Zach Banner has become a social-media star because of some of the highlight-film blocks he has made when he comes into the game as the extra offensive lineman. But even he can’t compare to the player on the other side of the field.
Quenton Nelson, the second-year guard for the Indianapolis Colts, is a rarity in today’s NFL — an offensive lineman who has a highlight reel as long as the Liberty Tunnel. Video of Nelson pulling, trapping, mauling, pancaking opposing defensive linemen is on social media nearly every week and every bit as much as a one-handed Odell Beckham Jr. catch.
All by himself, Nelson has proven in just 1½ seasons that guards should be considered more than an after-thought in the NFL draft and are worth the price of admission to see them perform on the field. He was considered by some to be the best player, period, in the 2018 draft that included Saquon Barkley, and he just might be the best player at his position in the NFL.
“I love him,” said Steelers guard David DeCastro, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who was named All-Pro in his fourth season in 2015. “He’s fun to watch.”
Nelson, who attended Notre Dame, was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft — the only offensive players selected ahead of him were Barkley and quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold — and paid immediate dividends with the Colts. He was named first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie — the first Colts rookie offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since Chris Hinton in 1983. His tape was so impressive to watch that he became the first interior offensive lineman in league history to be named NFL rookie of the month.
Colts coach Frank Reich, who was a quarterback in the NFL for 14 seasons, said he has never seen a young lineman who was more dominant and more NFL-ready when he came into the league than Nelson.
“From A to Z, physically, mentally, emotionally, every way — mindset, leadership, practice habits,” Reich said. “Quenton’s standards are high. And he’s still a young player, he’s still getting better. He still has to prove it every week, but he knows that. That’s what he wants.”
Want to see how the guard position is supposed to be played in the NFL? Watch Nelson and DeCastro, two of the best, when the Colts (5-2) come to Heinz Field on Sunday to play the Steelers (3-4). It is like having Beethoven and Mozart, Freddie Mercury and Paul McCartney, sharing the same stage.
“I love the way he plays the game,” DeCastro said. “He has a lot of high energy. I don’t know how long he can keep it up, but he’s always running and sprinting after plays. [Maurkice Pouncey] and I were joking, that was us when we were younger, getting really excited after big runs, always helping the running back up. It’s cool to see.”
Then DeCastro added, “He’s got a lot of energy. We’ll see how long it keeps it up.”
For now, it appears endless. Nelson combines a strong lower body with great strength and a relentless attitude to be the linchpin of an offensive line that has the Colts averaging 128.4 yards rushing per game, 11th in the league. What’s more, Jacoby Brissett has been sacked only 11 times, third fewest among quarterbacks who have started every game.
Nelson teams on the left side of the Colts line with tackle Anthony Castonzo, who has been a starter since being a No. 1 draft choice in 2011. The battle between and Nelson and defensive end Cam Heyward, a two-time Pro Bowl pick who was named All-Pro in 2017, will be a good subplot to the proceedings.
Heyward said he is looking forward to facing the player whom he calls “an All-Pro talent.”
“He makes ordinary stuff look great. He’s able to drive guys to the ground. There was one play versus Kansas City, they were on the goal line, and he drove a guy like 5 yards back and put him on his back. That dude, he gets after it. You appreciate guys like that. It should be a heck of a battle.”
Nelson may help change how guards are viewed in the NFL. Mostly, they are considered after-thoughts by GMs and coaches who don’t command the same draft value as offensive tackles. In a lot of instances, coaches are content to draft a tackle with the idea they can always move him to guard if he doesn’t pan out.
In the 2012 draft, DeCastro was considered a top-10 pick by many evaluators but didn’t come off the board until No. 24. Two tackles were drafted ahead of him – Matt Kalil, who was taken fourth overall by the Minnesota Vikings; and Riley Reiff, who was picked right ahead of DeCastro by the Detroit Lions. Kalil has been with three NFL teams and is currently a free agent. Reiff is now a starter with the Vikings.
But that is nothing new.
Since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, 69 tackles have been drafted in the first round compared to just 16 guards. On average, tackles were taken with the 14th pick; the average guard went between 23 and 24.
“You never know coming out of college how a guy is going to transition in the NFL,” DeCastro said. “It’s a completely different game for him. To do what he’s done, follow the same path as Zach Martin, making All-Pro as a rookie, that’s a tremendous statement to the kind of player he is. His upside is even greater. And he’s kept it going this year. He just enjoys it. You can see that. It’s pretty impressive.”
Just like his highlight reel.
Injury report
Ramon Foster (concussion), James Conner (shoulder) and Benny Snell (knee) did not practice Thursday. Center Maurkice Pouncey practiced Thursday after missing Wednesday’s practice with a calf injury.
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac
First Published: October 31, 2019, 7:48 p.m.
