[1] Dawson was raised on the Gold Coast and grew up playing his junior football for the Burleigh Bombers.

[2][3] Jacob attended Palm Beach Currumbin High School throughout his youth and was placed in the Gold Coast Suns Academy at 13 years of age.

[4] He switched to the Palm Beach Currumbin Football Club at 17 years old[5] and was chosen to represent the Gold Coast in the Academy Series and the Allies in the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships.

[6] Dawson also played in Palm Beach Currumbin's 2017 QAFL senior premiership winning team.

[10] Dawson played for Southport in the club's six-point 2024 VFL grand final loss to Werribee.