SMU lands 2026 TE Andre Nickerson

Gardena (Calif.) Inglewood three-star tight end Andre Nickerson committed to SMU late Tuesday evening.

Nickerson picked the Mustangs over Arizona State, Cal, and Syracuse, among others.

Nickerson is the No. 969 overall prospect and No. 54 TE in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 87 player in California.

When the California native arrives on the Hilltop, he will join a tight end room with Adam Moore and Tripp Riordan, but without RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. The Mustangs desperately wanted to add a tight end to their 2026 class, and they did just that by landing Andre Nickerson.

Nickerson was part of the stacked official visit weekend at SMU in early May. Since that weekend, Jakai Anderson, Aljour Miles, Deuce Gilbert, and Braylon Edwards have all committed to the Mustangs.

Nickerson keeps SMU hot on the recruiting trail as the Mustangs gear up for their next big official visit weekend at the beginning of June.

Nickerson becomes the 13th commitment to SMU’s 2026 recruiting class. Listed at 6’4 220 pounds, Andre will be a big target for future SMU QBs.