Another young Tennessee offensive lineman looks to be heading out the exit door. Redshirt freshman Addison Nichols announced Monday evening that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to a post on his Instagram account. The Top247 wrapped up his second season with the Vols by playing extensively in the win against Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale after injuries impacted Tennessee’s offensive line.
The 6-foot-5, 327-pound Nichols went into his second season on Rocky Top competing for the backup center spot and the starting left guard position, but was outside of the rotation for most of the season. He appeared in all 12 games, getting snaps on offense in six games while also playing on the field goal and extra point protection units. Nichols played 116 snaps on offense in 2023 with 67 coming at left guard against Vanderbilt.
Nichols appeared in two games while redshirting in 2022, meaning he’ll have three seasons of eligibility remaining.
He was rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports and ranked the No. 180 overall player and No. 8 interior offensive lineman in the 2022 class when he signed with Tennessee out of Greater Atlanta Christian School.
Here is the message Nichols posted with a graphic on his social media accounts on Monday evening:
“I want to thank the University of Tennessee, everyone I’ve been fortunate enough to meet here, and the most loyal fans in the country, for shaping me into the man and athlete I am today. I will carry so many lessons and cherished memories with me, always.
“However, after much consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal. I look forward to seeing what my next chapter holds.”
Nichols was a four-time all-state player in high school and a team captain his last two seasons. He committed to Tennessee in August 2021, choosing the Vols over Ohio State and North Carolina from among an offer list of 30 programs, including eight in the SEC. He enrolled at Tennessee in January 2022.
During his freshman season in 2022, Nichols played four snaps at left guard in his debut in the opener against Ball State and eight snaps later in the season against UT Martin and maintained his redshirt.
After cross-training at center and the guard spots during spring practice and preseason camp this year, Nichols played 12 snaps at right guard in the 2023 season opener against Virginia, but the rest of his playing time on offense came at left guard. He played 22 snaps against Connecticut on Homecoming and also appeared late in the games against UTSA (six snaps), Missouri (six) and Georgia (three). Injuries to Javontez Spraggins and Andrej Karic tested Tennessee’s depth at guard for the Vanderbilt game, and Nichols came off the bench to play at left guard early against the Commodores when starting center Cooper Mays went out with an injury and Ollie Lane slid over from left guard in the last of countless shuffles Tennessee’s offensive line had to make during an injury-hit season.
He earned an 85.0 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus against Vanderbilt for not allowing any pressures on 40 pass-blocking snaps.
“I think Addison’s come a long way, for sure,” Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee said in late October. “He’s taken leaps and bounds from probably the beginning of the season. He’s just learned how to practice, learned how to compete, … so really excited for him.”
Fellow second-year offensive lineman Mo Clipper Jr. announced his plans to enter the portal last week and officially entered on Monday morning, when the portal window for FBS undergraduate players formally opened.
