OG — Quenton Nelson 8.14
scout- Jack Bourgeois
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6'5"
weight: 325 lbs
40-Time: N/A
Bench Press: 35
Arm Length: 33 3/4
Athleticism
Q.A.B. 7.50 Quick first step and pop off LOS, good balance, decent agility behind the line but his lack of quickness shows in the open field
Flexibility 6.50 Above average flexibility, good knee bend and underneath leverage when engaging.
C.O.D. 8.00 Excellent change of direction, Nelson has show the ability to slide completely across the line to pick up a delayed blitz
Explosion 8.50 Very explosive off the LOS, always is the first to engage and drive his opponent backwards.
Versatility 7.50 Can run/pass block, pull, sell screens, pick up stunts/blitzes and can function in both zone and power blockings schemes.
Run Blocking
In-Line 9.00 Aggressive dominant road grader, anchors the A/B gaps and seals run lanes with technique and power. Consistently pancaking and ragdolling opponents.
Movement off L.O.S. 8.50 Plays with a lot of power, pushes the pile, manhandles D-linemen, high motor, keeps his leg turning and maintains contact through whistle
Reach Block 8.50 Delivers the blow, great technique when reaching the outside shoulder to turn his opponent and seal the lane. Has the quickness off the LOS to beat the DT to the edge.
Pull & Block Outside 7.50 Decent pull blocking skill set but lacks the elite quickness getting to the hole, needs to tighten up when traveling down LOS.
Adjust In Space 7.00 Has trouble once in the 2nd level of the defense due to his size and lack of lateral adjustment but typically forces defenders off their path to the ball.
Use of Hands 8.50 Strong heavy hand fighter, explosive punch but tends to let his hand placement and technique get away from him at times and relies on strength over form.
Pass Blocking
Quick Set 8.00 Does a great job at setting his feet and beating his opponent to underneath leverage.
Protect Corner 7.50 Athleticism shows when sliding to pick up outside pressure, he’s great at cutting off the edge when his pass rushers try to go outside.
Footwork/Redirect & Slide 8.00 Skillful footwork, not perfect but always keeps his feet underneath him and moving. Great at redirecting his momentum and body weight to pick up inside moves and delayed blitzes.
Anchor/Reset Ability 8.00 Nelson is a stone wall, rarely even allowed a pressure in 2017. Superb balance allows him to reset when initially beat and recovers with his incredible upper/lower body strength.
Handle Games/Stunts 8.50 Exceptional vision to locate blitzes, stunts and delays. Great at picking up multiple blocks and assisting his Oline when free’d up.
Hands/Punch 8.50 Great initial punch, dominates the hand fighting battle, nearly impossible to disengage once he’s got his hands on any defensive player.
Competitiveness
Toughness 9.00 Tough as nails, mean as hell, strong as can be! Quenton has a minor injury history but never missed a game.
Consistency/Motor 8.00 High motor player who never takes a down off. Very consistent, rarely gets beat one on one.
Production 9.00 Most productive guard in college football, Voted unanimous All-American in 2017.
Intelligence
Instincts 8.00 Very instinctual, natural blocker who never seems to let the game get too big for him.
Learn/Retain 8.00 True student of the game, rarely shows any signs of mental errors or missed assignments.
Teamwork 8.50 The kind of teammate every player/coach looks for, bringing attitude and discipline to any team.
Strengths
At 6'5" 315 lbs Quenton Nelson is built like a tank, he’s one of the strongest players in all of the draft and easily best run blocker in years. He’s the definition of a road grader, aggressive at the point of attack and doesn’t stop until he has opponent on the ground or 10 yards off the LOS. His inline blocking and use of heavy hands are his biggest weapons.
Weaknesses
Nelson is nearly flawless, but has room to grow with hand/footwork technique. He tends to get his hands on the outside of the shoulder pads, relying on power over form.
Big Picture
Quenton Nelson is a top 5–10 pick and potentially a top 5–10 NFL Guard the second he signs with a team. He’ll bring tenacity to any offensive line and has a chance to be a year one Pro Bowler, HE’S THAT GOOD! An elite prospect with a size/power/speed combo that makes him an anchor in pass protection and a beast in the run game. Quenton has all the talent and intangibles required to be a long time All-Pro for years to come in the NFL.
