Transfer Bio Blast: DeCarlos Nicholson

The first transfer portal window of the offseason officially opened on Monday. We’ve already seen a ton of player movement. Teams are working rapidly to get targets on campus for visits over the next two weeks to close these fast-paced recruitments before Christmas. Kentucky will host a familiar visitor this weekend.

Mississippi State cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson entered the transfer portal on Thursday and quickly scheduled an official visit with Kentucky this weekend. The Cats already have an established relationship with Nicholson. Do not be surprised if this recruitment moves quickly.

KSR’s Bio Blast is taking a closer look at the first defensive transfer target to emerge this recruiting cycle.

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State recruitment

DeCarlos Nicholson spent his prep years at Petal (Miss.) High playing quarterback. After leading his team to the state championship game in 2019, Nicholson enrolled at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and made the switch to defense as a sophomore.

In 2021, playing cornerback, Nicholson recorded 19 tackles and 16 pass breakups. That made the junior college product a legitimate Power Five prospect.

Kentucky, Mississippi State, Florida State, and Ole Miss each conducted in-home visits with Richardson before his final decision was made in December during the 2022 recruiting cycle. However, Nicholson decided to back off a commitment he made to Kentucky in September and flipped to the Bulldogs.

To say the Kentucky coaching staff is familiar with Nicholson would be an understatement.

SEC starting experience

In his first season at Mississippi State in 2022, DeCarlos Nicholson played in all 13 games for the Bulldogs recording five tackles. However, most of that action came on special teams. Nicholson did not see much playing time in 2022, but that changed in 2023.

Nicholson played in all 12 games for the Bulldogs in the only year with Zach Arnett as head coach in Starkville. The former junior college transfer drew seven starting assignments and played 494 defensive snaps. Nicholson finished the season with 42 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. In the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss, Nicholson logged a career-high eight tackles.

There were some issues in coverage for Nicholson as he allowed 23 receptions on 31 targets and four touchdowns, according to PFF data. However, the tackling was good, and the scheme could ask the Mississippi State transfer to do something different in Lexington.

Potential zone fit

Kentucky’s defense always appears to be at its best when the Wildcats have size at outside cornerback. Derrick Baity, Lonnie Johnson, and Chris Westry all played huge roles in 2018. Ole Miss transfer Keidron Smith was a great fit in 2022. This zone scheme needs some size on the outside. The Wildcats simply did not have that in the starting lineup last season.

With Andru Phillips entering the NFL Draft, Kentucky will need a new starter on the outside in 2024 to play the opposite of Maxwell Hariston. JQ Hardaway and Jordan Robinson each have length, but both players had issues last season.

DeCarlos Nicholson could give Kentucky another big corner that can clog up zones. The Mississippi State transfer has also flashed good tackling with the size and physicality to defeat perimeter blocks. That is needed for a scheme that will give up short completions in an effort to prevent the big play.

Kentucky’s style of play could be a better fit for Nicholson after playing in Mississippi State’s gap cancellation scheme that often asked cornerbacks to play on islands.