LG Quenton Nelson - Notre Dame - Jr

http://draftbreakdown.com/players/quenton-nelson/
1st round talent but not on 1st round mocks

- Rarley misses assignments
- Athletic despite being 325
- Mauler mentality, can't coach that. Looks to finish his block.
- Uses arm length and quick feet against in pass pro set
- Coordinated enough to set feet if hit with unexpected bull rush


sidenote: Andrew Dowell - ILB - Mich St. should be a target for 2018

This guy's gonna be Iupati 2.0. He's a great player.

Originally posted by NinerSickness:

This guy's gonna be Iupati 2.0. He's a great player.

I wasnt that psyched about the first Iupati who is about as one dimensional as it gets. Outstanding run blocker, mediocre pass blocker.


Its been fun to see Cardinals fans slowly coming to the realization that the same dude who will bust open huge holes for your RB will get your QB f**ked up too.



They went from "f**k YEAH WE GOT IUPATI!!!!!" to ....."He's okay....I guess."

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by NinerSickness:
This guy's gonna be Iupati 2.0. He's a great player.

I wasnt that psyched about the first Iupati who is about as one dimensional as it gets. Outstanding run blocker, mediocre pass blocker.

Its been fun to see Cardinals fans slowly coming to the realization that the same dude who will bust open huge holes for your RB will get your QB f**ked up too.

They went from "f**k YEAH WE GOT IUPATI!!!!!" to ....."He's okay....I guess."

Iupati was great protecting the passer for a couple of seasons. Maybe money and / or injuries started to slow him down.

Nelson's gonna be even better, IMO. I liked him more than any OL in the 2017 class; I'm glad he went back to school because the Niners might have a better shot at him next year.

Gotta stay strong in the trenches.

Originally posted by NinerSickness:
Iupati was great protecting the passer for a couple of seasons. Maybe money and / or injuries started to slow him down.

Nelson's gonna be even better, IMO. I liked him more than any OL in the 2017 class; I'm glad he went back to school because the Niners might have a better shot at him next year.

Gotta stay strong in the trenches.

lol, no. He was never great as a pass blocker, at best he was just average for a short time. There's always been a huge disparity between his run blocking and pass blocking. I tried explaining that to my Cardinals fan buddies who mostly just smirked after Arizona had signed him. Then after the dude whiffed on back to back blocks leading to Carson Palmer getting crushed twice in a row, people were like "hmmm, maybe his pass blocking issues weren't exaggerated."

He's the best run blocking guard in football but his pass blocking has always been a weakness and it has gotten worse the older and more injury-addled he's gotten. Give me a guy who is a lesser run blocker but a much better pass blocker, I'm all about that happy medium.

Iupati's pass blocking has been a negative since his days in college. That's why I was glad to let him walk.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Iupati's pass blocking has been a negative since his days in college. That's why I was glad to let him walk.

I don't agree with that, but the point of the thread is Nelson. He's going to be a great guard, and he's probably near the top of my wish list next offseason if the team signs Cousins. I'd rather they draft a QB, but I rarely get what I want.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Iupati's pass blocking has been a negative since his days in college. That's why I was glad to let him walk.

Amen to that brother!

Originally posted by NinerSickness:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Iupati's pass blocking has been a negative since his days in college. That's why I was glad to let him walk.

I don't agree with that, but the point of the thread is Nelson. He's going to be a great guard, and he's probably near the top of my wish list next offseason if the team signs Cousins. I'd rather they draft a QB, but I rarely get what I want.

Where, at this point, do you see him getting picked?

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:

Originally posted by NinerSickness:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Iupati's pass blocking has been a negative since his days in college. That's why I was glad to let him walk.

I don't agree with that, but the point of the thread is Nelson. He's going to be a great guard, and he's probably near the top of my wish list next offseason if the team signs Cousins. I'd rather they draft a QB, but I rarely get what I want.

Where, at this point, do you see him getting picked?

I'm guessing he goes in the 15-20 range. And he'd be worth it; he's that good. He's better than any OL drafted this year, IMO.

If we grab McGlinchey or Williams next year, we'd have a cornerstone to build the rest of our line around for the next 9-10 years. Personally would stay away from this dude because of how mediocre he is in pass pro.

If we get him and Garnett develops into the mauler we know he can be, we are set at guard for the next 10-15 years.

BTW since we are one the subject of Iupati, as an NFL, he is exactly who we thought he was. A fantastic run blocker and at most a subpar passblocker. not a bust, but im glad he walked.

Best OL prospect in the draft for me if he comes out----and it isn't particularly close. Much better overall player than his teammate McGlinchey who is a 1st round prospect in his own right but seems to struggle too much with speed rushers to be considered elite. He may have to move to the right side in the NFL.

Nelson on the other hand, he is exactly everything you want in a guard and then some. Truly dominant player that has been the key for Notre Dame's monster rushing attack this year. Unlike a Iupati, Nelson also gets it done as a pass blocker as well. Guards rarely go early in the draft but I could easily see Nelson going in the Top 15, if not the Top 10. He'd be someone who could come in and start from Day 1 and lockdown the left guard spot right away.

Here's a good breakdown from Greg Gabriel on him as well.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2017/08/07/greg-gabriel-breaking-down-notre-dame-og-quenton-nelson/apd5my1/

Nelson is a fourth-year junior, and 2017 will be his third year as a starter at the left guard position. Coming out of high school, Nelson was rated as a 5-star prospect at tackle but was moved to guard when Notre Dame had a need at that position. I felt Nelson played very well as a redshirt freshman in 2014, but his play fell off some in 2015 as he got too heavy. When I say heavy, I don't mean fat, as Nelson is a workout warrior who spends a lot of time in the weight room. He just built himself up too much and he lost some of his quickness and agility. This was evident in space, as he didn't do a good job adjusting on the move.

In 2016 Nelson came back at a lighter weight and right away it showed on the field. He did a much better job staying on his feet and making productive second level blocks. For 2017 Notre Dame has brought in a new strength and conditioning staff and word is Nelson looks even better. Currently, Nelson is about 6050 – 325 with long arms. In 2015 he was closer to 340, and last year played at about 320-325.

Nelson is a very strong and physical player with good overall athleticism. I doubt he will run much faster than 5.20, but he has quick feet and balance. He plays with bend and keeps his back straight; you seldom see him overextend. Nelson has good snap reaction, stays low out of his stance and consistently gets to his blocks quickly. He is especially good as a run blocker, where he is very powerful in the lower body, has snap through his hips on contact and is consistently able to generate movement. Getting to the second level is no problem, and he is especially good with combo blocks. On pulls he can find his block and adjust on the move and put his man on the ground.

In the pass game, Nelson can set quickly and shows a quick, strong punch to control his opponent. Again, he keeps his back straight and plays with balance. He can slide and recover versus moves and anchors very well versus bull rushers. Nelson has been well-coached and has very good hand use — you consistently see him keep his hands inside. With his upper body strength and strong hands, Nelson is as good as any in college football in controlling his opponent.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Mike/status/906733278522200064

Just ridiculous awareness.