After two of its top receivers left for the NFL, USC didn’t even need to leave its Pac-12 division to find further reinforcements.
Former Colorado wideout K.D. Nixon has announced his intent to stay in the Pac-12 South and transfer to USC for his final season of eligibility. He spent the previous four seasons as a fixture with the Buffaloes.
Nixon’s role in Colorado’s offense diminished last season, as he caught just 15 passes for 132 yards. But the previous two seasons, the 5-foot-8 wideout combined for 87 catches, 1,101 yards and seven touchdowns while playing alongside future Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Laviska Shenault.
Nixon briefly considered leaving for the NFL along with Shenault after last season but ultimately chose to return. After a quiet — and brief — senior season, Nixon entered the NCAA transfer portal last week and wasted no time to make his decision.
Known for his speed, Nixon adds another experienced weapon to a USC offense that wasn’t exactly short on options, even after Amon-ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns departed for the draft. Nixon also has some experience as a kick returner and could factor into the Trojans’ plans on special teams.
How he’ll fit beyond that remains to be seen. Sophomore Drake London and redshirt freshman Bru McCoy are slated to step into significant roles next season, and young speedster Gary Bryant Jr., who boasts a similar skill set to Nixon, is expected to take a step forward.
In whatever role he fills, Nixon will add a veteran voice to USC’s receiving corps. The diminutive wideout wasn’t offered a scholarship by USC when coming out of high school in Texas, but clearly made an impression at Colorado, where he caught two touchdowns against the Trojans in 2019.
