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Jersey Number 17
DeCarlos Nicholson
- Position:
- Cornerback
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 195
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Petal, Miss.
- High School:
- Petal HS / Mississippi Gulf Coast CC / Mississippi State
Bio
CAREER: In his three-year career (2 seasons at Mississippi State and 1 season at USC), he has recorded 74 tackles, including 4 for loss, and 8 PBUs while appearing in 38 games with 7 starts.
2025: Nicholson will compete for playing time at cornerback as a redshirt senior in 2025.
2024: Nicholson saw action in all 13 games and started in 3 games (Maryland, Rutgers and Washington) at cornerback as a redshirt senior in 2024. He recorded 27 total tackles and 5 PBUs.
He had 2 tackles against LSU. He tallied 4 tackles against Wisconsin and 1 tackle versus Minnesota. Nicholson had 2 tackles against Penn State. He collected 3 tackles against Maryland. He had 5 tackles and 2 PBUs against Rutgers. He recorded 1 tackle versus Washington. He had 3 tackles and 2 PBUs against Nebraska. He had 1 tackle and 1 PBU versus UCLA. He collected 1 tackle against Notre Dame. He tallied 4 tackles in the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: As a 2023 senior, he collected 42 tackles, including 2 for loss of 4 yards and 2 PBUs while appearing in 12 games with 7 starts.
As a 2022 junior, he recorded 5 tackles and 1 PBU while appearing in 13 games.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST CC: Nicholson was ranked the No. 6 JUCO prospect by 247Sports, No. 10 by Rivals and No. 13 by ESPN. He was tabbed as the No. 3 cornerback in the JUCO class by 247Sports and No. 4 by ESPN. He was recognized as the No. 2 junior college product in the state of Mississippi.
He converted to cornerback as a sophomore after playing quarterback as a freshman at MGCCC. He made 19 tackles, including 2 for loss, and 16 PBUs as a sophomore in 2021.
He played in all 6 games as a freshman quarterback in 2020 and completed 16-of-36 (44.4%) passes for 178 yards and rushed 25 times for 210 yards (8.4 avg.).
HIGH SCHOOL: Nicholson was a ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
As a senior quarterback in 2019, he went 127-of-217 (58.5%) for 1,942 yards and 17 TDs with 6 interceptions. He also had 63 carries for 411 yards (6.5 avg.) and 6 TDs. He led Petal HS to the Class 6A South State championship game.
As a junior in 2018, he went 113-of-215 (52.6%) for 1,446 yards and 11 TD with 4 INTs. He also recorded 107 carries for 507 yards (4.7 avg.) and 4 TDs.
PERSONAL: He earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Mississippi State in 2023. He is currently pursuing a certificate in Gerontology at USC.
2025: Nicholson will compete for playing time at cornerback as a redshirt senior in 2025.
2024: Nicholson saw action in all 13 games and started in 3 games (Maryland, Rutgers and Washington) at cornerback as a redshirt senior in 2024. He recorded 27 total tackles and 5 PBUs.
He had 2 tackles against LSU. He tallied 4 tackles against Wisconsin and 1 tackle versus Minnesota. Nicholson had 2 tackles against Penn State. He collected 3 tackles against Maryland. He had 5 tackles and 2 PBUs against Rutgers. He recorded 1 tackle versus Washington. He had 3 tackles and 2 PBUs against Nebraska. He had 1 tackle and 1 PBU versus UCLA. He collected 1 tackle against Notre Dame. He tallied 4 tackles in the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: As a 2023 senior, he collected 42 tackles, including 2 for loss of 4 yards and 2 PBUs while appearing in 12 games with 7 starts.
As a 2022 junior, he recorded 5 tackles and 1 PBU while appearing in 13 games.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST CC: Nicholson was ranked the No. 6 JUCO prospect by 247Sports, No. 10 by Rivals and No. 13 by ESPN. He was tabbed as the No. 3 cornerback in the JUCO class by 247Sports and No. 4 by ESPN. He was recognized as the No. 2 junior college product in the state of Mississippi.
He converted to cornerback as a sophomore after playing quarterback as a freshman at MGCCC. He made 19 tackles, including 2 for loss, and 16 PBUs as a sophomore in 2021.
He played in all 6 games as a freshman quarterback in 2020 and completed 16-of-36 (44.4%) passes for 178 yards and rushed 25 times for 210 yards (8.4 avg.).
HIGH SCHOOL: Nicholson was a ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
As a senior quarterback in 2019, he went 127-of-217 (58.5%) for 1,942 yards and 17 TDs with 6 interceptions. He also had 63 carries for 411 yards (6.5 avg.) and 6 TDs. He led Petal HS to the Class 6A South State championship game.
As a junior in 2018, he went 113-of-215 (52.6%) for 1,446 yards and 11 TD with 4 INTs. He also recorded 107 carries for 507 yards (4.7 avg.) and 4 TDs.
PERSONAL: He earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Mississippi State in 2023. He is currently pursuing a certificate in Gerontology at USC.
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