Lew Nichols III
{{Short description|American football player (born 2001)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Lew Nichols III
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Philadelphia Eagles
| number = 37
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|8|16}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lbs = 220
| high_school = Cass Tech (Detroit)
| college = Central Michigan (2019–2022)
| draftyear = 2023
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 235
| pastteams =
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2023}})*
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)*
| status = Active
| highlights =
- MAC Offensive Player of the Year (2021)
- First-team All-MAC (2021)
- MAC Offensive Freshman of the Year (2020)
| pfr = N/NichLe00
}}
Arthur Lewis Nichols III (born August 16, 2001) is an American professional football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas. During the 2021 regular season, he led the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision with 1,710 rushing yards.
Early life
Nichols attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He played football under Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher. As a senior in 2018, Nichols rushed for 1,078 yards and 23 touchdowns on 84 carries. He was named to all-state teams selected by the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and the Associated Press.
College career
During the 2019 season, Nichols appeared in four games for Central Michigan, carrying 19 times for 89 yards. As a redshirt freshman during the COVID 19-shortened 2020 season, Nichols rushed for 196 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 31–23 victory over rival Eastern Michigan.{{Cite news |date=November 28, 2020 |title=Central Michigan scores 25 in 4th quarter, beats EMU |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89944282/central-michigan-scores-25-in-4th/ |work=Detroit Free Press |page=B8 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=Associated Press}} For the season, he rushed for 508 yards on 78 carries, an average of 6.5 yards per carry.{{Cite web |title=Lew Nichols III |url=https://cmuchippewas.com/sports/football/roster/lew-nichols-iii/3515 |access-date=December 1, 2021 |publisher=Central Michigan University}} He won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) freshman of the year award.{{Cite news |date=December 16, 2020 |title=CMU, EMU, WMU football players win All-MAC honors |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89944437/cmu-emu-wmu-football-players-win/ |work=Detroit Free Press |page=B2 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Due to special eligibility rules enacted for the 2020 season, Nichols repeated as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He led all players in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 1,710 rushing yards during the 2021 regular season.{{Cite web |title=College Football Player Rushing Stats 2021 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/stats/player/_/view/offense/stat/rushing/table/rushing/sort/rushingYards/dir/desc |access-date=December 1, 2021 |publisher=ESPN}} He also led the nation with 311 carries. His He had nine 100-yard rushing games in 2021, including totals of 219 yards against Ball State, 215 yards against Kent State, 194 yards against Eastern Michigan, 192 yards against Northern Illinois, and 186 yards against Ohio.{{Cite web |title=Lew Nichols III |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/gamelog/_/id/4428119/lew-nichols-iii |access-date=December 1, 2021 |publisher=ESPN}}{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Ryan |date=November 27, 2021 |title=Lew Nichols III rolls again as CMU locks up Michigan MAC trophy with 31–10 win over EMU |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/2021/11/26/central-michigan-football-mac-eastern-michigan/8772815002/ |access-date=July 23, 2023 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press}}{{Cite web |last=Fowler |first=Ryan |date=November 26, 2021 |title=Lew Nichols III Dominating CFB on the Ground |url=https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/lew-nichols-rb-central-michigan-stats-skill-set |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=The Draft Network}} His 1,710 yards was the second highest single-season total in Central Michigan history (behind Brian Pruitt's 1,890 yards in 1994).{{Cite web |last=Booher |first=Christian |date=December 1, 2021 |title=Pimpleton, Nichols earn individual All-MAC honors, 10 Chippewas make All-MAC teams |url=https://www.cm-life.com/article/2021/12/central-michigan-chippewas-all-mac-update-story-lew-nichols-kalil-pimpleton-mac-players-of-the-year-story |access-date=July 23, 2023 |newspaper=Central Michigan Life}}
After the 2021 season ended, Nichols was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Tony |date=December 1, 2021 |title=CMU, WMU take home top individual honors for MAC football |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2021/12/01/cmu-wmu-take-home-top-individual-honors-mac-football/8824683002/ |access-date=July 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Detroit News}} Despite leading the nation in rushing, Nichols was not selected as a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.{{Cite web |last=Champion |first=Brandon |date=November 22, 2021 |title=CMU's Lew Nichols III not a Doak Walker semifinalist despite nation-leading 1,516 yards rushing |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/2021/11/cmus-lew-nichols-iii-not-a-doak-walker-semifinalist-despite-nation-leading-1516-yards-rushing.html |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=mlive.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10
| weight = 220
| dash = 4.61
| ten split = 1.55
| twenty split = 2.58
| shuttle = 4.20
| cone drill = 7.43
| vertical = 37.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 7
| bench = 22
| arm span = 31 1/4
| hand span = 9
| note = Sources:{{Cite web |title=Lew Nichols III Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/lew-nichols-iii/32004e49-4352-4830-b213-0722421ec562 |access-date=May 2, 2023 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/packers-select-lew-nichols-iii-with-no-235-pick-in-2023-draft |title=Packers select Lew Nichols III with No. 235 pick in 2023 draft |website=NFL.com |access-date=May 2, 2023}}{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Lew Nichols III College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1048960&DraftYear=2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
= Green Bay Packers =
Nichols was selected 235th overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Spofford |first=Mike |date=April 29, 2023 |title=2023 NFL Draft: Packers select Central Michigan RB Lew Nichols in seventh round, No. 235 overall |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-central-michigan-rb-lew-nichols-2023-nfl-draft |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=Packers.com}} He signed his rookie contract on May 5.{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2023 |title=Packers sign eight draft picks |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-sign-eight-draft-picks-2023 |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=Packers.com}} He was waived/injured on August 29, 2023, and placed on injured reserve, then released on September 7.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Packers announce roster moves |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-announce-roster-moves-2023-nfl-season |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=Packers.com}}
= Philadelphia Eagles =
On October 16, 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Nichols to their practice squad.{{Cite web |date=October 16, 2023 |title=Eagles sign Lew Nichols to the practice squad |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-sign-lew-nichols-to-the-practice-squad |access-date=January 15, 2024 |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 18, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Erby |first=Glenn |date=January 18, 2024 |title=Eagles sign 20 players to Reserve/Futures deals |url=https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/lists/philadelphia-eagles-nfl-free-agency-reserve-futures-deals-shaquan-davis-mekhi-garner/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Eagles Wire |publisher=USA Today}} He was waived on August 27.{{cite web|title=Get your first look at the Eagles' initial 53-man roster|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-53-man-roster-2024-season-jalen-hurts-saquon-barkley|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=August 27, 2024}} Nichols was re-signed to the practice squad on December 26.{{cite web|title=Roster Moves: Eagles sign QB Ian Book, RB Lew Nichols to the practice squad|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/roster-moves-eagles-sign-ian-book-lew-nichols-to-the-practice-squad|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=December 26, 2024}} However, he was released again on December 31.{{Cite web|title=NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/31/24|url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/12/nfl-practice-squad-updates-12-31-24|access-date=January 2, 2025|website=profootballrumors.com|language=en}} On January 30, 2025, Nichols was re-signed to the practice squad. {{Cite web |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Eagles announce four roster moves ahead of trip to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX |url=https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/lists/philadelphia-eagles-roster-moves-super-bowl-lix-brandon-graham/ |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=theeagleswire.usatoday.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/players-roster/lew-nichols/ Philadelphia Eagles bio]
- [https://cmuchippewas.com/sports/football/roster/lew-nichols-iii/3515 Central Michigan Chippewas bio]
{{Green Bay Packers 2023 NFL draft picks}}
{{Philadelphia Eagles roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Lew}}
Category:Players of American football from Detroit
Category:American football running backs
Category:Central Michigan Chippewas football players
Category:Cass Technical High School alumni