Top 20 NFL Players!: #19
Top 20 NFL Players!: #19
Previous: 20. Jalen Ramsey
19. Quenton Nelson
Height and Weight: 6’5”, 330 lbs
Position: G
Team: Indianapolis Colts
College: Notre Dame
In football, fans tend to gravitate towards the star skill position players. Names like Patrick Mahomes and Saquon Barkley come to mind, and rightfully so. A true football fan that knows the ins and the outs of the game understands the importance of the offensive line in football. Teams like the 2014 Dallas Cowboys come to mind as Tony Romo was able to sit in the pocket all day without a worry about getting hit and Demarco Murray was able to run through holes wider than your local highway. Fast forward a few years, and no other team needed offensive line help more than the Colts and they hit the jackpot when they drafted Quenton Nelson.
Coming out of Notre Dame, everyone knew the talent was there when he was drafted 6th overall in the 2018 draft. For the past few seasons, Andrew Luck has been running in circles avoiding sacks because of their depleted offensive line. In 2016 and 2017, an Indianapolis Colts quarterback was sacked the 5th most and the most times respectively in the NFL. In 2018, Luck was sacked 21 times, which was the 30th most in the NFL. While obviously not doing it all by himself, Nelson quickly became a leader on the line and took pressure off the other offensive linemen by picking up double teams and using effective chip blocks left and right.
Another part of the game that Nelson affected was the rushing attack. While the Colts attack is mediocre at best, Nelson helped free up more holes for Marlon Mack as the yards per carry went up drastically from 2017 to 2018. A running backs best friend is a big open lane, and Nelson made it easy for his backs to find holes quicker. The Colts had a breakout year in 2018, making the playoffs and earning a win in the first round. If it weren’t for guys like Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield, Quenton Nelson could have been in the consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year. If Indy stays healthy and Nelson gets more help on the offensive line, you are looking at a Colts roster that can contend for a Super Bowl in 2019.
-By: Richie Dordas