Entering his third season in the NFL, Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson is getting the respect around the league that he deserves.
As ESPN is going through and ranking the top-10 players at each position group, Nelson came in as the top-ranked interior offensive lineman across the entire league.
Here’s what they had to say about the Notre Dame product:
You don’t have to watch Nelson play for long to notice his presence.
“Just turn on the tape. You’ll see why he’s No. 1,” one AFC exec said.
Nelson has gone 30 games without allowing a sack, according to Pro Football Focus data, and the Colts ranked seventh in rushing in 2019 despite injuries at quarterback and wide receiver. Nelson’s youth and rookie contract are attractive for team-building. Plus, he “destroys people,” the exec said, and that always helps.
Then again, he’s not quite a perfect player.
“He will always have a few plays where he’ll whiff because he’s trying to kill you,” one NFC exec said. “So he can make you hesitant to put that really big grade on him. But he wreaks havoc.”
Added an NFL defensive coach: “Ever since I saw Cam Heyward whoop up on him, I’ve never looked at him the same.”
Nelson has earned the respect across the league. He has two All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods for each of his first two seasons in the NFL. He hasn’t allowed a sack in 30 consecutive games entering the 2020 season.
The Colts made the right choice in grabbing him at No. 6 overall and though it is still early in his career, Nelson is on the fast track to being one of the best players regardless of position during his career.