Written by Tyler Pastorius
With the 6th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts look to keep quarterback Andrew Luck standing and on the field by picking up the offensive lineman Quenton Nelson. The 6’5”, 325-pound guard from Notre Dame will be the new centerpiece on the Indy offensive line. Regarded as the best offensive lineman in the draft, he has great size that can defend against the double team, which will be key in protecting Luck while he recovers from shoulder surgery. This also aids their young running back in Marlon Mack. With the speed that Nelson poses, this allows him to pull fast to run block for Marlon Mack.
Nelson is a young guy coming in the National Football League so there are always concerns. He has had some injuries throughout his college career at Notre Dame injuries could be a problem. As the game is faster at the pro level, that faster pace could be a bit of a hurdle for Nelson. With Luck being a more mobile quarterback, Nelson will have to be prepared to move much more than what he has been used to in college.
Overall, the 6’5” guard will be trouble for defenses ahead. With the size and speed the sky is the limit for Nelson. He has all the traits to become an All-Pro lineman in the NFL. Playing on a team with Luck will draw some attention so he will be under the spotlight in the pro scene.
The Colts’ rookie minicamp is May 11-13 so that will be the first action we will see from Nelson before the mandatory minicamp on June 12-14. This will be a great time for Nelson to get acquainted with his teammates and start to understand the new system that will be in place in Indianapolis.
