Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 13-12vs Western Michigan | 9 | 4 | 2.5 | 1.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 17-10vs Oklahoma | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 4 | 3.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Dominic Nichols
Junior defensive end for Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 255 lb · Frederick, MD · Oakdale
CFB Index 19 · #376 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceReturning to Michigan for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come.
QB hurries: 99th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
2
sacks · 2026
3 TFL · 10 tackles · 3 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL, 9 tackles, vs Western Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive end for Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Michigan in 2024.
Dominic Nichols
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come. Dominic Nichols has been at Michigan through three head coaches in three seasons. One game to point at: 9 tackles, 2.5 TFL against Western Michigan — Week 1, 2026.
10 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Michigan3-star out of Oakdale
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Michigan
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Sherrone Moore, Biff Poggi, and Kyle Whittingham. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Michigan8-5HC: Sherrone Moore · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Michigan9-4HC: Biff Poggi · Run-leaning
2026Michigan2-0HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: qb hurries (99th percentile). Strength: sacks (97th percentile). Concern: tackles (10th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 5.0 TKL/g, 1.5 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kyle Whittingham
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #8 of 8 Big Ten EDGEs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 17–10
vs Oklahoma
1 TOT · 0 SACKS · 0 TFL
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 7 at home.
With C. Brown — 42 AVG · 6 IN 20 · 51 LONG · B. Underwood — 111 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 74.4 · 87 rush yds (18 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Michigan
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Michigan
Returning around him
- 6 Michigan players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -16 net (17 in / 33 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Michigan · Last season: 9-4 (AP #18) · Talent rank #11 · 2026 recruiting class #12
DNA match
Player DNA
Pressure Merchant
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come.
EDGE
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Jordan Watkins’s 2016 season.
87%match
Matches Jordan on
Height
TFL rate
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Princewill Umanmielen's junior season at Ole Miss (2025).
93%match
All-SEC
Matches Princewill on
Class year
Pressure-to-sack conversion
TFL rate
Background
CAREER GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS CAREER HIGHS • Tackles: 3, 2x - last vs. Texas (Dec. 31, 2025) • Solos: 2, 5x - last vs. Texas (Dec. 31, 2025) • Asst: 1, 3x - last vs. Texas (Dec. 31, 2025) • TFLs: 1,0, 5x - last vs. Texas (Dec. 31, 2025) • Sacks: 1.0 - vs. New Mexico (Aug. 30, 2025) • Int.: none...
The defensive line · Michigan
- #90John Henry Daley17.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Dominic Nichols5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #17Enow Etta2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #91Jonah Lea'Ea2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Cameron Brandt1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Michigan team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology