Jack Nelson OT Wisconsin | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jack Nelson OT Wisconsin
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/19/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 5.10 seconds (81%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: Left Tackle | |
| Last Updated: 03/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 5.10 seconds (81%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 80.5 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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83% |
| Run Blocking: |
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74% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#178
Position rank:
#32
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| College Games: 51 College Snaps: 3117 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaxson Kirkland - Washington |
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86% |
| Blake Fisher - Notre Dame |
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81% |
| Tyler Steen - Alabama |
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81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Wisconsin's Jack Nelson is the epitome of a homegrown Badger lineman, following in the footsteps of his father Todd, who donned the cardinal and white before being drafted by the Phoenix Cardinals in 1989. The Stoughton native arrived in Madison as a highly-touted 5-star recruit and winner of the Joe Thomas Award as Wisconsin's premier senior offensive lineman. His trajectory from in-state blue-chipper to three-year starter embodies the developmental pipeline that has made Wisconsin an offensive line factory for decades.After a redshirt season with just a single appearance against Michigan in 2020, Nelson entrenched himself as a fixture on the Badgers' front five. He cut his teeth at right guard in 2021, helping pave lanes for the Big Ten's second-ranked rushing attack while Braelon Allen emerged as one of the conference's premier backs. The following two seasons saw Nelson kick out to left tackle, where he started 25 consecutive games and became a pass protection specialist, posting an impressive 83.1 pass blocking grade in 2022 – the highest for any Wisconsin lineman since Tyler Biadasz in 2019.
The 6'7", 316-pound technician has been the backbone of a Badger offense that evolved significantly during his tenure. In 2023, Nelson anchored a line that enabled Wisconsin to set school records in pass attempts and completions while surrendering just five interceptions all season. His final campaign in 2024 saw him make 12 starts at left tackle in Wisconsin's balanced 54-48 pass-run split offense that incorporated both zone and gap principles, though the Badgers struggled through a disappointing down year as a program. His academic prowess paralleled his on-field growth, as evidenced by three consecutive Academic All-Big Ten selections. With 50 career starts against the rugged defensive fronts of the Big Ten, Nelson's battle-tested frame has the scars and experience that NFL evaluators covet.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Nasty anchor that stuns opposing bull rushers in their tracks, showing impressive flexibility to contort his upper body and negate hand placement advantages even when initially caught off guard.
- Exceptional initial burst off the snap in the run game, getting to his landmark with controlled violence and consistently taking optimal angles to seal defenders from the play.
- Plays with relentless finishing mentality, driving his feet through contact and maintaining blocks until the echo of the whistle – shows some real dog when establishing the LOS.
- Transitions smoothly from combo blocks to the second level, displaying impressive spatial awareness and timing when climbing to linebackers.
- Creates devastating movement on double teams, showing synergistic chemistry with adjacent linemen and a keen understanding of leverage points to displace defenders.
- Maintains a wide, sturdy base in pass protection, sinking his hips effectively to absorb power and redirect force through the ground with excellent lower body mechanics.
- Demonstrates intelligent pass set adjustments based on defensive alignment, effectively handling both wide-9 techniques and inside shaded defenders without telegraphing the play call.
- Possesses valuable positional versatility, having logged significant snaps at both tackle and guard against NFL-caliber talent, giving him scheme flexibility at the next level.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tendency to overset against speed rushers exposes the B-gap, creating vulnerabilities that NFL defensive coordinators will exploit with slants and inside counters.
- Lateral agility limitations show up against twitchy edge defenders, lacking the recovery quickness to redirect when beaten on his first movement.
- Hand placement consistency is problematic, too often landing wide and leaving his chest exposed to direct power attacks from technically sound defenders.
- Tall frame causes him to play upright in certain situations, negating his natural leverage advantage and leading to balance issues when forced to redirect rapidly.
- Struggles to maintain blocks through contact when isolated one-on-one, showing concerning tendencies to end up on the ground when defenders employ sophisticated hand-fighting techniques.
Scouting Report: Summary
Nelson strikes me as a Day 3 selection with clear strengths that could make him an immediate depth piece with starter upside if developed properly. The Wisconsin product's pass protection really jumps off the screen – when he gets his hands on defenders, they rarely reach the quarterback. Yet his run blocking, while solid, doesn't generate the same consistent movement you'd expect from a tackle with his frame and strength.Teams running zone schemes with heavy play-action elements will value Nelson's ability to hold the fort in protection while still offering enough mobility to execute reach blocks and work combo assignments. His film against elite Big Ten edge rushers reveals a player who understands angles and leverages his length effectively, but also exposes limitations that might hinder him against NFL-caliber speed rushers who can stress his lateral mobility.
Watch Nelson closely and you'll see why despite his height his best NFL fit is likely at right guard. The position maximizes his anchor strength and powerful initial punch while minimizing exposure to speed rushers who can exploit his lateral limitations. His tendency to overset and struggles protecting the B-gap are less problematic inside, where his impressive strength in pass protection and ability to work double teams become premium assets. His intelligence in picking up stunts and blitzes will translate immediately, making him an attractive mid/late-round target for teams looking to solidify their interior offensive line with a high-floor prospect who won't need years of technical overhaul to contribute on Sundays.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
Jack Nelson percentiles vs other Offensive Tackles (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Jack Nelson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
160.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
32.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.