Schwartz on Nelson: Mostly real good...

[Superman]

Finished and cleaned up my charting/grading for Nelson in the first preseason game. He played four series, 33 offensive plays, 21 passes, 12 runs. 

 

When I grade, I assign a value to each play, based on what I see. A win is a +1, a dominant win is a +2, a loss is a -1, a dominant loss is a -2, and a draw is a 0. Then I average the total grade over the number of plays. I try to avoid draws, but some are obvious (a play where he blocks no one, for instance). 

 

I had Nelson at 0.1 on 21 pass plays, 0.67 on 12 run plays. Total grade was 0.3 on 33 plays. 

 

I saw two dominant losses on pass plays, both resulting in QB pressures. Both were on pass plays, and were due to him missing his initial punch and getting beat by a swim move when he got caught leaning too far. He lost on another swim move, but recovered (I thought he held, it didn't get called). There were other plays where he missed his initial punch but used his feet, kept his balance, and recovered quickly. All issues are with technique, especially against rushers with good hand/feet moves, or a good secondary rush.

 

I saw two dominant wins on run plays, both on pull blocks. These were his best highlights in college, where he was a heat seeking missile who would wipe his man out upon impact; that has already translated well to the NFL. Once he latches on, he tends to turn and seal his man. He also gets off of combo blocks well to find the next guy to block. Any issues in run blocking were made up for by his strength, awareness and tenacity. 

 

I'm not concerned or even disappointed by his showing. Young OL usually need time to improve their pass blocking. He's already as advertised in the run game. 

[Coffeedrinker]

14 minutes ago, Superman said:

Finished and cleaned up my charting/grading for Nelson in the first preseason game. He played four series, 33 offensive plays, 21 passes, 12 runs. 

 

When I grade, I assign a value to each play, based on what I see. A win is a +1, a dominant win is a +2, a loss is a -1, a dominant loss is a -2, and a draw is a 0. Then I average the total grade over the number of plays. I try to avoid draws, but some are obvious (a play where he blocks no one, for instance). 

 

I had Nelson at 0.1 on 21 pass plays, 0.67 on 12 run plays. Total grade was 0.3 on 33 plays. 

 

I saw two dominant losses on pass plays, both resulting in QB pressures. Both were on pass plays, and were due to him missing his initial punch and getting beat by a swim move when he got caught leaning too far. He lost on another swim move, but recovered (I thought he held, it didn't get called). There were other plays where he missed his initial punch but used his feet, kept his balance, and recovered quickly. All issues are with technique, especially against rushers with good hand/feet moves, or a good secondary rush.

 

I saw two dominant wins on run plays, both on pull blocks. These were his best highlights in college, where he was a heat seeking missile who would wipe his man out upon impact; that has already translated well to the NFL. Once he latches on, he tends to turn and seal his man. He also gets off of combo blocks well to find the next guy to block. Any issues in run blocking were made up for by his strength, awareness and tenacity. 

 

I'm not concerned or even disappointed by his showing. Young OL usually need time to improve their pass blocking. He's already as advertised in the run game. 

Cool grading system and excellent post, as usual.  One question how do you determine a win(or loss) vs a dominant win(or loss)?

[IinD]

I think he'll be the least of our oline worries in the future. That bad looking play on the first series was a total whiff, I'll blame it on nerves. He's young, he got a little taste of getting beat against the big boys. 

 

He'll definitely be fine. I would be worried if he didn't look like he belongs in the league. He never looked lost or overwhelmed, just made a couple mental errors and had a whiff.

[RockThatBlue]

On 8/10/2018 at 6:53 PM, Superman said:

 

I saw him get beat several times. His punch was missing, he got off balance and even got over powered on one pass play. They're all in the video above. 

 

It's not surprising, we all knew his run blocking was head of his pass protection. I also don't think he's flawed, all of those issues are very correctable. 

 

Edit: Play #3 at 0:12 is the worst play of the night for him, IMO.

I wonder what he would've looked like if he had anywhere near close to competent LT play beside him. It was awful.

[Aluckiswolverine]

I wonder if big Q gets into it with some Ravens the next few days. If he does I hope he destroys someone. Start building his rep as someone you don’t “F” with. 

[Superman]

4 hours ago, Coffeedrinker said:

Cool grading system and excellent post, as usual.  One question how do you determine a win(or loss) vs a dominant win(or loss)?

 

So it's obviously subjective. If the player loses at the snap and never recovers, or gets physically dominated throughout the play, etc., that's a dominant loss. Turn the tables, if a player physically dominates the play, beats his man decisively, etc., that's a dominant win. You know it when you see it. (One caveat is if it looks like the player missed an assignment or blew a play, I don't give a 2 on that kind of play. For instance, a RB misses a protection, but catches a dumpoff and goes 50 yards while breaking 3 tackles. He still missed his blocking assignment.)

 

Nelson's whiff on the third(?) play was a dominant loss; his pancake on the pull block was a dominant win. 

 

All JMO, subjective. 

[Superman]

35 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

I wonder what he would've looked like if he had anywhere near close to competent LT play beside him. It was awful.

 

I don't think the tackle play affected him very much at all. Maybe on some run plays, but not in protection. 

[AZColt11]

I think Nelson getting beaten on a few plays is the best thing that could happen to him early in his career.  If we all know it, you KNOW he knows it too and that no doubt got pointed out to him in the film room I'm sure.  Good for him to get beaten a few times and know he needs to be on point rather than to have everything go well for him and him thinking he's got this thing down already.  He will only get better from here and this game film will provide some motivation, not that he even needed it to begin with.

[throwing BBZ]

On 8/10/2018 at 8:58 AM, IndyD4U said:

He's probably one of the fastest pulling guards that I've seen

 

You probably thought Mewhort was good.
Nelson does look lightning fast compared to him.  
At his size he will not be among the fastest puller's in the league.
But he could turn into one of the most effective, and that is EXCITING.
 He maintained solid contact for an excitingly long time too.  

[throwing BBZ]

On 8/11/2018 at 2:26 PM, Pacergeek said:

Thursday's game was the first game I have ever watched a specific offensive lineman play. I wasn't watching Luck or the RB's. My attention was on Nelson. If you weren't watching him play, I highly recommend it. Entertaining watching #56 destroy people on run plays. Never seen a player so committed in finding defenders to hit. Pass plays were not as entertaining though. Have a question: How often do the top OL players get beaten on pass plays? Once or twice a game? Nelson got beat on the Luck scramble. Just need to know if this is what to expect from watching #56.

 

  If he plays at near 330 lbs he will not have elite quickness.
Smaller tackles with great quickness will get an edge on him, yes probably several times a game, and i would expect some sacks. Of course Andrew has been Elite at moving in the pocket and also at getting rid of the ball with defenders all over him.
 Our big issue will be getting top notch blocking from our backs and TE's. 
  My favorite Colts to watch have been Marvin, Reggie, and the undersized Saturday.
Saturday was a blast to watch and Nelson will be too.
 It looks like to me Nelson will be something similar to Larry Allen in effect.  Yeehaa!

[BProland85]

I wonder if Ballard will address the OT position next draft to make this OL truly beastly. But we also need an impact player at DT and CB too so hopefully Ballard can find some help in FA as well. 

[RockThatBlue]

17 hours ago, Superman said:

 

I don't think the tackle play affected him very much at all. Maybe on some run plays, but not in protection. 

Oh I agree I'm not saying that's the sole reason. But he definitely wasn't getting much help on the left side.