2026 OL Ben Nichols Returning To Notre Dame

Since camping at Notre Dame over the summer, Ben Nichols‍ has kept in contact with irish offensive line coach Joe Rudolph and grad assistant Rob Delaney. 

The 2026 Michigan offensive lineman will be back in South Bend this weekend for the Irish’s game against USC.

Nichols has early offers from Michigan State, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.

“It's cool, but I can't let it get to my head too much,” says Nichols. “I know there are always dudes grinding for your spot, so I'm not satisfied yet.”

His early impressions of Notre Dame are positive. 

“I love the setting of it,” the Davison High School standout says. “I love the community. I love the drive about them. There's just something about them that just makes me want to go back.

“I'll pay attention to the coaches on the sideline and see how they coach their own players and also see how the players work together.”

The messages from Rudolph and Delaney since the summer have been ones of encouragement.

“Just keep working,” Nichols says. “When you think you're there, always work harder. There's always something to improve on, so just keep going. Never stop.”

The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder recently visited Michigan State and Ohio State.

“Those were pretty good,” says Nichols, who adds that he plans to go to Michigan next month.

He isn’t in a rush to narrow his list just yet.

“As of right now, I'm really just trying to put my name out there, go to as many places as I can, get in contact with as many people as I can, and then when it comes to my junior year, narrow it down as it goes on,” he says. 

But Nichols does have an idea of what he’s looking for in a college.

“It's got to feel good to me. I don't want to wake up one day and say, 'Do I really want to be here?' I want to know that that's the place and there's a great coaching staff behind me.”