Latest news with #QuentonNelson
Indianapolis Star
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Most essential Colts No. 9: Quenton Nelson is ready to power the league's best run game
In a salary-cap league like the NFL, finding building blocks is essential. As teams churn and burn the roster through the draft and bargain signings in free agency, it helps to find the players who are either a cut above the rest or can perform a task few others can. They relieve the pressure on everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be ranking the 15 most essential players to the Colts' success entering the 2025 season. It's a subjective process, weighing factors such as ability, positional value within a scheme, age, leadership and durability. To make it simpler, we're asking the following two questions about these players: 1. How difficult would he be to replace for more than a month? 2. What does the Colts' ceiling become in 2025 and beyond if this player hits his? Unlike in recent seasons, the pressure appears to be ramping up on what this year's Colts team needs to accomplish. Anthony Richardson enters a critical third season with plenty to prove. The team is under new ownership with Jim Irsay's passing and the transition to his three daughters. And the Colts have now not made the playoffs for four seasons, with no playoff wins in six and no AFC South titles in 10. Thus, these rankings will skew a little more toward 2025 importance than they have in recent seasons. Here's the list so far: 10. Tyler Warren, tight end 11. Laiatu Latu, defensive end 12. Daniel Jones, quarterback 13. Kenny Moore II, cornerback 14. Zaire Franklin, linebacker 15. Alec Pierce, wide receiver Up next is No. 9, Quenton Nelson. Position: Guard Age: 29 Experience: 8th season Last year's rank: No. 10 Why he's here: Death, taxes and Quenton Nelson turning in a Pro Bowl season. For seven years since the Colts made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Quenton Nelson has reached the Pro Bowl. He's started and played every game in every season except for 2021. And he's consistently in the All-Pro discussion, with three first-team appearances his first three seasons and last year's second-team placement. A closer look into Nelson's play show that he was every bit as good last season as he was in some of those first-team seasons. He just didn't anchor a productive offense and a playoff team, the way the Colts cashed in during 2018 and 2020. His 1.9% blown block rate, per Sports Info Solution, was right in line with the 2019 and 2020 campaigns. The one knock is that he committed a career-high 11 penalties, with a few coming in critical and frustrating moments during the Colts' offensive slumps. But to play 565 pass blocking snaps and to allow one sack all season is nothing short of elite. It's something Nelson could display a little more in the run game if the Colts would deploy more of a man-gap blocking scheme rather than the zone concept that has him working in tandem with a rotating door at center. But with Nelson leading the way, the Colts still hit some great heights in the run game, with Jonathan Taylor rushing for 1,400 yards and Anthony Richardson showing flashes when healthy, such as with game-winning drives against the Patriots and Jets. In their final game together, the Richardson-Taylor backfield ran for 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Titans. Only one other player on this team has an argument to Nelson's consistency, durability and high-end play, and he happens to play a more impactful position than left guard. That positional argument does cap Nelson's upside to outside the top five. He plays an insulated position between the tackle and center and isn't tasked with being or neutralizing the premium players on the field. That's how the Colts offense can fall to the lows it did last season, even as Nelson played again at a Hall-of-Fame level. But the heights of the run game, the steadiness of the interior pocket and the effects on Bernhard Raimann's growth to answer the left tackle position are all reasons that make Nelson the bankable force he is year to year. And if the Colts are going to get to the level of a consistently dominant rushing team they desire, and if they're going to get Richardson to play more comfortably from the pocket as a passer, the future Hall-of-Fame left guard will have plenty to say as a helping piece.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL execs, coaches rank Colts' Quenton Nelson among best interior OL
No surprise here, but NFL execs and coaches rank the Colts' Quenton Nelson among the best interior OL. No surprise here, but NFL execs, coaches, and scouts believe that the Indianapolis Colts' Quenton Nelson is one of the best interior offensive linemen entering the 2025 season. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler compiled his ranking of the top 10 interior offensive linemen, and to do so, he spoke with the "league's true insiders." After coming in at No. 2 last season on this list, Nelson is No. 3 this year. "Nelson is building what could become a Hall of Fame case, making the Pro Bowl every year since 2018," wrote Fowler. "The Colts thought Nelson bounced back with a resurgent 2023 after a down 2022 (for his standards), and he remained solid in 2024 with a 94.4 pass block win rate and 77.1 run block win rate, the latter tying for first among the top 10 interior linemen." As mentioned, Nelson has now made seven consecutive Pro Bowls, and he was a second-team All-Pro in 2024 as well, his first time making an All-Pro team since 2021. Along with ESPN's metrics, PFF's data also illustrates what was a very good 2024 season for Nelson. He ranked 15th among all guards in pass-blocking efficiency, and he was fourth in run-blocking grade. Running back Jonathan Taylor averaged 4.8 yards per rush when running to Nelson's direct left and 5.3 yards per rush when running to his direct right. With second-year players Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves taking over at center and right guard, Nelson's experience and high level of play will be crucial in providing the Colts' interior offensive line with any needed stability with two relatively inexperienced starters next to him. Certainly, all eyes will be on Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, but consistent success for either of those quarterbacks starts with the Colts' offensive line providing time in the pocket and a run game to lean on.
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Where does Indianapolis Colts' Quenton Nelson land in PFF's 2025 guard rankings?
Where does Indianapolis Colts' Quenton Nelson land in PFF's 2025 guard rankings? Where does Indianapolis Colts' guard Quenton Nelson rank among his position group entering the 2025 season? Where does Indianapolis Colts' guard Quenton Nelson rank among his position group entering the 2025 season? Pro Football Focus continues on as they rank the top 32 players at each position group ahead of the upcoming year. When it comes to the guard spot, Nelson is listed at No. 4. Ahead of him on Mason Cameron's rankings are Chris Lindstrom at No. 1, followed by Joe Thuney and Quinn Meinerz. "While Nelson's grading profile had dipped slightly prior to this past season, 2024 was an impressive return to form for the veteran," wrote Cameron. "His 81.3 PFF overall grade ranked fourth among qualifiers, his highest mark since 2020. Even still, Nelson has produced above the rest of the league, posting the second-most PFF WAR (1.31) among guards over the past three seasons." This past season, Nelson made his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl team and was also named a second-team All-Pro--his first All-Pro nod since the 2021 season. He ranked 15th among all guards in pass-blocking efficiency, and he was fourth in run-blocking grade. According to PFF's tracking data, Jonathan Taylor averaged 4.8 yards per rush when running to Nelson's direct left and 5.3 yards per rush when running to his direct right. At No. 25 on these rankings was former Colts guard Will Fries, who is now in Minnesota. Outside of quarterback, one of the bigger question marks on this Colts' roster heading into training camp is how well Matt Goncalves will transition from tackle to guard.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Notre Dame All-American Quenton Nelson named one of the best players of the 2000's
One of the best offensive linemen in Notre Dame's history has been recognized as one of the top 25 college football players in the 2000's. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic named Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson the 25th-best player during that span. In composing his list, Feldman conversed with dozens of coaches, television analysts and NFL scouts for insight. Advertisement Nelson was named an All-American during his final season in South Bend, and during his three years as a starter was consistently graded as one of the more accomplished guards both as a run blocker and a pass protector. In 2017, the Fighting Irish averaged 6.3 yards per rush as a team, which was the third-highest mark in all of college football. The Irish finished 10-3 and earned a bid to the Citrus Bowl, where they defeated LSU. Nelson was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and has helped anchor the Indianapolis offensive line since. He has made seven Pro Bowls and is a three-time All-Pro. This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Quenton Nelson, former Notre Dame lineman, honored as one of the best
USA Today
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Former Notre Dame All-American Quenton Nelson named one of the best players of the 2000's
Former Notre Dame All-American Quenton Nelson named one of the best players of the 2000's One of the best offensive linemen in Notre Dame's history has been recognized as one of the top 25 college football players in the 2000's. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic named Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson the 25th-best player during that span. In composing his list, Feldman conversed with dozens of coaches, television analysts and NFL scouts for insight. Nelson was named an All-American during his final season in South Bend, and during his three years as a starter was consistently graded as one of the more accomplished guards both as a run blocker and a pass protector. In 2017, the Fighting Irish averaged 6.3 yards per rush as a team, which was the third-highest mark in all of college football. The Irish finished 10-3 and earned a bid to the Citrus Bowl, where they defeated LSU. Nelson was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and has helped anchor the Indianapolis offensive line since. He has made seven Pro Bowls and is a three-time All-Pro.
