Michigan has a pair of studs in T.J. Guy and Derrick Moore at the top of its edge rusher rotation, but Dominic Nichols could be the next man up due for a breakout season. Here’s a look at his career thus far and what’s in store for 2025:
Michigan has become something of a factory for defensive linemen, sending another big-time edge rusher to the NFL in Josaiah Stewart. With Stewart out of the picture, T.J. Guy and Derrick Moore are now the two top options in the rotation. However, sophomore Dominic Nichols has been getting plenty of buzz this offseason as a potential breakout option.
The story so far
Michigan’s 2024 recruiting class didn’t get a ton of recognition from national pundits. Ranked as the No. 19 class in the country per 247Sports’ composite , the class was ripe with four- and three-star recruits that would help make up the next core of Michigan players.
One of those three-stars was Nichols from Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland. He flew pretty low under the radar, listed as the’s No. 547 overall player in the country and the No. 18 player from Maryland. Michigan was able to secure his commitment back in June 2023 over the likes of Wisconsin, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and South Carolina.
Nichols was viewed as a project entering his freshman season, coming in a bit on the small side and in need of some time in the weight room. He only played in five games in 2024, but still caught the attention of the coaching staff by being named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year and being tabbed as a future “special player” by position coach Lou Esposito.
At the end of the season, Nichols got some extended playing time along the defensive line in the ReliaQuest Bowl, finishing with two tackles and a forced fumble.
Outlook for 2025
There have been a few players getting a fair share of hype since the end of 2024, and that includes Nichols. He initially received the attention of the staff as a freshman, but has likely always been viewed as a guy that would contribute in 2025 and beyond. Coming into college, adding size was a priority for him, and he’s done that getting up to 261 pounds.
Adding that weight to go along with his 6-foot-5 frame, Nichols is now in position to be the every-down player Michigan hopes he will be. By getting up to that weight, the staff should be more comfortable using him against the run, something he expressed confidence in back in April.
“When I got here (run defense) was definitely an issue of mine,” Nichols said. “I got my weight up and now I’m strong holding the edge.”
By being ready to contribute on all three downs, Nichols could be a bigger factor on defense this fall. He is unlikely to receive a lion’s share of the snaps with Derrick Moore and Guy at the top of the depth chart, but the Wolverines are known to have a two-deep rotation along the defensive line, so Nichols should be one of the first guys off the bench.
Nichols is a player the coaches envision as a big part of future defenses, so this year could be when he gives fans a preview of what’s to come.