USC football sharpens WR corps with K.D. Nixon transfer from Colorado
USC football lost two starters at wide receiver to the NFL. Now they've found a new starter via the transfer portal with the commitment of Colorado's K.D. Nixon.
Nixon announced his decision to join the Trojans for his final year of eligibility on Friday, posting a graphic on his Twitter account.
"New beginnings...Let's get it," he wrote, but for USC this isn't about beginning something. It's about keeping things rolling after the departure of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns.
K.D. Nixon is a plug-and-play option in the slot for USC
Nixon was a four-star prospect coming out of high school in the class of 2017. The 5-foot-8 slot receiver was known for his speed, which certainly served him well at Colorado.
In 2018 he provided a dangerous counterpart to Laviska Shenault with 636 yards and four touchdowns.
Nixon's 2019 season was also productive with 465 yads and three touchdowns. Two of those were scored against USC in Boulder.
His involvement in the 2020 was limited. He missed the first two games but returned for the final four with 132 yards on 15 catches.
Ideally, USC would get the 2018 version of Nixon in 2021. The Trojans return Drake London and Bru McCoy as targets to occupy the attention of the defense. With any luck, Kyle Ford will be able to return from injury to add another threat to the arsenal.
Between London's size, McCoy's talent and Nixon's speed, opposing defenses will have plenty to worry about.
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The arrival of Nixon does raise some questions for Gary Bryant Jr., the speedy slot receiver who arrived in the class of 2020. Competition can only be a good thing. Bryant Jr. will have to raise his game to command playing time over Nixon while the fifth-year senior could have lessons to impart on the younger receiver.
Nixon was known for his charisma and leadership in Colorado. He was given the Eddie Crowder Award for outstanding leadership in 2019, so his presence could have an impact on and off the field.