He calls it the biggest he’s ever seen. And he’s not the only guy doing double-takes of his new, massive personal protector.
Veteran guard Matt Slauson talks about Nelson’s expansive shoulders and enormous chest. Longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo dubbed Nelson an immovable refrigerator on reporting day.
Regardless of the description, they seem apt for the newest addition to another revamped Indianapolis Colts offensive line.
”At guard, you want one of those people that if he’s walking down the street and someone comes and runs at him full speed, that person is going to get knocked out,” Castonzo said. ”He’s got that ability that when people run into him, they move, and he doesn’t.”
The Colts have spent years searching for someone with Nelson’s punch.
Andrew Luck took more than 400 hits from 2012-16, the highest total among quarterbacks in the league, and has been sacked an astounding 156 times in 70 career starts.
All those shots finally caught up with Luck. He missed nine games with assorted injuries in 2015, made 15 starts in 2016 despite playing through shoulder pain and missed all of last season to rehab from surgery for a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
If it wasn’t obvious Indy needed to invest in protecting Luck after he signed a $140 million contract extension in 2016, three consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance made the next step clear.
So the Colts went big.
They selected the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Notre Dame linemen No. 6 overall in April’s draft – the first guard selected that high in more than two decades.
He has not disappointed at training camp. Nelson has already shown c he’s capable of stoning more experienced defensive linemen, using his flexibility and balance to keep his body in front of pass rushers and flicking away opponents with a quick swipe of his strong hands.
”There’s a reason an offensive guard was picked sixth overall,” said Jack Mewhort, the Colts’ former starter and a second-round pick in 2014. ”Obviously, we haven’t played the game yet, but from everything I’ve seen patrick mahomes stitched jersey , he’s lived up to it so far. He’s the man.”
The first real test comes Aug. 9 at Seattle. But Colts fans got a glimpse of what to expect when the Colts put on full pads for the first time last weekend.
In Saturday’s one-on-one drills, Nelson managed to recover from the initial punch of a 305-pound defensive tackle then stood his ground and drove the defender backward.
General manager Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich expected nothing less after watching his college tape and hearing him explain his goal would be breaking the will of an opponent.
”He just brings a lot of power, but then you’ve also got his young, bulldog tenacity that is a lot of fun and fun to watch,” said Slauson, now in his 10th NFL season. ”I don’t have a lot of the athletic tools he has, but I consider myself a big-bodied guy and I like to bring kind of a nastiness myself. What I am going to try and do with him is help him grow in the game as fast as he can.”
Nelson and rookie guard Braden Smith, a second-round pick, could change the whole complexion of the franchise.
With Luck signed through 2021 and center Ryan Kelly, a first-round pick in 2016, coming back from an injury-plagued second season, Nelson and Smith could help the Colts plug what has been a leaky interior line.
”Ryan has been a big help for me,” Nelson said. ”He’s the smartest guy in the room. He knows all of the assignments. He’s been a huge help for me on and off the field.”
Instead, Nelson lets his play, intensity and size speak for themselves.
”He did approach me in the hallway (Saturday) and I was a little shocked because it was the first day in pads,” Reich said, laughing through his answer. ”I won’t get into the details of what he was saying exactly, but let’s just say he was excited to be in pads.”
Notes: Tuesday’s practice was moved inside because of rain patrick mahomes authentic jersey , but Reich said he thought the Colts reacted with energy and emotion. Longtime center Jeff Saturday attended the workout. … Austin Howard, who should battle for the starting right tackle job, was activated from the nonfootball injury list Tuesday. Reich said Castonzo (hamstring) and starting safety Clayton Geathers (offseason knee surgery) were ”real close” to being activated from the physically unable to perform list ”very soon.” … Linebacker Anthony Walker is expected to miss several weeks after injuring his groin during Sunday night’s practice.
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Fantasy football players needn't worry if they miss out on Giants running back Saquon Barkley. While he's the crown jewel of the 2018 rookie class, there are a host of first-year players who will contribute to the success of those who select them.
The rookie crop did receive a significant hit when Redskins running back Derrius Guice 鈥?who had been a consensus No. 2 pick in dynasty/keeper leagues that use rookie drafts 鈥?was lost for this season with a torn ACL in the second preseason game.
Most of the top rookies that fantasy players will pursue have the spotlight on them, yet there are a handful of others who have made a jump up draft boards with their exhibition play.
Barkley: He will receive a high volume of touches and will benefit from the presence of a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. and a revamped offensive line. There will be moments where he will look like a rookie, but Barkley will fully emerge as an RB1. His value is further enhanced by his impressive receiving skills, making him a strong bet to catch 50-55 passes. Barkley looks like he will be a double-digit touchdown scorer and should begin a run of fantasy dominance out of the gate.
Royce Freeman, RB, Broncos: Based on his preseason performance, it's hard to believe Freeman fell to the third round. Coach Vance Joseph may be saying Freeman will share time with Devonta Booker, but Freeman will be the eventual starter and will soon end any talk about sharing the job. Freeman has home run ability once he gets in the open field and is also a solid receiver that will get 35-40 passes from Case Keenum. He's now in the top 50 range of the draft and has a reasonable chance to hit the 1,000-yard mark should he win the job outright.
Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys: Tight end Jason Witten retired to the Monday Night Football booth and receiver Dez Bryant was released. Dallas selected Gallup in the third round and has seen him flash signs of becoming an impact receiver in a rookie class that lacks immediately ready wideouts. He's a good play near the end of the draft and will likely start from Week 1.
Kerryon Johnson, RB, Lions: Detroit knew that Johnson had the ability to overtake LeGarrette Blount and Ameer Abdullah as the lead back. What they didn't know was that the former Auburn star was an exceptional pass catcher. Johnson averaged nearly 5 yards per carry in the preseason and will eventually squash the Lions' projected running back by committee. He should be drafted with the expectation of him being the lead back by midseason.
Sony Michel, RB, Patriots: If the Pats are using a first-round pick on a running back Shareece Wright Jersey , consider him special. Michel has missed much of the preseason with a knee injury but has explosive, game-altering moves that will allow him to become the go-to back on early downs. There is risk in taking Michel in the later rounds, but there's also a good chance he can put up more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage while offering 7-9 touchdowns.
Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos: Already nicknamed "Megatron Jr." by his teammates, the 6-5, 230-pound Sutton has played worthy of the nickname former Lions receiver Calvin Johnson earned. Sutton's size and leaping ability will make him a nightmare in jump ball situations and while his catches could be limited behind Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, look for Sutton to be a sneaky good WR3/flex with 7-9 touchdown potential.
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks: A broken finger in mid-August slowed down his momentum toward winning the starting job. He will open the season behind Chris Carson and is still expected to play a major role in the Seattle offense. His draft stock is low, which means Penny can evolve into a value pick.
D.J. Moore, WR, Panthers: Opens the season as the fourth receiver on the roster but has the skills to become a sneaky good stash who pays off later in the season.
Nyheim Hines, RB, Colts: An explosive element the Indianapolis offense has lacked in the backfield, Hines could be a solid third down back and return specialist who could amass over 1,000 all-purpose yards. His fantasy value is strongest in leagues where individual players are credited with return yards.
James Washington Troy Niklas Jersey , WR, Steelers: Has earned the coveted slot position in a lethal Pittsburgh passing attack and was a big reason why the team traded Martavis Bryant to the Raiders. Don't be shocked if Washington finishes with 7-9 touchdown catches.
Sam Darnold, QB, Jets: The third overall pick is a near-lock to start Week 1 and has an underrated receiving corps that will help him develop. His best fantasy days are down the road; however, Darnold will be an intriguing pick in two-quarterback leagues along with being a streaming option when the Jets get a favorable matchup on the schedule.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons: He will start the season as the team's third receiver while nipping at the heels of Mohamed Sanu's starting job. Ridley will need time to develop but in one-year leagues, he should be considered in the back end of drafts.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Dolphins: Has a lock on the starting job and will become a reliable check down option for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. There is sleeper potential with Gesicki, who could become a red zone-friendly TE2 with the ability to grab 35-40 passes in his first season.
Baker Mayfield, QB, Browns: The first overall pick has looked sharp in the preseason (71 percent completion rate) but coach Hue Jackson is expected to give veteran Tyrod Taylor the starting nod. He's more valuable in a dynasty/keeper league.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: The 2016 Heisman winner won't see a lot of time, but Baltimore will utilize his athleticism in a variety of packages. A best case is him either getting a handful of starts later in the season or coach John Harbaugh turning him into a 2018 version of former Steelers multi-threat Kordell "Slash" Stewart.