Nichols' move from golf to football was a smart one
Addison Nichols grew up playing golf.
The 6-foot-5, 268 pound freshman started playing golf around the age of two or three years old. He had wanted to play football, and finally, in seventh grade, he got to put on the pads and start dominating in the trenches.
That change of sports has already paid off.
The big offensive tackle has already pulled in offers from Duke, LSU, USC and Vanderbilt just over halfway through his freshman year. Many more are to come and he is a name to know.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
"I cannot believe this all came so sudden," said Nichols. "I still haven't had time to comprehend it all. I am very excited to get the offers, so it is a great feeling and I am ready to just keep working and getting better for next year.
"This was not what I was expecting. When I get the call from coach Hardy about an offer, I am surprised by it.
"I got to talk to coach Ed Orgeron and he was saying some great things. It was awesome to speak with him, the defensive back coach (Corey Raymond) and learn more about LSU.
"I didn't start playing football until the seventh grade, so I never had a favorite school growing up. I just didn't have that college team that I loved and all that, but after I started playing a couple of years ago, I started liking Clemson.
"I went to Clemson camps after my seventh and eighth grade years and I loved the entire experience there. Coach Dabo Swinney delivers a good message and I really like it there.
"I still do not know a lot about the schools that have offered me. Vanderbilt has a great academic program and I know all are great schools, so I am going to learn more about them.
"I just didn't expect all this to happen this soon. I am excited about it."
RIVALS REACTION
Expect Nichols' offer list to really grow this spring during the evaluation period as schools put an eye on him at spring practice. He is likely to take a couple of visits in the coming months too, to really start the recruiting process. He went to a Clemson game in the fall and you have to think the Tigers are very aware of Nichols by now. He is starting this process early, a lot like other GAC stars, Christopher Hinton (Michigan signee) and Myles Hinton (Stanford commit), we could see Nichols make an early decision like they did.