Quenton Nelson
refer to caption
Nelson at the 2020 Pro Bowl
No. 56 – Indianapolis Colts
Position:Guard
Personal information
Born: (1996-03-19) March 19, 1996
Holmdel, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:330 lb (150 kg)
Career information
High school:Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, New Jersey)
College:Notre Dame (2014–2017)
NFL Draft:2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2023
Games played:95
Games started:95
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Quenton Emerson Nelson (born March 19, 1996) is an American football guard for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, where he was a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Colts sixth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Considered among the NFL's best guards,[1][2] Nelson received Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections in his first four seasons, including first-team All-Pros in his first three.

Early years

Nelson is the youngest of four children of Craig and Maryellen Nelson.[3] He grew up in Holmdel Township, New Jersey and attended Holmdel High School as a freshman before transferring to Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he was an All-Star in basketball as a power forward/center.[4][5] He committed to the University of Notre Dame to play college football.[6][7] Nelson also supplemented his football and strength trainings with Taekwondo.[8]

College career

After redshirting his first year at Notre Dame in 2014, Nelson played in all 12 games and made one start in 2015.[9] In 2016, he started all 12 games.[10][11][12] He was named a unanimous first team All-American after the 2017 season. On January 8, 2018, Nelson announced that he would forgo his last year of eligibility and enter the draft.[13]

Professional career

Pre-draft

At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Nelson was projected a top ten selection in the first round by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked as the top offensive linemen prospect in the draft by Sports Illustrated and NFL analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Mike Mayock.[14][15]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)		 325 lb
(147 kg)		 33+3⁄4 in
(0.86 m)		 10+3⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		4.62 s7.65 s26.5 in
(0.67 m)		8 ft 9 in
(2.67 m)		35 reps
All values from NFL Combine[16][17]

2018 season

The Indianapolis Colts selected Nelson in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[18] On May 11, 2018, the Colts signed Nelson to a fully guaranteed four-year, $23.88 million contract, including a signing bonus of $15.45 million.[19] On November 1, 2018, Nelson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, after he was part of an offensive line that hadn't allowed a sack in 156 straight dropbacks and had 200 rushing yards in back-to-back games for first time in 33 years. Nelson becoming the first guard to ever win the award, and he and Shaquille Leonard (who won Defensive Player of the Month in September) became the first teammates to win awards in the same season.[20] He was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and was named first-team All-Pro.[21]

2019 season

In the 2019 season, Nelson appeared in and started all 16 games for the Colts.[22] He played 1,042 snaps, allowing zero sacks and committing just three penalties; he earned a grade of 91.2 from Pro Football Focus.[23] For the second consecutive season, he was named as a First Team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl nomination.[24][25] He was ranked 29th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.[26]

2020 season

In the 2020 season, Nelson again appeared in and started all 16 games for the Colts for the third year in a row.[27] He played 1,082 snaps, only allowed one sack, and committed nine penalties.[28] For the third straight year, Nelson was named as a first-team All-Pro and earned his third Pro Bowl nomination.[29] He was ranked 33rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.[30]

2021 season

On April 28, 2021, the Colts exercised the fifth-year option on Nelson's contract,[31] which guarantees a salary of $13.754 million for the 2022 season.[32] On August 3, it was revealed that Nelson needed surgery on his left foot, a similar injury that Carson Wentz had suffered a week prior. Recovery time was projected to be 5–12 weeks, but the doctors deemed that the injury was not as serious.[33] In Week 3, he suffered a high ankle sprain and was placed on injured reserve on October 2, 2021.[34] He was activated on October 23.[35]

Nelson was named Associated Press Second Team All-Pro.[36] He has the most total All-Pro selections (four) and the most First Team All-Pro selections (three from 2018 to 2020) by a guard in franchise history.[37]

Nelson became just the second player in team history to earn Pro Bowl honors in his first four seasons, joining Alan Ameche (1955–58). He also became the first offensive lineman in the NFL to do it in his first four seasons since Zack Martin (2014–17) and is the first Indianapolis player to be selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls since T.Y. Hilton (2014–17). The last Colts offensive linemen to be selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls were Chris Hinton (six consecutive, 1983–89) and Ray Donaldson (four consecutive, 1986–89).[38] He was ranked 28th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.[39]

2022 season

On September 10, 2022, Nelson signed a four-year, $80 million contract extension with $60 million guaranteed through 2026, making him the highest-paid guard in the league.[40] In the 2022 season, Nelson started in all 17 games.[41] He was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.[42]

Statistics

Legend
First Team All-Pro
Second Team All-Pro
No type penalty
Bold Career high
Year Team Games Offense
GPGSSnapsPctHoldingFalse startDecl/PenAcpt/Pen
2018IND 16161,136100%6329
2019IND 16161,04597%3003
2020IND 16161,08499%5117
2021IND 131376890%3114
2022IND 17171,151100%1114
2023IND 17171,14099%3206
Career95956,324-218533

References

  1. ↑ Trotta, Jerry (July 30, 2020). "Colts: Quenton Nelson is already highest-ranked guard ever in NFL's Top 100". Horseshoe Heroes. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ Arthur, Jake (June 29, 2019). "Quenton Nelson Ranked NFL's Second-Best Guard, Best Player From 2018 Draft". Colts.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Quenton Nelson: The Left Guard YOU Should be Talking About | NFL Films Presents, retrieved December 13, 2019
  4. ↑ Lanni, Patrick (May 2, 2013). "Notre Dame lands commitment from Quenton Nelson of Red Bank Catholic". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ Edelson, Nelson (April 26, 2018). "NFL Draft: Colts select Holmdel's Quenton Nelson No. 6 overall". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  6. ↑ Hamilton, Brian (May 2, 2013). "Notre Dame football: Quenton Nelson commits". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  7. ↑ Fortuna, Matt (May 2, 2013). "Quenton Nelson becomes No. 9 for 2014". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  8. ↑ Kim, Kyong H. (August 29, 2014). "Quenton Nelson Student of Grandmaster Kim". US National Taekwondo. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  9. ↑ Edelson, Stephen (September 29, 2015). "Notre Dame's Quenton Nelson flashes his potential". app.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  10. ↑ Vorel, Mike (November 1, 2017). "How Notre Dame's Quenton Nelson evolved into the nation's most feared offensive lineman". ND Insider. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  11. ↑ Staton, Rob (September 21, 2017). "Quenton Nelson is tremendous & a very early 2018 pick". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  12. ↑ Stankevitz, JJ (September 24, 2015). "Quenton Nelson bringing a mean streak to Notre Dame's OL". NBC Spots Chicago. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson entering the 2018 draft". CBSSports.com. January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  14. ↑ Jeremiah, Daniel (April 25, 2018). "Daniel Jeremiah's top 50 prospects for 2018 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  15. ↑ "The 2018 NFL Draft Big Board, Vol 2". si.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Quenton Nelson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  17. ↑ "2018 NFL Draft Scout Quenton Nelson College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  18. ↑ Patra, Kevin (April 26, 2018). "Quenton Nelson selected by Colts at No. 6 overall". NFL.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Spotrac.com: Quenton Nelson contract". Spotrac.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  20. ↑ Keefer, Zak (November 1, 2018). "Colts' Quenton Nelson named Offensive Rookie of the Month". IndyStar. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  21. ↑ Teope, Herbie (January 4, 2019). "All-Pro Team: Donald, Mahomes among highlights". NFL.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Quenton Nelson 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Pro Football Focus: Quenton Nelson (2019)". Pro Football Focus. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  24. ↑ Walker, Andrew (January 3, 2020). "Quenton Nelson, Darius Leonard Named To 2019 NFL All-Pro Teams". Colts.com. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  25. ↑ Walker, Andrew (December 17, 2019). "Darius Leonard, Quenton Nelson Selected To 2020 Pro Bowl". Colts.com. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  26. ↑ "2020 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Quenton Nelson 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  28. ↑ Trotta, Jerry (January 27, 2021). "Colts: This Quenton Nelson stat proves he should never move to left tackle". Horseshoe Heroes. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Six Colts Players Named To AP All-Pro Team". www.colts.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  30. ↑ "2021 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  31. ↑ Stankevitz, JJ (April 28, 2021). "Colts Exercise Quenton Nelson's Fifth-Year Option". Colts.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  32. ↑ Hickey, Kevin (March 10, 2021). "Quenton Nelson's fifth-year option will be $13.8 million". Colts Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  33. ↑ Goodbread, Chase (August 4, 2021). "Quenton Nelson aiming for Week 1 return after undergoing foot surgery". NFL.com. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Colts Elevate Ibraheim Campbell, Brett Hundley To Active Roster From Practice Squad, Place Quenton Nelson On IR". Colts.com. October 2, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Colts Activate G Quenton Nelson From Injured Reserve, Place S Julian Blackmon On Injured Reserve, Elevate WR Keke Coutee and Safety Josh Jones To Active Roster From Practice Squad". Colts.com. October 23, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  36. ↑ "2021 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  37. ↑ Stankevitz, JJ (January 14, 2022). "Colts' Darius Leonard, Luke Rhodes, Jonathan Taylor Named 2021 First-Team AP All-Pros". Colts.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  38. ↑ Stankevitz, JJ (December 22, 2021). "Seven Colts Players Named To 2022 Pro Bowl". Colts.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  39. ↑ "2022 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  40. ↑ Kownack, Bobby (September 10, 2022). "Quenton Nelson, Colts agree to terms on four-year, $80M contract extension". NFL.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  41. ↑ "Quenton Nelson 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  42. ↑ "2022 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
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