Jim Nagy pulls from top Super Bowl contender to boost Oklahoma Sooners overhauled scouting department

Dawson got his start with the Seattle Seahawks as a pro scout in 2001 before moving up to Assistant Director of Pro Personnel, serving in that role from 2004 to 2007 under DPP (now GM) John Schneider. 

He was promoted to be the Tennessee Titans' Director of Pro Personnel in 2007 before receiving promotions to Vice President of Football Operations in 2011 and Vice President of Player Personnel in 2015. 

During his time in Tennessee, the Titans added players like Chris Johnson, William Hayes, Jason McCourty, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook, Derrick Morgan, Akeem Ayers, Jurrell Casey, and Taylor Lewan.

After Jon Robinson became General Manager in 2016, Lawson left to join the Cleveland Browns as a senior personnel executive/national scout for a season. Lawson became part of a front office that added players like Emmanuel Ogbah and Joe Schobert in the NFL Draft. 

Dawson left the Browns to serve as the Bills' Assistant Director of College Scouting, a role he has served in since 2017. He was promoted to a Senior Executive in 2023, working in both college and pro scouting. 

During his tenure in the NFL, Dawson has interviewed for numerous General Manager jobs, including with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then-St. Louis Rams, and the Carolina Panthers twice. The Miami Dolphins offered him their general manager position, but he declined after being turned off after a meeting with owner Stephen Ross. 

With the Bills, Dawson has helped lead a turnaround that has the Bills in constant Super Bowl contention. He helped the Bills draft talents like Tre'Davious White, Dion Dawkins, Matt Milano, Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Harrison Phillips, Taron Johnson, Wyatt Teller, Ed Oliver, Gregory Rousseau, Spencer Brown, James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Christian Benford, O'Cyrus Torrence, and Keon Coleman.

It's clear that Dawson has a keen eye for talent that he has cultivated across his years of experience. In Buffalo, he's known as a calm voice of reason in the draft room and front office. Adding that kind of presence to the Sooners' front office is a major, major win for Oklahoma and Jim Nagy.

Dawson is Nagy's fifth hire to join his front office. Taylor Redd was named assistant general manager, while Charlie Parkinson, Stacey Ford, and Kale Pearson also have joined the Sooners.