NY Giants UDFAs: CB Thaddeus Dixon a player to watch in training camp

TL;DR

Thaddeus Dixon, a cornerback from North Carolina, signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft. He was highly sought after, having previously visited the Giants during the draft process.

Key points

Thaddeus Dixon is a cornerback from North Carolina.
He signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent.
The Giants had a strong interest in Dixon during the draft.
The Los Angeles Chargers were also interested in Dixon.

New York GiantsLos Angeles Chargers

North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon in action against North Carolina State. | Getty Images

The New York Giants weren’t done after turning in their final selection of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Like the 31 other teams, the Giants immediately began working the phones to recruit rookies who weren’t drafted to sign as free agents. Scouts and coaches alike played on relationships formed during the draft process to lure rookie free agents to the Giants.

University of North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon was one of the first undrafted free agents to sign with the Giants, and also one of the most predictable. Dixon was coveted by the Giants, who brought him in for a ‘30’ visit back in early April. The Giants were one of just two teams to show such interest in Dixon, with the Los Angeles Chargers being the other.

The Giants guaranteed Dixon $282,500 for the 2026 season. That is a full year’s practice squad salary of $247,500 for a rookie, and a $35,000 signing bonus.

Dixon has had a winding road to the NFL, starting his college career as a JUCO player, spending 2021 and 2022 at Long Beach City College in Long Beach, California. From there he transferred to the University of Washington in 2023, and then to UNC for the 2025 season.

Dixon has solid size for the cornerback position at 6-foot, 195 pounds, with 31½-inch arms. He has light, quick feet, to go with the fluid hips that give him man-coverage upside. He’s an easy mover in space with a compact and efficient backpedal as well as the ability to transition from his backpedal to driving on the ball or running with little lost energy. He showed solid ball skills at the JUCO level, hauling in five interceptions in his two years at Long Beach City College. That production dipped at Washington, however he still had two interceptions and 16 passes defensed to go with 46 tackles (three for a loss) and a forced fumble. Dixon’s production slipped again at North Carolina, though he also only played in seven games and UNC as a whole struggled in Bill Belichick’s first season as head coach.

Q&A

Who is Thaddeus Dixon and what position does he play?

Thaddeus Dixon is a cornerback from the University of North Carolina.

Which NFL team signed Thaddeus Dixon as an undrafted free agent?

Thaddeus Dixon was signed by the New York Giants.

What other NFL team showed interest in Thaddeus Dixon during the draft?

The Los Angeles Chargers were the other team that showed interest in Thaddeus Dixon.

Why was Thaddeus Dixon considered a player to watch in training camp?

Thaddeus Dixon was highly coveted by the Giants and had a notable pre-draft visit with the team, indicating their strong interest.