When Georgia opens its 2019 campaign tomorrow night at Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs will feature a key player at an all-important position. He's not even profiled in the UGA football media guide—but merely noted on the team roster: No. 59 Steven Nixon, listed as a 6-foot-0, 230-pound graduate transfer from Mercer. By all accounts, he's Georgia’s starting long snapper.

Originally from Louisville, Ky., Nixon follows the recently departed Nick Moore, who graduated from Georgia last year, as the primary contributor at perhaps the most undistinguished position on a football team.

“But I always say, it’s a good thing when you don’t know a whole lot about your team’s long snapper,” Chris Rubio, owner of Rubio Long Snapping, said to UGASports.com. “Because generally, if you know a lot about your long snapper, they’re most likely not doing their job right.”

Nixon has seemingly always done his job right, so to speak, beginning in 2012 when he started to attend Rubio’s nationwide snapping camps, including three held annually in the Atlanta area. For the next three years, he was a starter at long snapper and on the offensive line for Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga., whereby he was chosen team captain and later a first-team all-region selection for the Hoyas as a senior in 2014.

“I recruited Steven and signed him at Mercer, where he was a three-year starter at long snapper before he graduated last year,” said Grant Cain, who was Nixon’s position coach at Mercer before becoming the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator at James Madison this year. “And, all along, Steven demonstrated he was incredibly passionate about school (his academics) and long snapping. He eats, sleeps, and breathes long snapping every single day.”

At Mercer in 2017, Nixon tallied three tackles on punt coverage and recovered a fumble against Auburn. Last season, he made two tackles and was an integral part of a punting unit which averaged 40.58 yards per net punt—the highest mark in the 124-member FCS.

According to Rubio, there are seven traits he looks for in an exceptional long snapper: 1) Mentality; 2) Speed of snap—0.75 seconds or quicker from the beginning of the snapper’s body movement to the ball hitting the punter’s hands; 3) Accuracy—The Rubio Zone: ball snapped to punter's mid-thigh to his lowest rib and no wider than their armpits; 4) Consistent speed; 5) Tight spiral; 6) Athleticism—how the snapper moves down the field; and 7) Size of snapper.

“And, Steven is sufficient in all seven areas; especially, his accuracy is phenomenal, his consistency is very solid, and he can move pretty darn well on his feet,” Rubio said. “Still, no doubt, he’s strongest at mentality, which is the most important of the seven for a long snapper. You can be great at literally snapping the ball; however, if you can’t handle the pressure, you’ll likely fail at the position.”

According to Cain, Nixon could have maintained this season “getting film at Mercer to play at the next level" after four years with the Bears. However, because his size is not prototypical to be an NFL long snapper (and 6-foot-0, 230 pounds is stretching it), he would likely have to play at a major program for maximum exposure. After announcing his transfer to Georgia last November, Nixon began pursuing a Master’s degree in Sports Management and Policy.

Besides a snapper having Rubio’s seven ideal traits, Georgia has apparently also added something generally not evident from a player at the often overshadowed position.

“In Steven, Georgia is getting a great leader who doesn’t have to be coached very hard,” Cain said. “He knows exactly what he has to do before you tell him. After years through the Rubio training, Steven now does his own private training. Some kicking specialists can be somewhat of head cases, and Steven can be there to keep those types grounded and working hard.”

According to Cain, “several other” major programs were interested in Nixon long snapping for them this season before he decided to become a Bulldog. The combination of Cain having a strong relationship with Georgia’s special teams coordinator, Scott Fountain, UGA being an in-state school, and Georgia “just being Georgia—a national championship contender,” ultimately led Nixon to Athens for one more collegiate football season.

“What I’m sure Georgia has already found out already about Steven is he has always been mentally mature for his age and extremely coachable,” Rubio said. “You tell him what to do, and, by the time you see him next time, not only has he completely done what you said to do, but he’s even gone the extra mile. Steven is never stagnant and always improving.”

Finally, since Nixon's arrival at Georgia, according to Cain, the graduate transfer long snapper has not only filled an on-field role desperately needed by the Bulldogs, but, perhaps more so, has given the program a quality individual of the utmost character and integrity.

“Steven actually called me last night and told me he would be starting at long snapper [for Georgia],” Cain informed UGASports.com on Wednesday. “While we caught up on the phone, I was reminded of just what a great kid he is. Besides being an exceptional long snapper, he also takes school very seriously and does so much for the community and his church. I can’t say enough good things about Steven Nixon.”