2026 TE Andre Nickerson commits to SMU

Gardena (Calif.) Inglewood three-star tight end Andre Nickerson has committed to SMU, he announced Tuesday evening.

He chose the Mustangs over offers from the likes of Cal, Arizona State, Syracuse, UNLV and others.

Nickerson is the No. 969 overall prospect and No. 54 TE in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 87 player in California.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is the latest addition to Rhett Lashlee’s pledge list, giving SMU 13 commits this cycle. At the beginning of May, Nickerson took an official visit to Dallas. The ACC program originally offered back in October.

He’s the second Golden State prospect to choose the Mustangs, joining Los Angeles Redondo Union three-star quarterback Cole Leinart, the son of former NFL QB and Heisman winner Matt Leinart.

More on SMU’s 2026 recruiting class

Following the addition of Nickerson, SMU now has the No. 17 class in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. May continues to treat Lashlee and his staff well.

Seven prospects have now committed to the Mustangs this month. Kaufman (Texas) four-star wide receiver Aljour Miles and New Orleans McDonogh 35 four-star WR Jakai Anderson highlight the new additions. Miles is a top-250 prospect, while Anderson, who flipped from LSU, is the No. 10 player in Louisiana this cycle.

“They’ve done everything right from the start,” Miles previously told On3 about the Mustangs. “I feel like with these other schools, it would just be kind of having them trying to change my mind about SMU and being an equal playing field. So I just feel like I should stop messing around and just lock in and get ready to get to work. It’s great. I knew they wanted me.”

Dallas Lake Highlands four-star running back Christian Rhodes is the top-ranked commit in the class, checking in as the No. 194 recruit and No. 17 RB nationally. He pledged at the beginning of February.

Yoakum (Texas) four-star WR Xzavier Barnett is another blue-chip pass-catcher in the fold. Nine in-state commits are in the class, including Mesquite DeSoto three-star safety Markel Ford, North Forney three-star cornerback Ryan Gilbert and Euless Trinity three-star interior offensive lineman Pupungatoa Katoa.

Other recent commits include Humble (Texas) Summer Creek three-star EDGE Amontre Harris, Chester (Va.) Hugenot three-star linebacker Markel Dabney and Duncanville (Texas) three-star CB Braylon Edwards.