Position: Safety
School: Florida
Status: Junior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
40-Yard Dash: 4.45 (EST)
Positives:
Nelson is a true NFL prospect at safety in this day and age, featuring the gift to either come up to the line of scrimmage and punish a runner, or to drop into coverage as though he was a corner, and very often punishes the receiver. Such a combination of talent is rare in a safety, and it will make him coveted come draft day. Add that to a seeming gift for blocking punts, and you've got a real playmaker.
Nelson is incredibly instinctual, and always seems to be around the ball as a result. He very often seems to just float over to the ball to make a play. Nelson is also a true leader both on and off the field, a trait much sought after in the increasingly character-driven NFL.
Negatives:
Reggie's size is somewhat of an issue, and some wonder if he'll be able to stand up to a full NFL season's worth of pounding, especially with how physically he plays. He's not a great leaper, which could become an issue at the professional level with how tall receivers and tight ends seem to be getting. Also, Nelson bites on the play-action pass a little too often, and frequently gets caught well out of position on those plays, which are a lot more common in the NFL than they are in college.
Overview:
Reggie Nelson is an incredible prospect, and deserves to be right up there with LaRon Landry of LSU in the discussion of the draft's best safety. A leader and a playmaker, Nelson will make any team happy to have him. Expect to see him picked in the top half of the first round.
