I had an absolute blast covering Austin last season. When I realized he was only a 2028, it raised my eyebrows even more. He played like an experienced vet. His play recognition and ability to cover from sideline to sideline was obvious in every rep I saw from him. His ability to go up and contest everything allowed him to get some pretty unlikely and high difficulty PBUs. His speed is also far beyond the average. Both straight line and change of direction were incredibly impressive right from the start. No reason that Austin doesn’t get a realistic shot at an FBS level by the end of his high school years.

Austin may be one of the best in the state when it comes to change of direction and being able to cover the entire field. He reads the QB well, and understands what the offense is trying to accomplish. From there, he cuts on a dime and typically does a great job of beating the quarterback to the spot before the QB can fire it in there. East Kentwood is on the rise and I know Nelson is getting some great coaching. Looking forward to seeing it come through in 2026!

We’ve been watching Austin for a while now, and I’m fully expecting a big-time 2026 Varsity season from him.

Austin already holds an offer from Southern Miss, and it’s easy to see why. He already has very promising tape, and that skillet is immediately confirmed when you see him in person. For one, Austin has good height and length and moves very well for his measurables. His backpetal is fluid, eyes are very disciplined for his class, and gets out of his break quickly. Additionally, there are a few examples of developing IQ when in zone coverage.

I see Austin as a good all-around corner who has a D2 floor.

The sky’s the limit for Austin. This is an incredibly efficient, fundamentally sound DB with barely any wasted movement. During the 1on1 period, Austin’s hips remained low, feet fast, fluid backpedal, and disciplined eyes. Austin rarely, if ever, bit on a double-move, and always changed direction quickly, fluidly, and without hesitation.

I have very few qualms regarding Austin’s fundamentals- he’s got them down. Upgrade all-around athletic ability, and we’ll have what I think is an easy D1 prospect. I’m also looking forward to evaluating Austin’s physicality and tackling next Fall.

Entering 0 offer territory here!

I really, really like Austin Nelson Austin Nelson 5'10" | 155 lbs | DB East Kentwood | 2028 State MI from East Kentwood. This past season, Austin played incredibly well against a grueling schedule. Defending the pass, Austin has a ton of man-to-man highlights. His biggest strength right now is his break speed and ball skills. If the ball is thrown anywhere nearby, Austin is able to explode out of his position and convert a difficult PBU. As for his athletic traits, he has an average backpetal and average eye disipline. He looks a little stiff, but still, way ahead of the curve for a Class of 2028 prospect.

Plus, the OK-Red has a few elite rushing offenses, and Austin did an excellent job defending those. Just like the passing game, Austin launches himself out of a cannon once he reads the run. I’d still like to see a few more run stops, but overall, his highlights are good.

Austin has D1 tape, but I’m afraid his height could limit offers. Most D1 programs I talk to have a soft cutoff of 6’0″ for their DBs.