Since entering the league, Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson has brought stardom to the offensive line.
Not many players battling in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball have a highlight reel of ruthless and devastating blocks.
Nelson does, and he continues to be viewed among the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL, coming in at No. 3 in ESPN’s rankings from NFL executives, scouts and coaches.
However, one NFL executive from an AFC team didn’t share the same opinion that Nelson is still among the elites in ESPN’s rankings.
“I think Nelson has always been a little overrated,” an AFC executive told ESPN. “His highs are very high, and he can set a tone and dominate at times. I think he has slipped this past year, though.”
After dealing with some injuries in 2022, Nelson did take a step back during that horrendous season for the Colts. But he looked much more like his typical self in 2023.
Under the new regime of position coach Tony Sparano Jr. and head coach Shane Steichen, Nelson thrived. His 72.4% run block win rate ranked fourth among guards in these rankings.
On top of that, Nelson excelled in pass-blocking as well. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 21 total pressures, including just one sack and three quarterback hits in 2023.
The Colts offensive line is one of the stronger units in the NFL, and a main reason for it is because of Nelson.
