Ben Nikkel

Ben Nikkel (born September 24, 1999^[a]) is an American professional football safety for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the McPherson Bulldogs and Iowa State Cyclones.

Ben Nikkel

No. 34 – Indianapolis Colts
Position	Safety
Roster status	Practice squad
Personal information
Born	(1999-09-24) September 24, 1999 (age 26)[a] McPherson, Kansas, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school	McPherson
College	McPherson (2018–2020) Iowa State (2021–2023)
NFL draft	2024: undrafted
Career history
Washington Commanders (2024)* Indianapolis Colts (2025–present)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

Nikkel was born September 24, 1999^[a] in McPherson, Kansas.^[2][3] He attended McPherson High School, graduating in 2018. Nikkel played on the school's football team as a wide receiver and defensive back.^[4]

College career

Nikkel enrolled at McPherson College to play college football for the McPherson Bulldogs. He played wide receiver for three season from 2018 to 2020, recording 107 receptions for 1,570 yards and 14 touchdowns in that time.^[4] Nikkel was a team captain and a two-time all-conference selection at McPherson.^[5] He then transferred to play for the Iowa State Cyclones. He played defensive back and special teams as a walk-on at Iowa State. He redshirted in 2021 before being awarded a scholarship and being named a team captain in 2023.^[4][6][7] Nikkel played in all 12 games in 2022 and recorded three tackles; in 2023, he played in 12 games with two starts, recording 40 tackles, one tackle for loss, and three pass breakups, as well as a blocked punt recovery.^[5]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
6 ft 0+1⁄8 in (1.83 m)	199 lb (90 kg)	30+5⁄8 in (0.78 m)	9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m)	4.46 s	1.50 s	2.56 s	4.10 s	6.82 s	39.5 in (1.00 m)	11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)	15 reps
All values from Pro Day[8]

Nikkel was not selected in the 2024 NFL draft. He was signed to the practice squad of the Washington Commanders on October 22, 2024, and the Commanders signed him to a future contract on January 28, 2025. He was released from the Commanders on August 26.^[2] The Indianapolis Colts signed Nikkel to the team's practice squad on August 28.^[9]

Notes

1. ESPN lists a birth date of May 12, 2001.^[1]