Jayhawks set to host Foster Dixson on official visit

Foster Dixson remembers the first time he talked to Jesse Williams. The Kansas defensive line coach told him he liked his ability and he would be interested in recruiting him.

But Williams gave him some advice first.

“He said would get me an offer to come play for them and you know that was exciting,” Dixson said. “I really liked him and listened to what he was saying. But he told me that I had to get my degree first.”

So Dixson followed through with the academic part and is taking care of everything on his end. In October Williams followed back up with Dixson and four weeks later showed up with defensive coordinator Clint Bowen.

“When they came out to see me they offered,” Dixson said. “He (Williams) said that he likes my size and the way I get off the ball and he likes how I use my hands. He said that I can really develop into a big-time player if I choose the Jayhawks. He says I have some work to do but he can help me.”

This weekend the 6-foot-5, 250 pound defensive end will visit Kansas, taking his first official visit of the year. One part of the visit he will enjoy is the basketball game against Arizona State on Sunday. He didn’t start playing football until his junior year in high school.

His sport was basketball where he played power forward at Fairfax High a perennial power in Los Angeles. His senior year they won the city title. But by then he realized his ticket to the next level was on the football field. He was receiving recruiting interest from several Pac 12 schools.

He ended up signing with UTEP who was one year removed from playing in a bowl game. After playing in six games as a freshman he returned back home to attend West LA. Having that in his past he knows what to look for in recruiting this time around.

“Now that I played division one football I know what to look for in recruiting,” he said. “I kind of know the whole D1 scoop. I will be able to really digest and dissect everything when I get to Kansas. When I went on my last visit to UTEP I was a senior and it just blew my mind because all this stuff was thrown at me.”

The hometown UCLA Bruins showed interest in Dixson early on under their old staff. Washington State and UConn staffs have talked with him about setting a visit the week after Kansas.

He is a mid-year graduate and will sign with a college in the early signing period.

“I'm just looking for a place to make me happy,” he said. “I want to find a good school where I can further my education and play some good football.”

Dixson recorded 40 tackles and nine tackles for a loss this year and was a first team, all conference selection.