2023 NFL Draft Player Preview: Zion Nelson

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Zion Nelson, 6-5/312 Offensive Tackle Miami

Zion Nelson 2023 Preview
By Charlie Campbell

Career Recap: Over the past three seasons, Nelson was a solid and steady left tackle for the Hurricanes. As a freshman, he earned the starting left tackle job in the 2019 preseason and made all 13 starts for the Hurricanes. He was solid again in 2020 and looks to have the potential to develop into an early-rounder as a senior. Nelson had some struggles in the 2021 season opener against Alabama, but improved after that to turn in a quality year protecting Tyler Van Dyke.



2022 Season Outlook: Nelson has a quality schedule and will see some decent talent in 2022. The biggest challenges will probably come in games against Texas A&M on Sept. 17, Clemson on Nov. 19, and Pittsburgh on Nov. 26. It will be interesting to see how Nelson does against Clemson’s linemen, led by Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy. Pittsburgh edge rusher Habakkuk Baldonado is an underrated talent who could test Nelson to close out the regular season.

Skill-Set Summary: The NFL always has a big demand for left tackles who can protect the quarterback and give them time to throw. Thus, Nelson should have plenty of teams hoping to land him in the 2023 NFL Draft as he could be a starting left tackle early in his pro career.

As a pass blocker, Nelson has natural size with a good skill set of speed and athleticism to block on the edge. He is very quick, possessing smooth movement to get depth in his drop to cut off the corner from speed rushers. Via his natural agility, Nelson does a nice job of bending at the knee and using his feet to keep to him in good position. Nelson is not a waist bender or lunging after pass rushers. With his speed and ability to glide, he is a natural pass protector.



Nelson could stand to improve as a run blocker for the next level. He is not a force in the ground game and needs to get stronger. Nelson does not pack power or a punch to knock defenders off the the ball. He can have issues sustaining blocks and not generating any push. Using his length and size, Nelson can tie up defenders to limit what they do. However, he is not a bull as a run blocker. Thus, he would be a better fit in a zone scheme where he can use his athleticism and quickness to get to spots while moving with the designed flow of the play.

The 6-foot-5, 316-pound Nelson has good size to be a NFL left tackle and will enter the league with a lot of experience from the college ranks. While Nelson’s tape might say he is a second-rounder right now, he plays a premium position that is always in demand and could be in a weak offensive tackle class, which could help him to rise. Nelson is a prospect to monitor with the potential to be one of the top offensive tackles in the 2023 NFL Draft.



2023 NFL Draft Expectations: Entering fall camp, here is what an area scout told WalterFootball.com about Nelson’s draft range, “Nelson is a solid second-round pick right now. He could continue to rise from there depending on how the season goes.”

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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