Bilal Nichols

Bilal Nichols (born September 14, 1996) is an American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played college football at Delaware.[1]

Bilal Nichols
Bilal Nichols in 2018
No. 98 – Chicago Bears
Position:Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1996-09-14) September 14, 1996
Newark, Delaware
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:306 lb (139 kg)
Career information
High school:Hodgson Vo-Tech
(Glasgow, Delaware)
College:Delaware
NFL Draft:2018 / Round: 5 / Pick: 145
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2020
Total tackles:95
Sacks:8.0
Forced fumbles:2
Fumble recoveries:2
Pass deflections:4
Interceptions:1
Player stats at NFL.com

College career

He had 56 tackles including 6.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, an interception, four pass break-ups, and a blocked kick in 2017.[2] He was named first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association for his season.[3]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand size40-yard dashBench press
6 ft 3 3⁄4 in
(1.92 m)		 306 lb
(139 kg)		 33 3⁄8 in
(0.85 m)		 10 1⁄4 in
(0.26 m)		4.95 s29 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Chicago Bears

Nichols was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round (145th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[4] Like Nichols, Bears head coach Matt Nagy was a Delaware alumnus, while assistant Brian Ginn worked for the school before joining the Bears.[3]

His first NFL start came in Week 10 of the 2018 season against the Detroit Lions, where he recorded his first full sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford in a 34–22 win.[5][6] A second sack came in the season finale on the Minnesota Vikings' Kirk Cousins as the Bears won 24–10.[7]

Nichols' 2019 season was marred by a broken hand that he suffered in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos.[8] Upon his return, he primarily filled in for the injured Akiem Hicks at tackle.[9] In the final game of the year against Minnesota, he recovered a fumble by Mike Boone on the Vikings' opening drive.[10]

After nose tackle Eddie Goldman opted out of the 2020 season for COVID-19 reasons, Nichols took over his slot.[11] In the Bears' Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers, Nichols sacked Teddy Bridgewater at the Panthers' one-yard line; on the ensuing play, Bridgewater was intercepted by Tashaun Gipson to set up a Bears touchdown.[12] In Week 13 against the Detroit Lions, Nichols recorded a sack on Matthew Stafford and his first career interception off a pass thrown by Stafford that he returned for seven yards during the 34–30 loss. [13] Nichols was the first Bears defensive tackle to intercept a pass since Tommie Harris in 2009.[14]

References
  1. "NFL Draft & Combine Profile - BILAL NICHOLS". www.nfl.com. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  2. NFL DRAFT HIGHLIGHTS: Bilal Nichols, DT -- Delaware
  3. Kane, Colleen; Campbell, Rich (April 28, 2018). "Bears draft ILB Joel Iyiegbuniwe, DL Bilal Nichols, OLB Kylie Fitts, WR Javon Wims". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  4. Mayer, Larry (April 28, 2018). "Bears choose Nichols in fifth round". ChicagoBears.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  5. Hendy, Matthew (November 12, 2018). "Why Were the Bears So Successful Against the Lions?". The Loop Sports. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  6. Jahns, Adam (November 11, 2018). "Welcome back, Mack: Bears OLB Khalil Mack stars in return with two sacks". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  7. "Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings - December 30th, 2018". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  8. Barbieri, Alyssa (October 8, 2019). "Bears DE Bilal Nichols 'very close to returning' to game action". USA Today. Bears Wire. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. Lieser, Jason (October 31, 2020). "Bears DL Bilal Nichols playing through hand injury with old-school grit". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  10. "Nichols recovers Vikings fumble in Bears territory". Chicago Bears. December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  11. Smith, Nathan (August 17, 2020). "Nichols ready to step up at nose tackle". Chicago Bears. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  12. Barbieri, Alyssa (October 18, 2020). "WATCH: Bears defense sets the tone vs. Panthers on first series with sack, INT". USA Today. Bears Wire. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  13. "Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears – December 6th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  14. Mayer, Larry (December 6, 2020). "Quick Hits: Nichols a bright spot in loss". Chicago Bears. Retrieved December 6, 2020.


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