Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame secures commitment of four-star IOL to the Class of 2026

Four-star interior offensive lineman Ben Nichols committed to Notre Dame's 2026 class on Tuesday. The standout from Davison High School (Michigan) chose Marcus Freeman's program over fellow finalists Wisconsin, Penn State and Tennessee.

Nichols’ recruitment was a priority for Notre Dame, which offered him a scholarship on St. Patrick’s Day as part of its “Pot of Gold Day” recruiting initiative. His pledge came just a day after the Irish landed graduate transfer wide receiver Malachi Fields from Virginia.

Nichols is the No. 16 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class, the No. 3 recruit in Michigan and the No. 209 prospect in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. His dominant performance along the offensive line has earned him recognition as one of the premier players in his position.

Ben Nichols projects as a mauler who can thrive in various roles on the offensive line. Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith praised his potential to excel as a guard at the college level. The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association named him to its Division 1 first-team roster for the past season.

Ben Nichols raves about Notre Dame coaching staff

Ben Nichols attended games at several prestigious college programs this season, including Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Tennessee. However, his relationship with the Irish stands out as the most impactful. His latest visit to South Bend was during the Fighting Irish's narrow 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7.

Nichols has been particularly impressed with Joe Rudolph, Notre Dame’s offensive line coach.

“If you look at what he’s done, he’s put so many amazing dudes in the league," Nichols told On3. "He can develop anybody. You could be an unranked tackle going in there, and you can come out a first/second-round pick. It’s really impressive how he develops players.”

Marcus Freeman has also left a positive impression on Nichols.

“He’s had success since he stepped in the game," Nichols said. "He’s only proving people wrong as the season goes on. So, I’m very happy to have him as my head coach.”

Ben Nichols’ commitment boosts Notre Dame’s 2026 recruiting class, which currently ranks No. 11 nationally. He is the sixth commitment for the Fighting Irish in this cycle and one of two Michigan-based offensive linemen joining the program, alongside Sullivan Garvin.

The Irish have rarely signed offensive linemen from Michigan, with Rocco Spindler (2021) and Steve Elmer (2013) being the only others in the past two decades.