A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Dawkins attended James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, where he was an All-State defensive lineman.

Driven by an offense that included running back Marcus Lattimore, the Rebels capped a 15–0 season with a state championship in 2007.

From his defensive end position, Dawkins contributed 115 tackles, including 14 sacks and five fumble recoveries.

[2] With offers also from South Carolina, Illinois, Michigan State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, Dawkins committed to the Seminoles on November 17, 2007.

Dawkins was released by the Vikings on August 31, 2013 (along with 18 others) to get to a 53-man roster[3] and signed to the practice squad the next day.