Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 37-27vs Hawai'i | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 6-45vs Miami | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#9
Brandon Nicholson
Junior cornerback on Stanford's 2026 roster.
6′0″ · 190 lb · Memphis, TN · Memphis University School
CFB Index 75 · #60 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to Stanford for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
3★
ATH recruit
No. 854 nationally · Signed with Stanford
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 cornerback on Stanford's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Stanford in 2024.
Brandon Nicholson
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. Brandon Nicholson has played for three head coaches in three seasons at Stanford. One game to point at: 6 tackles against Miami — Week 1, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20247 games
- Signed with Stanford3-star out of Memphis University School
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Stanford
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coaches2024
Troy Taylor
Stanford
2025era →
Frank Reich
Stanford
2026era →
Tavita Pritchard
Stanford
Played under 3 different head coaches: Troy Taylor, Frank Reich, and Tavita Pritchard. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Stanford3-9HC: Troy Taylor · Run-leaning
2025Stanford4-8HC: Frank Reich · Balanced
2026Stanford1-1HC: Tavita Pritchard · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceBreakout
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tavita Pritchard
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
75 · #60 of 364 corners
Three-star recruit. Now #60 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #4 of 19 ACC CBs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 37–27
vs Hawai'i
1 PD
With D. Warren — 310 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 79.7 · 16 rush yds (5 car) · A. Flintoft — 43 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 49 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Stanford
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · Stanford
Returning around him
- 2 Stanford players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (6 in / 12 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Stanford · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #50 · 2026 recruiting class #37
DNA match
Player DNA
Cover Corner
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Brian Nelson II’s 2025 season.
91%match
Matches Brian on
Class year
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Derrick Maxey III's sophomore season at Georgia State (2025).
87%match
Matches Derrick on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Brandon Nicholson
The secondary · Stanford
- #21Scotty Edwards54 tackles · 2025
- #5Jaivion Green38 tackles · 2025
- #39Charlie Eckhardt34 tackles · 2025
- #9Brandon Nicholson27 tackles · 2025
- #6Darrius Davis26 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · Stanford team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology