The contest was out of reach, but that didn’t matter to Lew Nichols III. He still wanted to help his team.
Central Michigan was trailing 58-28 at Oklahoma State in an FBS matchup midway through the fourth quarter last season and was just 15 yards away from a touchdown. On first and 10, Nichols took a handoff and waited just a moment to accelerate.
This allowed a tight end enough time to set up a block on a linebacker, giving CMU favorable numbers up front. Nichols squeezed through a crowd of players, and as soon as he did, he cut to his left to avoid another defender. All he had to do from that point was jog into the end zone.
Nichols has the ability to score at any moment, even in the NFL.
What Team Drafted Lew Nichols III?
Lew Nichols III was drafted by Green Bay in round 7, No. 235 overall.
Lew Nichols III Stats And Highlights
Nichols played in just nine games in 2022. But the year before, he led the country with 1,848 rushing yards and tied for ninth with 16 rushing touchdowns. He added 338 yards and two touchdowns on 40 receptions, which helped him also rank first with 2,186 all-purpose yards.
He was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year that season. The year before, Nichols was the MAC Freshman of the Year.
That season, in 2020, he ran for 508 yards and four touchdowns while catching 10 passes for 109 yards and another score. In 2022, he ran for 601 yards and six touchdowns to go with 128 yards on 21 receptions.
Nichols ended his Central Michigan career with 3,061 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground while averaging five yards per carry in 32 games.
Lew Nichols III Draft Projection
Nichols seems to be one of the running backs who will be drafted in the later rounds, like in the fifth round. He could provide an NFL team depth at the position if he’s selected early on Day 3.
Lew Nichols III Draft Profile
Nichols racked up 1,776 yards after contact in his career, which is more than half of his total rushing yards during his time at CMU. That highlights how physical he is and how much defenders struggle to take him down.
Nichols did a great job of bouncing off tackles in college. He consistently showcased phenomenal balance.
Nichols has great vision at the line of scrimmage. With his blend of speed and patience, he often waited for blocks to develop before he made his move.
At 5-foot-11, 222 pounds, Nichols is built. With his frame and short-area quickness, he would be a good goal-line back for a professional team. He can get a couple yards whenever needed.
In fact, Nichols could help an NFL team in a great number of roles.
