How did the NIL play a role in Addison Nichols' commitment to Tennessee?

In some ways, Addison Nichols is going home. The four-star offensive lineman out of Norcross (Tenn.) Greater Atlanta Christian spent a lot of time around Knoxville as a kid. His mother is a Tennessee graduate, his grandparents live near the campus, and Nichols grew up a huge fan of the Vols.

As a kid, he dreamed of playing football inside Neyland Stadium. That was on his mind from a young age, but as he grew up, started picking up offers and saw the bigger picture, Nichols knew there was more to his decision than the dreams he had as a child.

The 6-foot-5, 318-pound All-American had offers from schools across the country.

USC appealed to him, and he spent a weekend in Los Angeles in June.

Of course, the in-state program of Georgia was on his radar. Ohio State was in his final three, and North Carolina finished second on his list, but even after taking the childhood dreams out of it, Nichols still ended up at Tennessee.

Part of that was the opportunities he sees there in and around Knoxville with the NIL (Name, image and likeness). He already has spoken with Peyton Manning, he has connected with successful business personalities with ties to the Vols, and what Tennessee can offer in that aspect played a big role in his decision.

Nichols discussed that with On3.