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Steelers Sign Former NCAA-Leading Running Back
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- Steelers Sign Former NCAA-Leading Running Back
Lew Nichols -- Central Michigan Athletics
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed former NCAA-leading rusher, running back Lew Nichols III, the team announced on Tuesday. Nichols was one of five players to try out for the team on Monday.
Nichols, 23, was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles on July 22 after being part of their Super Bowl LIX-winning squad last season.
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Originally a seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers out of Central Michigan in 2023, Nichols was waived with an injury designation that August. He ended up on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad, but did not play in a game in 2023.
Nichols re-signed with the Eagles for 2024, was waived in August, and spent most of the season not on a roster. He re-joined the Eagles practice squad on Dec. 26, was released Dec. 31, and was signed back on Jan. 30, sticking with Philadelphia through the Eagles' Super Bowl win.
Lew Nichols, Jack Reeber / Central Michigan Athletics
A 5-foot-10, 222-pound running back, Nichols led all of FBS in rushes and attempts as a redshirt freshman at Central Michigan in 2021, with 341 carries for 1,848 yards. He also led the MAC with 16 rushing touchdowns and 18 total touchdowns. He was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and was a fourth-team All-America selection.
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He saw a significantly reduced workload in 2022, but still finished sixth on the Chippewas' all-time rushing list with 3,061 yards, despite only playing in 32 games before turning professional.
He ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash and posted an impressive 37-inch vertical jump in pre-draft testing.
Nichols has never played in a regular-season NFL game. In three preseason contests with Philadelphia last year, he had 15 carries for 30 yards and a touchdown.
In addition to signing Nichols, the Steelers also waived wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon with injury designations, made official the release of running back and kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson , and signed defensive tackle Domenique Davis and tight end Kevin Foelsch.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Sign Former NCAA-Leading Running Back
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