Offensive Lineman Ben Nichols Is Impressed With Notre Dame During Visit

Notre Dame made a strong impression on 2026 offensive lineman Ben Nichols

Notre Dame Recruiting News /

Notre Dame hosted one of the nation's best offensive lineman this weekend when 2026 Davison (Mich.) High School offensive tackle Ben Nichols trekked to campus. It was a busy weekend, which included visits from some of the top players in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting class. Nichols is included in that exclusive group. 

The Michigan native went into the visit with high expectations for his first trip to South Bend. The Notre Dame coaching and recruiting staff did not disappoint. 

"The visit overall was great,” Nichols told Irish Breakdown. "I learned tons of information not only about football at Notre Dame but what they do for you beyond sports. My favorite parts were sitting in meetings with different coaches and just getting to see how they coach their own players.” 

The coaching staff was especially impressive to Nichols. His opportunity to get to sit down and know them was a huge aspect of this trip. 

"The conversations were very good,” Nichols said. "I got to learn about the different types of offense, what the coaches like about me, and got to learn about Coach (Joe) Rudolph and (Rob) Delaney about them and their families.”

It’s early, but so far Notre Dame has been a standout for Nichols. They are a school that is trending well, and are certainly high on his list. 

"I love Notre Dame,” he explained. "There isn’t anything not to love. The history about them and how they put offensive lineman in the league is super important to me. I see myself fitting in great, more than likely a guard or tackle, same with the coaches. They like me at Notre Dame and think my personality really fits in great.”

Nichols is rated as a four-star recruit on the On3 Industry ranking. He currently ranks as the No. 192 overall player in the country in the 2026 class. 

Some of the top offensive line developers in all of college football are already pursuing the 6-5, 320-pound behemoth. His offer list currently includes the Fighting Irish, Michigan, Florida State, Michigan State and Purdue among others.

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