Gamecocks’ Keisean Nixon headed back to west coast to start NFL career

Keisean Nixon came to South Carolina from the west coast, and now he appears to be heading back.

The Los Angeles native who once played for Snoop Dogg will join Los Angeles’ former team as will sign with the the now-Oakland, soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders after going undrafted. He started one season in a Gamecocks uniform, playing cornerback and using his speed to become a special teams ace.

Nixon joined USC from Arizona Western Junior College, but arriving on campus late slowed his ability to learn the defensive schemes. He ended up a special teamer and started at corner in the team’s bowl game.

As a senior, he started 11 games, making 63 tackles and breaking up nine passes, but at times had issues in coverage. A neck injury kept him out of the bowl game.

At South Carolina’s pro day, he ran a sub-4.4 second 40-yard dash, giving a hint that the 5-foot-10, 196-pounder could find a place as a special teams gunner.

This story was originally published April 27, 2019 at 9:34 PM with the headline "Gamecocks’ Keisean Nixon headed back to west coast to start NFL career."