… sustained an ankle sprain in that game and did not travel to Mizzou… credited with a half-tackle for loss among three stops versus Florida… presented with the Everyday Effort Award for the defense in the spring.

2012: Redshirt freshman defensive tackle… saw action in 12 games, making nine tackles…. started two contests, getting the nod against Florida and Tennessee, replacing an injured Kelcy Quarles… intercepted a pass at Kentucky… had a season-best three stops in the win over the Vols… a member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2011: Redshirted as a true freshman.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Northwestern High in Rock Hill, S.C. in 2011… coached by Jimmy Wallace… logged 100 tackles, 10 sacks, eight tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and two interceptions as a senior… anchored the line for a Trojan team that went 15-0 and won the Class 4A Division II state championship… played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas following his senior season… logged 90 tackles and three sacks as a junior… considered a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com… rated a two-star prospect by Scout.com… named to PrepStar’s All-Atlantic Region class… selected Carolina over Maryland.

PERSONAL: Gerald Dixon Jr. was born March 30, 1993… is the older half-brother to teammate Gerald G. Dixon… father, Gerald Dixon Sr., played at South Carolina from 1990-91 before going on to a 10-year career with three teams in the NFL and is an assistant coach at Rock Hill (S.C.) High… was an interdisciplinary studies major who graduated in May 2015.