Thaddeus Dixon

● Solid build with good height for the position ● Agile athlete and has foot quickness to stay within arm’s length of receivers ● Springs from stationary position and smoothly accelerates once he opens ● Tilts early and uses shadow technique to read his man ● Attacks receivers’ hands to raise the difficulty level of completions ● Balanced in zone coverage, with downhill reaction quickness ● Physical tackler — plays without fear when attacking contact ● Described as “team-first” and “well-respected” by sources at Washington ● Quickly earned respect of Bill Belichick and UNC coaching staff after transferring

● Average long speed by NFL standards ● Transitions get a tad rigid; high pads and slight lower-body tightness ● Savvy route runners can find his blind spots ● Inconsistent finding the ball early enough for interception opportunities ● Only two career interceptions (none over final 17 starts) ● Fearless tackler but finishing technique needs more polish ● Missed almost half his final season because of upper-body injury (Oct. 2025)

A one-year starter at North Carolina, Dixon followed the opponent’s No. 1 receiver in defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s scheme, aligning both inside and outside (Bill Belichick: “He could probably play any position in the secondary.”). With few options out of high school, he earned his way from the juco level to Washington, and then to the Tar Heels, although his final season was marred by injury. Dixon is a high-energy cover man and carries himself with maturity, both on and off the field. He doesn’t usually jam at the line but trails routes and disrupts catch points. He is more likely to face guard than find the football, which hinders his interception opportunities. He also relies more on physicality than pure speed to recover, which can be an asset versus the run but will get him in trouble when facing NFL athletes. Overall, Dixon doesn’t have a true distinguishing trait, but he is solid across the board and has the size, coverage agility and toughness that will give him a chance to make a 53-man roster. He projects best in Cover 2 looks but shouldn’t be a scheme-dependent player.