2018 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting every first round selection
3. player. 46. . OG. Notre Dame. Quenton Nelson
The Indianapolis Colts were supposed to be perennial contenders in the AFC South behind the arm of gun slinging quarterback Andrew Luck. Rather than a playoff berth, the Colts find themselves with an early draft pick thanks to the absence of Luck from the football field in 2017. Without their star quarterback the offense was awful, no matter how well emergency backup Jacoby Brissett played.
If Luck can’t stay healthy this team isn’t going anywhere. Therefor, don’t be surprised to see the Colts invest as many early picks as possible on the offensive line. This year’s crop of lineman is superb, and they’ll have their pick of the best of the best at No. 3.
While tackles usually trump guards in the pecking order, Notre Dame’s Quinton Nelson is worth making an exception for. A finalist for the Outland Trophy, Nelson is as fine an offensive guard as the come. He paved the way for a multifaceted Irish rushing attack that ranked seventh in the nation in yards per game. More importantly, he’s an excellent pass protector as well.
Nelson was a unanimous All-American this season as well as being the highest graded offensive guard in the country, per Pro Football Focus. He will be an anchor for a long time on an Indianapolis offensive line that has way too many question marks.