Nelson is someone we were excited about heading into the season and covered earlier this season, and so far, he’s exceeding expectations. He stands out on the field in a good way. He’s tall, he’s lean, he’s got good length, and is an explosive athlete as well. Through 2 games this season he’s tallied 27 tackles, 6 TFLs, 4 sacks, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and intercepted a pass that he returned for 60 yards. It doesn’t take long to watch Nelson see the potential and get excited.

The tackling clinic that Nelson put on Friday was fairly impressive and if he continues to play at even half the level he just did, he’ll have one wild season. Friday night, Nelson was in on 27 total tackles, forced a fumble, and picked off a pass. 12 of those 27 tackles were solos as well, so it’s not like he was missing tackles, either. With 4 sacks and 6 TFLs on Friday night, it’ll be hard to duplicate a performance like that, but to be able to perform at that level even once speaks volumes.

Nelson’s tape is fun to watch because you can flashes of potential that make you grin ear to ear. He’s listed at 6’1″ and 210lbs, but he seems taller than that. Maybe not, but he’s got a frame that will fill out. For a guy his size, he’s fairly twitchy as well, which is why he’s so dominant at the LOS. While he’s listed as an LB, I think at the next level he’ll be used up front, like he primarily is here. He’s interesting because he lines up right on the line, yet rarely puts his hand in the dirt, and is always rushing the passer or flushing the running game out. Of his 92 tackles last year, 22.5 were TFLs, and 9 of those were sacks. High-volume production with elite traits typically bodes well for long-term development.