Collin Dixon - 2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 17
Collin Dixon
- Position:
- WR
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 215
- Major:
- Marketing
- Hometown:
- Tallmadge, Ohio
- High School:
- Tallmadge
2026 - Illinois
- Team Captain
- Biletnikoff Award Watch List
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Fourth Team
- Enters Week 9 at Maryland as one of only four players in the nation ranked in the top 15 in receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, along with Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Malachi Toney (Miami), and Umari Hatcher (Syracuse)
- Fourth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (10), behind Ohio State's Smith, Oregon State's Legree, and Miami's Malachi Toney
- Fifth in the country (first in B1G) in receptions (54), 14th in the nation (fourth in B1G) in receiving yards (678), and 16th in the nation (third in B1G) in total touchdowns (10)
- Tied the Illini's single-season receiving TD record (10) in win vs. #25 Oregon (10/24/26)
- Tied for fifth on the Illini's career TD receptions list (15), four from reaching the program's top three
- Broke the Gies Memorial Stadium single-season record set by Pat Bryant (6 in 2024) in three games and has eight on the year at home
- First Big Ten player with seven receiving TDs through three games since 2004 (Taylor Stubblefield, Purdue)
- Tied Illinois single-game record with three receiving TDs vs. Duke (9/12/26), becoming the first player in program history to accomplish the feat in a single half
- Attended the 2026 B1G Student-Athlete Leadership Retreat
2025 - Illinois
- CSC Academic All-District
- Started all 13 games
- 35 receptions for 548 receiving yards and five touchdowns on the season
- Tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (5)
- 14th in the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns (5) during the regular season
2024 - Illinois
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games with 10 starts at wide receiver
- 18 receptions for 264 receiving yards on the season
- 27-yard reception in Illinois' Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over #14 South Carolina (12/31/24)
- Season-high three receptions at #1 Oregon (10/26/24)
- Caught two passes for a career-high 69 yards in win vs. Purdue (10/12/24)
- Made first start and recorded first-career catch in win vs. #19 Kansas (9/7/24)
2023 - Illinois
- Did not play in a game and redshirted the season
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals
- Position ranks: #41 (On3), #69 (Rivals), #115 (247), #182 (ESPN)
- State ranks: #15 (Rivals), #28 (247), #30 (On3), #42 (ESPN)
- Played for head coach Mike Hay at Tallmadge High School
- Three-year letterwinner
- Caught 201 passes for 3,561 yards and 43 touchdowns during his high school career
- Caught 88 catches for 1,493 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior
- Caught 69 passes for 1,461 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior
- Back-to-back 1,400-yard seasons as a junior and senior
- Three-time Suburban League first team
- Two-time All-Ohio first team
- 2022 Suburban League Offensive Player of the Year
- 2022 District Offensive Player of the Year
- Three-time Suburban League first team in track and field
- Two-time SL first team in basketball
- Honor roll and scholar athlete
- Offers included Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Purdue, and Wisconsin
Personal
- Born on November 22, 2004
- Son of Harlan Dixon and Jenny Thomas
- One brother, Cameron
- Chose Illinois because, “I loved everything about the school and I have a great relationship with the coaching staff.”
- Majoring in marketing
Wednesday, October 28
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Sunday, October 25
