Packers seventh-round pick has unique tie to RB Aaron Jones

Due to his being taken in the seventh round, many people may not realize that Nichols was the NCAA's rushing leader in 2021. That season, he ran for 1,848 yards and 16 touchdowns at Central Michigan. There is an intriguing reason why (in part) he was so effective in college.

The running back coach at Central Michigan is Cornell Jackson, who held the same role at the University of Texas-El Paso -- when Aaron Jones played there. Following the Packers’ rookie minicamp this weekend, Nichols spoke to the media about how Jackson helped prepare him for the NFL by making him study Jones’ college and NFL game tape:

“We had the same running back coach; so, my years in college, we always watched his college film. We ran similar plays at Central [Michigan]. So, meeting him yesterday, it was kind of surreal moment [and I got to] pick his brain a little bit. That’s definitely a blessing to have that connection.”

Nichols also said that both Jones and Dillon reached out to him prior to mini camp:

“Those guys have already reached out to me and are trying to take me under their wing. So that’s exciting – just to get in a room and get coached up by those guys and see how they move as professionals. It’s definitely exciting.”

The Packers have one of the best backfields in the NFL with Jones and Dillon, both of whom are capable of putting up 1,000+ all purpose yards. In fact, each of them did so in 2021. After this season, though, Dillon will be a free agent. It is also unclear what the team might decide to do with Jones, who decided to take a pay cut to stay in Green Bay for the upcoming season.

When Dillon was drafted in 2020, Jones and then-backup running back Jamaal Williams both played major roles in mentoring him. It sounds like the two current Packers backs are taking the same approach with Nichols. Regardless of what happens after the 2023-24 campaign, Packers fans can at least enjoy having high-quality individuals on their team.