Nicholas Joins Duke Football Program

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head football coach Manny Diaz announced Friday that wide receiver Javen Nicholas has signed a financial aid agreement to attend the institution and join the Blue Devil gridiron program.

The 5-9, 190-pound Nicholas played in 38 games for LSU (26) and Charlotte (12) with 11 starts over the past four years. Beginning as a preferred walk-on with the Tigers, Nicholas helped LSU to a 29-11 overall mark, 17-7 SEC record, an appearance in the 2022 SEC Championship Game and three bowl trips with a trio of bowl victories. This fall at Charlotte, Nicholas played in all 12 games with 11 starts.

Nicholas led the 49ers with 60 receptions for 740 yards (12.33) and five touchdown grabs. He added a squad-high eight punt returns for 99 yards (12.38) and paced Charlotte with 875 all-purpose yards. Nicholas rushed seven times for 36 yards (5.14). For the season, he finished with two or more receptions in 11 games, five or more in eight contests and a career-high 11 versus North Carolina. He registered 40 or more receiving yards in eight games, 90 or more in four contests and crossed the 100-yard plateau with 122 against North Carolina and a personal-best 187 versus North Texas. He recorded two touchdowns each against the Mean Green and East Carolina and added a single score versus Rice. Also against the Owls, Nicholas turned in a season-best 42 punt return yards and a 26-yard runback for his season long. He tallied a career-long 64 yard grab against the Mean Green.

A New Orleans native, Nicholas will have one season of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2026 campaign.

As a Tiger from 2022-24, Nicholas registered four receptions for 26 yards (6.50), seven kickoff returns for 122 yards (17.43) and two punt returns for 27 yards (13.50). During his redshirt sophomore season of 2024, he tallied three receptions for 26 yards (8.67) and turned in two special teams tackles. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, he returned five kickoffs for 87 yards (17.40) with a long return of 27 yards against Texas A&M. Versus Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl, he returned four kickoffs for 59 yards (14.75). His true freshman season campaign in 2022 had Nicholas catch one pass for two yards, in a Citrus Bowl win over Purdue. He also returned two kickoffs for 36 yards (18.00).

During his career, Nicholas has totaled 64 receptions for 766 yards (11.97) and five touchdowns. He has added 10 punt returns for 126 yards (12.60), seven kickoff returns for 122 yards (17.43) and seven rushes for 36 yards (5.14).

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Nicholas Joins Duke Football Program

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