C/O 2026 4-Star IOL Ben Nichols from Davison, Michigan, has announced his commitment to Notre Dame. He becomes the second offensive lineman to commit to the Irish in the 2026 class. He joins 4-star QB Noah Grubbs, 4-star LB Thomas Davis Jr., 4-star CB Chaston Smith, 4-star Sullivan "Sully" Sullivan, and 3-star WR Dylan Faison, as early commits for the Irish in the 2026 class.
Graphic by The Irish Tribune
Nichols is a 6'6", 310lbs interior lineman from Davison High School in Davison, Michigan.
He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd overall IOL in the state of Michigan, the 16th overall IOL in the nation, and the 227th overall best player nationally. Prior to committing to the Irish, he held 19 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Penn State, Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Iowa, and Notre Dame among others. I had the chance to speak with Nichols, who was happy to share some insight on his decision.
The most important part of the recruiting journey is the relationships that are built with the coaches. For Nichols, this was very important to him, and it showed just how much the Notre Dame coaching staff believed in him.
"My relationship with the coaches is great, we're on the phone 4-5 times a week just checking up on each other and building our relationship even more. That kind of commitment from them shows how much they care and believe in me, which means a lot to me."
An offer is a great achievement, and a true testament to the hard work any recruit has put in. But for Nichols, the offer from Notre Dame meant more, and the excitement of landing an offer from a school like Notre Dame was exactly what he was looking for.
"I was super excited to get an offer from Notre Dame just knowing how historical of a program it is and how they develop all their athletes, especially with the offensive line position. 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."
So why was this offer so special for Nichols? And why did he end up choosing Notre Dame? As he puts it, it was the total package of what he was looking for both on and off the field.
"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. They develop their football players into great people both on and off the field, and set them up for success in life after football. The talent they produce is second to none, as they've proven that time and time again, and I want to be a part of that."
For every recruit, there's always a moment when they realize that the place they are meant to be is the particular school they are looking at. For Nichols, this was no different, and he knew early on that Notre Dame was where he was meant to be.
"I've known Notre Dame was a top contender in my recruitment since the very beginning. Going to camp and seeing how the coaches work with you and what they're all about really sets them apart from the others. 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."
So what was it like making the call to the coaches to announce he was committing to Notre Dame? For Nichols, it was an exciting time that drove home that he was making the right decision.
"Face-timing Coach Rudolph to let him know that I was committing to the program was an amazing feeling. I called Coach Rudolph, and we spent about 10 minutes catching up, and then I let him know that Notre Dame was home. Seeing the excitement on Coach Rudolph, Coach Freeman, and Chad Bowden's faces was so awesome. They let me know that I was meant to be at Notre Dame, and that they were extremely fired up to have me be a part of the program."
What can Notre Dame fans expect to get from a player like Ben Nichols? As he described to me, he's a hard worker who's highly motivated in helping his team be the best they can be.
"Notre Dame fans can expect a dawg that comes in every day to work his butt off. No matter what the circumstances are, I will always work as hard as I can every single day to help my teammates be successful. I'm highly motivated and a hard worker, and I can't wait to be around guys with the same mentality as me."
For many recruits, it is not uncommon for faith to play a major part in their decision and for Nichols, this was no different. As he described to me, his faith played a major factor and he's very thankful for all the blessings he's received.
"I put my faith in God to lead me to the program that would be the best fit for me. I knew that Notre Dame was the place I was meant to be, and God blessed me with the talent and recognition for this opportunity. Without God, I would not be in this position today and I am extremely grateful and blessed for all that he has given me."
Ben Nichols is a very talented and humble young man who is continuing to grow and get better each and every day. He’s a hard worker who’s highly motivated to help his team do whatever it takes to succeed. We at the Irish Tribune would like to wish Ben good luck on his journey at Notre Dame!
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