Pirates Sign Three DB’s

By: Mick Moninghoff

Ballard played in three IFL games with the Pirates in 2022 making a total of 15 tackles with a half sack and forcing one fumble. After those games he signed a contract with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League and remained with that organization for three seasons. In 2022 he registered 14 tackles. 2023 saw Ballard play in nine games with 48 tackles, five interceptions, three passes defended and three forced fumbles. In the Panthers playoff game against the Pittsburgh Maulers he added seven more stops.

In 2024 the Panthers moved to the UFL and Ballard remained consistent with 30 tackles and two passes broken up in nine games, including a season high nine stops in week two vs. Birmingham. In the Conference title game against the Stallions, he recorded four tackles. He re-signed with the Panthers but did not play in 2025. This spring Ballard signed with the Michigan Arrows of the Colonial Football League before re-joining the Pirates.

In all, the 6'3", 210 lb. safety has played in seven professional leagues. His professional journey began in 2019 as he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League and attended training camp. He saw action with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in the 2020 season appearing in five games making four tackles. When the season was lost to the pandemic, Ballard signed a contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

Ballard began his collegiate career at Blinn College where he was a First-Team All Conference selection and the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference. He then played two seasons for the University of Utah. Ballard, who hails from Houston, TX, played in 27 games making 23 starts. He registered 115 tackles (79 solo) with five tackles for a loss with one sack, three interceptions, defended 12 passes, forced a fumble and recovered another. Ballard equaled his career high of 12 tackles in the 2018 PAC-12 Championship game against Washington and led the Utes with 10 tackles and a career best 2.5 tackles for a loss (including a sack) in the Holiday Bowl vs. Northwestern. At season's end he received All-PAC-12 Honorable Mention accolades.

Davis had an impressive college career with the Auburn Tigers where he made the All-SEC Freshman team in 2016. He ended his career with the War Eagles with 150 tackles, had 32 passes broken up, eight interceptions and one forced fumble in 49 games with 35 starts.

After college the 5'10", 185 lb, defensive back signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in April of 2020. In July he was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins. He eventually was signed to the practice squad and activated on November 28 when he played in a victory over the Carolina Panthers, making two tackles. He remained with Miami until June of 2022 when he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2023 the Jacksonville, FL native was with two teams in the XFL, first with the Orlando Guardians and later the Arlington Renegades, where he played in two games making one start with one tackle.

In 2025 Davis spent time in the IFL with the Jacksonville Sharks and in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After being placed on the Bombers reserve/suspended list, he joined the Sharks playing in nine games making 48 tackles with one tackle for a loss. He also had two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and had three passes broken up. Davis then re-signed with Winnipeg before joining the Pirates.

Nicholson, who was in Rookie Minicamp with the Cleveland Browns in 2025, began his collegiate career with the University of Illinois. The 5"11", 180 lb. defensive back who hails from Jacksonville, FL, placed three seasons of Big Ten Football. In 2021 he played in eight games, starting two, making 11 tackles with two pass deflections for the Illini.

He became a starter in 2022 and recorded his first career interception against Wisconsin. A wrist injury cut short his season. In ten games he recorded 19 tackles with one for a loss. He also defended seven passes and forced a fumble. During the 2023 season in Champagne, Nicholson totaled 36 tackles with two going for a loss, six pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles. Nicholson finished his career with the Fighting Illini with 66 tackles, 15 pass deflections, an interception, and three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

The following season he transferred to Louisville. In 13 games with the Cardinals he made 32 tackles with one for a loss. He broke up one pass and had two interceptions including a "pick-six" against Washington in the Sun Bowl.

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