Michigan State football: High-profile 2026 OL target visiting this weekend

A high-profile Michigan State football target will be on campus this weekend. Ben Nichols will be back in East Lansing.

The positive vibes for Michigan State football just keep coming. Fresh off a win last weekend on the road against Maryland, the Spartans will be getting a visit from a high-profile 2026 recruit this weekend. That recruit is none other than Davison, Mich., native, Ben Nichols.

Nichols has been a high-profile target for the Spartans for a while now and it’s good to see him coming back to East Lansing. He was originally offered by Mel Tucker’s staff prior to their departure. Jonathan Smith and Jim Michalczik quickly offered him again once they got set up as well, and for good reason. Nichols is becoming one of the most highly-regarded offensive line prospects in the 2026 class.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Nichols lists as the 223rd overall player in the country for the 2026 class. He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs about 315 pounds. And 247Sports also lists him as the third-best player in Michigan for 2026. He has great size and could really be a versatile piece up front for the Spartans.

Nichols has been in East Lansing several times for unofficial visits so far. He has picked up 19 Division 1 offers so far and more should be coming soon. Most recently, he was offered by Alabama and Kalen DeBeor. He has also received offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Florida State as well. Expect more to come as the high school season rolls on.

Davison has been one of the better Division 1 football schools in Michigan over the past few seasons. Led in part by Nichols, the Cardinals made it to the state semifinals last season before losing to Belleville which is most notably led by the class of 2025 No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood.

Offensive line is a position that Smith and Michalczik have wanted to bolster in recruiting. Building through the trenches is key and Nichols would be a big help with that, should the Spartans land him.