Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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66 MARCH 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY TYLER JAMES B en Nichols loves to be the funny guy. But the Notre Dame offensive line signee has to resort to messages in the 2026 class group chat to get a laugh from his future teammates these days. That's because he's on the short list of 2026 signees who didn't enroll early with the Irish. He's finishing out his se- nior year at Davison (Mich.) High before joining the team in June. "I see in the group chat all the stuff they're doing," Nichols said in Janu- ary. "It looks pretty fun, but I'll be there soon." Nichols, who played offensive tackle most of his high school career, knows he's more likely to play on the inside at Notre Dame. He spent most of his indi- vidual workouts this winter focusing on playing guard and center. Nichols was able to test himself as a starting right guard during the Under Armour All- America Game in early January. "It was awesome," Nichols said. "It was fun. I got my butt kicked a few times, but I was kind of expecting that playing against the best 100 kids in the nation. I'm glad I did it. A lot of great competition, and it really showed me what I needed to work on. I'm really glad I went." Playing center is the position most foreign to Nichols. He spent some time as a center in middle school, but the responsibilities are much more serious this time around. He's added snapping to his workout routine. "It's pretty new to me," Nichols said. "I am getting more comfortable with it. That's starting to warm back up for me. I still feel super comfortable at guard and tackle, which that's just natural. That's what I played. It'll come as I keep working it." The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Nichols knows he has work to do to handle the physical demands of blocking college defensive linemen. "My main goal is getting stronger," Nichols said. "I've been lifting every single day, mixing in conditioning and footwork with that type of stuff two to three times a week. But my main goal right now is to get as strong as I can." He's keeping offensive tackle reps in the mix just in case he's needed on the outside, too. The next-man-in mental- ity at Notre Dame resonates with him. "Year in, year out, I think Notre Dame is one of the top offensive lines in the country," Nichols said. "I don't see that changing anytime soon." ✦ Ben Nichols Prepares For Move Inside Nichols is preparing to play guard or center when he arrives on campus in June. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY BEN NICHOLS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-5 · 320 DAVISON H.S. DAVISON, MICH. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪✪ 190 10 4 ✪✪✪✪ — 29 8 ✪✪✪✪ 125 4 2 ✪✪✪✪ 224 4 2 STATISTICS • Was a catalyst on a Cardinals offensive line that helped pave the way for their rushers to register 1,857 yards and 30 touchdowns on 279 carries in 10 games during his senior year in 2025. Davison made the Michigan Division 1 playoffs, but lost in the first round. • As a junior in 2024, he was a key member of a Davison O-line that cleared the lanes for its rush- ers to rack up 2,196 yards and 31 touchdowns on 288 carries. Davison made the playoffs, but was eliminated after the first round. • During his sophomore season in 2023, the Cardinals' rushers piled up 2,231 yards and 37 touchdowns on 369 carries in 13 games with the O-line's help. Davison made it all the way to the playoff semifinals. NOTABLE • Played in the Under Armour All-America Game in January. • Named Michigan Division 1 All-State in 2024 and 2025. • Also earned a spot on the Michigan Division 1, Region 2 all-region team in 2023, 2024 and 2025. • Was selected to the Saginaw Valley League South Division first team in 2023, 2024 and 2025. • Tabbed as the Genesee County Lineman of the Year in 2023. • Recognized as the Kiwanis Club of Flint Male Athlete of the Month for November 2025. RECRUITMENT • Committed to the Fighting Irish on Dec. 24, 2024. • Will enroll at Notre Dame in June. • Picked the Irish over Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. • Recruited by offensive line coach Joe Rudolph. • Visited Notre Dame 16 times, including his of- ficial visit on June 13, 2025. 2026 PROJECTION • Nichols is expected to redshirt. THEY SAID IT Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "For starters, he is a bull on contact and is hyper physical. He moves defensive linemen, is a nasty finisher and plays with a physical edge. These are all things that we value in evaluating offensive linemen, especially on the interior. He's a solid athlete who can continue to improve on that front, but in terms of how he plays, he's got an attitude, and the film is fun to watch. "From a size perspective, he projects on the interior. He's likely a guard at Notre Dame. From the attitude, play personality and attitude per- spective, he fits what Notre Dame likes to do on the interior."