Nick Dawkins is a born leader. The son of former NBA player in Darryl Dawkins, Nick has the lineage to be a successful athlete in whatever sport he chooses. Unlike his father, Nick Dawkins was drawn to football and became one of the best offensive lineman to come through the Lehigh Valley.

The First Team All-Stater and Parkland High School football team captain helped guide the Trojans to a 10-3 overall record last season and was voted the 2019-20 Lehigh Valley Health Network Parkland Press Male Athlete of the Year.

On the field, Dawkins is a force at both run and pass block, anchoring the Parkland offensive attack that amassed over 4,000 yards of total offense last season. Off the field, he is an ambassador for the program and school, and will always deflect praise towards his teammates.

Dawkins enrolled at Penn State University last winter and is set to begin his first collegiate season for the Nittany Lions this year.

“Nick is mature beyond his years and a true leader,” said Parkland head coach Tim Moncman. “He is never satisfied and continues to grow as a player and a person each an everyday. He has excellent feet and agility for a big man. He continued to get stronger in the weight room and by his senior year he was able to dominate his opponents with shear power.”

He led by example and his teammates noticed.

“Playing with Nick taught me what it was like to have a truly unselfish teammate,” said Trojan offensive lineman Bryce Boyer. “He gave his all every game and always made sure to keep all of his teammates motivated.”

The Trojans had to deal with their fair share of injuries on their way to the district final, but arguably none was bigger than the one to Dawkins that cost the senior a few games at the beginning of the season. Parkland found itself on the wrong end of some of those games because of it.

After a 2-2 start to the 2019 season, Parkland won eight straight games, including two playoff victories that got the team to the district championship game. The Trojans fell 22-21 in overtime to Nazareth in the district final to finish 10-3 overall.

“He was hurt for part of the year and that is when we struggled,” Moncman said. “When he came back he raised our level of play both physically and mentally. We were a different team when we were with him.”

When it came time to deciding on what school to attend, it did not take long to decide which was the right fit. Penn State was in on the local product early, and the family aspect of the program and head coach James Franklin allowed the Nittany Lions to receive his signature. He committed to the school during his junior year.

“Recruiting was easy because he did his homework and did not get caught up in the hype,” said Moncman. “He narrowed his list down and made it easy for everyone involved. Penn State was where he wanted to go from the start.”

With about five months of collegiate learning, weight lifting and coaching, Dawkins has a leg up on his fellow classmates for the upcoming year. Moncman expects big things from his former star lineman.

“I expect him to excel in the classroom and get his degree,” Moncman said. “I expect him to start for several years [in college] and possibly play in the NFL if everything goes right for him.”

Due to Penn State football protocol, freshmen are not permitted to speak to media and the Press was unable to talk directly to Nick for this story