Rayshad Nichols

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Class:
Sophomore
Ht./Wt.:
6-3 / 304
Position:
DT
Hometown:
Bridge City, La.
High School:
Higgins

2018 (Sophomore): One of just five Lumberjack defenders and the only defensive lineman to start all 10 games of the season ... Played the entirety of the season at nose tackle, recording 30 total tackles with 16 solo stops ... Claimed the second-most sacks (3.5) on the team and tied for the third-most tackles for loss (5.0) ... Also tied for the most forced fumbles (2) and quarterback hurries among all SFA defenders ... Posted three or more tackles five times and had multi-tackle outings on eight different occasions ... Notched a trio of tackles at Incarnate Word (Sept. 15) and in the 24-21 home win over Abilene Christian (Sept. 22), collecting 1.5 tackles for loss with a seven-yard sack, forcing a fumble and earning both a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry against the Wildcats ... Had another forced fumble the following week at 11th-ranked McNeese (Sept. 29) to go along with five total tackles, including a career-best four unassisted stops and a tackle for loss ... Picked up a pair of quarterback hurries and made two tackles in the 93rd Battle of the Piney Woods inside NRG Stadium in Houston versus 16th-ranked Sam Houston State (Oct. 6) ... Tallied a season-high seven tackles and tied his career-best four solo stops during the 42-14 road rout of Houston Baptist (Oct. 20), registering a career high in tackles for loss with a career-high 2.5 sacks against the Huskies ... Closed out the season with five tackles in the 53rd Battle for Chief Caddo versus Northwestern State (Nov. 15).

2017 (Redshirt Freshman): Just one of four defensive players to start every game of the season and only one of two to start every game on SFA's defensive front line ... Registered 36 total tackles on the year, including 11 solo stops ... Tied for the second-most tackles for loss on the team with 7.5 for negative 21 yards ... Also had a six-yard sack, the second-most quarterback hurries of any Lumberjack with five and a team-leading two fumble recoveries ... Made his collegiate debut in the season opener at SMU (Sept. 2), claiming three tackles with a two-yard TFL ... Notched at least one tackle in every game of the season with five or more in two different contests ... Posted a career-high eight tackles with three unassisted stops and two TFLs for a loss of eight yards in the thrilling 37-31 home victory over Incarnate Word (Sept. 16) ... Made five tackles with 1.5 TFLs for minus four yards and had a fumble recovery in the 34-7 road rout of Lamar (Oct. 28) ... Finished out the season by making four tackles with a TFL and recovering a fumble at Northwestern State in the 52nd Battle for Chief Caddo (Nov. 18).

2016 (Redshirt): Utilized his redshirt season, competing on the Lumberjack scout team.

Prior to SFA: Three year starter and letter winner at L.W. Higgins High School, playing defensive end, defensive tackle and fullback ... Two-time first team all-district selection ... Registered 54 tackles as a senior, including 35 solo stops and 8.0 tackles for loss as a senior ... Posted 70 tackles with 35 solo tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss in his junior season ... Coached by Craig Laborde ... Also lettered four times in baseball, playing both first and third base, and twice in basketball, giving him nine varsity letters ... Son of Raymond and Shelita Nichols ... Collegiate major is undecided.