BREAKING: JUCO DL Mike Sandjo-Nijiki commits to SMU
SMU landed a commitment as Navarro College defensive lineman Mike Sandjo-Nijiki announced his pledge to the Mustangs on Twitter. The 6-1, 290-pounder is a full qualifier and would be on campus this summer.
“I think so highly of it (the offer) that I’m committing,” Sandjo-Nijiki told On The Pony Express on Tuesday. “The school is great. There’s not a lot better education in Texas and the football’s good.”
Defensive line coach Calvin Thibodeaux offered Sandjo-Nijiki this weekend and impressed him so much that he quickly jumped on board.
“He’s genuine and has a good track record of putting guys in the league,” Sandjo-Nijiki said. “He likes mostly my athleticism and things of that sort. I like that I have the chance to play when I get there. I’m somebody that’s disruptive and can play sideline to sideline, stop the run, and get to the quarterback.”
Mike Sandjo-Nijiki adds to a talent defensive line group
In the 2021 season, Sandjo-Nijiki made 40 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, a tackle for loss and had a blocked field goal.
SMU beat out the likes of Austin Peay, McNeese, Western Kentucky and numerous others for Mike Sandjo-Nijiki. He’s a former Timber Creek High (Tex.) standout. With one season at the JUCO level, the Keller, Texas native will have four years to play three seasons remaining.
Thibodeaux is coming off his first spring with SMU and now has another piece to a deep group to work in. With his size, Sandjo-Nijiki joins a veteran group with the likes of Elijah Chatman, Terrance Newman and others at nose tackle.
“Definitely want to be multiple. We want to put big athletes on the field,” Thibodeaux said this spring. “We want to put guys that love to stop the run in the middle. We want guys who can rush that passer on the edge. The percentages on that, I wouldn’t tell you that. just say that we want to be multiple and we want to put our guys in the best situation to make plays.”
SMU opens its season on Sept. 3 at North Texas. It’s the first season of the Rhett Lashlee era.
