Nichols at his best all season

SPRINGDALE — Isaiah Nichols enjoys fishing, a perfect hobby for one of Arkansas’ biggest recruiting catches of the year in football.

Nichols will enroll at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in January after signing with the Razorbacks on Wednesday during the first of two signing periods for football. He’ll use some of his time fishing before participating in spring drills with the Razorbacks.

“Just being out there casting, even if you don’t catch anything is fun,” he said. “It’s a way to relax and kind of get away from things for a while.”

Nichols, 6-4, 275 pounds, is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps defensive player of the year after finishing his senior season

with 69 tackles, including 22 for loss, 11 sacks and 38 quarterback hurries.

Before the season, Nichols was named the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s preseason defensive player of the year.

“When it came out in the newspaper that I was preseason defensive player of the year, I told my mom that I’m not letting anybody take it from me,” said Nichols, who helped lead Springdale to a 6-5 record this season, the most victories for the school since 2010. “When you make yourself a target and put in the work, people are going to recognize it and other teams are going to game plan to stop you. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nichols committed to Arkansas and former coach Bret Bielema in June and reaffirmed his commitment to the Razorbacks during an inhome visit earlier this month with new head Coach Chad Morris. The defensive lineman chose Arkansas over offers from several Division I programs, including SEC schools Missouri and Mississippi State.

Nichols was at his best in big games his senior year, beginning with a 19-17 victory over Conway. He graded out at 81 against the Wampus Cats, finishing the game with 7 tackles, 3 sacks and 7 hurries.