No offensive lineman has ever received the amount of praise and attention Nelson has through their first two seasons in the National Football League.
The offensive lineman has long been perceived as the most overlooked, underrated, and overshadowed piece of a winning football team. From the gut-wrenching battles in the trenches, to the the speed-heavy wars on the outside, the big men often are thrown on the back-burner by not only local and national media members, but even football fans everywhere.
Big plays are scarce in the trenches, and no one likes buying jerseys with the numbers 50-79. Well, at least this may be true everywhere but in Circle City right now, where Indianapolis Colts fans have had the honor to be witnesses of a generational talent gracing their team’s offensive line.
Born in 1996 in Holmdel, New Jersey, 331 pound monster Quenton “Big Q” Nelson has brought a sense of urgency back to offensive line fans everywhere. Big Q’s ferocious tenacity and leadership transformed a previously dreadful Colts offensive line into one of the league’s premier blocking alliances almost single handedly.
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Nelson’s pass-blocking helped lead then starting quarterback Andrew Luck to the 2nd spot in the NFL’s 2018 passing touchdowns list, trailing only MVP Patrick Mahomes. His run blocking generated many highlight plays that have been adored by football fans for 2 seasons now, and have really been a huge factor in Nelson’s rise to stardom.
It’s rare for football fans everywhere to even know the left guard’s name, let alone know him as one of the team’s biggest names. Nelson has by far exceeded the hefty expectations that were heaved on him after being selected 6th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Big Q’s wowing plays that landed spots on some of sports’ most notable talk and debate shows have people everywhere in not only Indianapolis, but the country, raving about his success in a Colt uniform thus far. “He’s consistently productive” Colts GM Chris Ballard said on PFT Live shortly after drafting Nelson, “He’s consistently dominant. When you see him practice, you see the same thing. That’s when you know you have the chance to have something really special.”
Praises like these have become the norm in Indianapolis, where Nelson has quickly become a fan favorite for Indianapolis faithful. His first two seasons have been nothing short of impressive to a fanbase that has become accustomed to lackluster offensive line play for years, which ultimately led to it’s franchise quarterback retiring ahead of schedule.
Going into 2020 with two 1st team All-Pro selections and Pro Bowls already under his belt, it will be fun to see what more Quenton Nelson can do to not only revolutionize the offensive lineman, but change the city of Indianapolis with this Colts franchise.
It’s going to be a lot of fun watching Quenton Nelson grow into what could be the greatest offensive lineman the league has ever witnessed.