Montae Nicholson

Former safety at Michigan State. 2016: 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 86 tackles.

S · Michigan State · #9

6′2″ · Monroeville, PA

Washington — drafted 2017, Rd 4, Pick 17, #123 overall

Recruiting

4★

S recruit

No. 198 nationally · Signed with Michigan State

Statement game17 tackles · 1 TFLvs BYU (FBS) · L 14-31

Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former safety at Michigan State. 2016: 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 86 tackles.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to Michigan State in 2014.
Drafted round 4 by the Washington in 2017.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Two seasons at Michigan State, 86 tackles — drafted at #123 overall by Washington.

His career

2014

Signed with Michigan State4-star out of Gateway

2017

Drafted by Washingtonround 4, pick 123

Career arc

Recruit

★★★★

#198 national

CFB

College

Michigan State

2015–2016

NFL

NFL Draft

R4 · #123

Washington · 2017

Where He Ended Up · NFL

WashingtonEntering 10th NFL season

#123Rd 4 · Pick 17

WashingtonEntering 10th NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2016 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2 seasons under Mark Dantonio, all run-leaning offenses — 15-11 over that span.

2015Michigan State12-2HC: Mark Dantonio · Run-leaning

2016Michigan State3-9HC: Mark Dantonio · Run-leaning

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: tackles (94th percentile). Strength: solo tackles (84th percentile). Concern: sacks (25th percentile).

Box-score production (8)

Tackles#148 / 2668 · 94th pct

Solo tackles#408 / 2668 · 84th pct

Passes defended#754 / 2668 · 65th pct

Tackles for loss#1319 / 2668 · 46th pct

2.0

Forced fumbles#77 / 736 · 45th pct

Interceptions#334 / 763 · 28th pct

QB hurries#1174 / 2668 · 28th pct

Sacks#1331 / 2668 · 25th pct

0.0

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

2016 season · 11 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	9.6	0.3	0.0	0.3
Road4g	4.8	0.0	0.0	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-76g	9.0	0.3	0.0	0.3
Weeks 8+5g	6.4	0.0	0.0	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Pat Fitzgerald

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2016

Impact starter

Producing measurably more than a replacement-level starter.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2016	Michigan State	86	39	2.0	0.0	2	1	--
2015	Michigan State	--	--	--	--	--	3	--
Career		86	39	2.0	0.0	2	4	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2016

W 36–28

at Notre Dame

3 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 REC

Edged out Notre Dame on the road in a shootout.

With T. O'Connor — 241 yds · 2 TD · 1 INT · QBR 80.6 · 43 rush yds (10 car) · J. Hartbarger — 38 AVG · 42 LONG · 7 NO

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week