Notre Dame Pledge Ben Nichols is a Key Piece for 'O-Line U' in the Class of 2026

Jhett Garrett
Jun 7
4 min read

Notre Dame football’s 2026 class has no shortage of talent along the offensive line. With four total commitments up front, the Irish are looking to remain as ‘O-Line U’ in college football.

Graphic by The Irish Tribune

One of those four additions in the 2026 class, IOL Ben Nichols, has known that South Bend is where he’s wanted to call home for some time now. Nichols, a native of Davison, Michigan, committed to the Irish on Christmas Eve of 2024 over Penn State University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Tennessee. Despite the decision coming just over five months ago, Nichols had his sights set on Notre Dame from early on in his recruitment.

“I’ve known Notre Dame was a top contender in my recruitment since the very beginning,” Nichols told the Irish Tribune after committing on December 24. “I made other visits, but nothing compared to Notre Dame, and I knew early on that Notre Dame was where I was meant to be.”

Nichols is tied for the tallest offensive line commit in the class with four-star Tyler Merrill from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, standing at 6'5". However, Merrill takes the edge, weighing 23 pounds heavier at 338 compared to Nichols at 315. He’s the 22nd-ranked interior offensive lineman in the class, as well as fifth in the state of Michigan, three spots behind fellow Notre Dame commit Gregory Patrick, who’s ranked second.

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While being the third highest ranked offensive lineman in Notre Dame’s class, Nichols won’t let that stop him from being the hardest working player in the room.

“Notre Dame fans can expect a dawg that comes in every day to work his butt off,” Nichols said to the Irish Tribune following his commitment. “No matter what the circumstances are, I will always work as hard as I can every single day to help my teammates be successful.”

That mentality is what the Irish will need as they expect a variety of talent on the offensive front. Despite playing tackle for Davison High School, helping the Cardinals achieve a 7-3 record this past season, Nichols very well could slide to the guard position once arriving in South Bend. With Patrick in the same class, Owen Strebig and Will Black in the 2025 class, and an influx of talent at the tackle position already on the roster, versatility could prove to be the biggest contributor to seeing the field.

Looking at his junior year film, Nichols demonstrates the ability to block in a variety of ways. Whether it be for running back commits in the 2026 class, Javian Osborne, and Jonaz Walton, or in the pass protection for whoever is starting under center when he arrives on campus, Nichols finds himself winning a lot of battles. He often finds himself winning mismatches when he’s pulled from his left tackle position at Davison; however, he shows off his 6'5" frame when going up against other defensive linemen.

He already held an offer from the Irish during his junior season, despite not officially committing until just under two months after it was over. Even though the pressure of 19 offers, with 17 of them coming from power-four schools, Nichols mentioned to the Irish Tribune how special it was to receive an offer from Notre Dame.

“I was super excited to get an offer from Notre Dame, just knowing how historic a program it is,” said Nichols. “The respect the coaches have for their players not only as athletes, but as a person too, means a lot to me and what I’m looking for from coaches at the next level.”

Above all else, Nichols highlighted how committing to Notre Dame is a massive accomplishment on the field, but also the smart choice for development off the field. Committing to Notre Dame is the first step in making the move to the next level, however, Nichols has demonstrated he has values beyond the game of football.

“I’m choosing Notre Dame because I not only want to be the best athlete I can be, but I also want to become the best person I can be,” Nichols told the Irish Tribune. “They develop their football players into great people both on and off the field and set them up for success in life after football.”

This, coupled with his faith in God, pulled Nichols to the University of Notre Dame. Like many before him and presumably many after, his relationship with God played a huge role in Nichols’ decision to play in South Bend for the Irish.

“I put my faith in God to lead me to the program that would be the best fit for me,” Nichols told the Irish Tribune. “Without God, I would not be in this position today, and I am extremely grateful and blessed for all that he has given me.”

As Nichols enters the summer before his senior year of high school, God may have more in store for him on the horizon as a member of the Irish. Coming off a National Championship appearance and two major bowl wins in the 2024-25 season, the sky is officially the limit for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish. Ben Nichols has officially become a building block in reaching that ceiling.