EXCLUSIVE: Spartans 2025 OL Target Drew Nichols On Potentially Going East, Future Visit

California native Drew Nichols is a three-star offensive lineman and priority recruit for Michigan State. He spoke with Spartan Nation about possibly playing in the Big Ten and more.

Michigan State offensive line coach Jim Michalczik works with players during the Spring Showcase on / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith made recruiting the Midwest and the state of Michigan his top priority.

However, Smith is still looking to the West Coast and the regional pipeline he established while at Oregon State.

Smith's first commitment in the 2025 class was quarterback Leo Hannan of Servite, California.

The Golden State is home to another of Smith's top recruiting priorities.

Murrieta Valley offensive lineman Drew Nichols is a three-star prospect, per 247Sports. Nichols is the No. 95 prospect in one of the most talented football states in the country. He is the No. 76-rated interior offensive lineman.

Nichols -- 6-foot-5, 270 pounds -- would potentially give Michigan State and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik plenty to work with as the Spartans re-tool their offense for the Smith Era.

Nichols spoke to Spartan Nation about potentially playing in the Big Ten.

"Coach [Jim Michalczik] coaches really athletic guys, they're not fat, sloppy dudes -- they're all really athletic and they all can run," Nichols said. "That's really new, especially with offensive lineman -- these guys are physical and they can run and they're not sloppy. It's a lot to live up to, I gotta keep on being athletic, keep on doing my stuff, keep my feet quick, keep up this physicality where I'm not just a lineman -- I'm also an athlete."

Nichols said he is taking in everything when he visits Michigan State on June 7.

"I feel like a big deal with this schools is seeing what the team culture is like on a deeper level," he said. "I've already seen it on an outside level a bit. Being able to talk to the guys and seeing what they actually think about the coaches and what they like about the school. I want to see what the campus culture is like, too. It's a lot of culture.

"I just wanna be able to see what's going on with the school -- where is it heading, what's happened in the past, what's worked, what hasn't, do these guys really play for each other or all these guys only for themselves. Education is very, very, important. I need to see if they got the right schools ... if what I want to do is accessible there ... That's all really important."

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