Bilal Nichols

BIOGRAPHY

Bilal Nichols was born on September 14, 1996, in Newark, Delaware. He is a defensive end in the NFL.

Bilal Nichols played college football at Delaware, where he earned third-team All-CAA honors and continued to be a strong force on the defensive front tackle position as a sophomore. Nichols was a productive player against both the pass and the run. He had 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, one interception, and a pass breakup. Nichols had at least one tackle in all but one game and recorded a career-high eight in an early-season win over Lafayette. Nichols led a unit that ranked No. 5 in the CAA and 24th in the NCAA in total defense and was No. 3 in both rushing defense and scoring defense.

In 2016 Bilal Nichols produced another outstanding season on the defensive line as a junior, earning second-team All-CAA honors. Nichols played in 10 games and started nine at defensive tackle, ranked second on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and with five sacks, and ranked No. 8 in the CAA in sacks.

In 2017 Bilal Nichols earned Third-Team All-American, and First-team All-CAA accolades for five sacks and ranked No. 8 in the CAA in sacks. He earned invites to the East-West Shrine Game and the Reese's Senior Bowl. Nichols became the first Blue Hen since 2015 to earn a spot at the NFL Combine Despite facing double teams most of the year. Nichols finished with 56 tackles making him the fourth-best on the team.

The Chicago Bears drafted Nichols in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Like Nichols, Bears head coach Matt Nagy was a Delaware alumnus, while assistant Brian Ginn worked for the school before joining the Bears. In week ten against the Detroit Lions, his first NFL start, Nichols made his first full sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford in a 34–22 win.

Nichols signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17, 2022.

Nichols signed a 3-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2024 season.