Gamecock the 6-foot-5, 322-pound offensive lineman Jaylen Nichols Tuesday afternoon, he has announced that he would be returning for his fifth season in Columbia in 2023. Nichols announced he was returning for the 2023 season in an Instagram post. This season, Nichols played in 12 games which included seven starts. In his four seasons donning the garnet and black, he has played in 37 games which include 18 starts. In the past two seasons, Nichols has started 14 games for the Gamecocks.