Ben Nikkel

Ben Nikkel (born September 24, 1999) is an American professional football safety. He played college football for the McPherson Bulldogs and Iowa State Cyclones.

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

College career Nikkel enrolled at McPherson College to play college football for the McPherson Bulldogs. He played wide receiver for three seasons from 2018 to 2020, recording 107 receptions for 1,570 yards and 14 touchdowns in that time. 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. 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.

Washington Commanders 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. He signed a reserve/future contract with Indianapolis on January 5, 2026.

Nikkel was waived by the Colts as part of final roster cuts on August 30, 2026.