Miami’s Zion Nelson (6-5, 316) has grown up. He’s rated nation’s No. 10 returning OT
Miami’s Zion Nelson was a college football anomaly when he started all 13 games at left tackle — the critically important offensive line player who protects the quarterback’s blind side — right out of high school in 2019.
True freshman offensive linemen rarely start, let alone the entire season. But UM was lacking, and Nelson needed to step up after four linemen with starts in 2018 had departed. Nelson ate voraciously to gain about 50 pounds before his inaugural UM season after playing his Sumter (South Carolina) High senior year with 235 pounds on his 6-5 frame.
He still looked skinny.
Now, heading into the 2022 season as a fourth-year junior, Pro Football Focus has rated Nelson — listed as 316 pounds — the 10th best returning tackle in college.
“Nelson’s return to The U is fantastic news for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke because the 6-foot-5, 316-pound tackle has developed into one of the best pass-protectors in the country,’’ PFF’s Anthony Treash wrote in late January. “From Week 4 on in 2021, Nelson allowed just six pressures in nine games en route to a 91.6 pass-block grade that led all Power Five tackles.”
Nelson, 21, spoke to reporters after the second of three spring football sessions this past week.
“I had some problems with my knee last year and I feel like that’s really getting right,’’ Nelson said. “I’m one of those guys in the training room pretty much every day, trying to get ready. I’m getting a little older, been on the field for a little while, so I’ve got to kind of warm up the old joints, got to lube them up a little bit — stuff like that.”
This week during practice, the first-team offensive linemen, from left to right, were Nelson, guard Ousman Traore, center Jakai Clark, guard Justice Oluwaseun and tackle DJ Scaife Jr.
Oregon transfer Logan Sagapolu rotated in at guard and center.
Jalen Rivers, a 6-5, 325-pound third-year sophomore out of Jacksonville Oakleaf, is listed as “limited” for spring after playing in only three 2021 games before sustaining a major knee injury. When he returns for the season, he could slip back into his left guard spot unless coaches deem him more valuable at right tackle, so Scaife could play guard.
Tackle John Campbell Jr. is still limited this spring after missing all last season recuperating from reconstructive knee surgery.
Navaughn Donaldson, who replaced Rivers after the injury, is now training for the NFL Draft, as is former right tackle Jarrid Williams. Former center Corey Gaynor, whose season was also cut short by knee surgery after three starts, transferred to North Carolina.
In 2021, UM finished 89th of 130 FBS teams in sacks allowed per game (2.5 a game) and tied for 80th with 30 total sacks allowed. But the Canes were 19th in total offense (448.8 yards a game) — 10th in passing (321.2 yards a game) and 97th in rushing (127.7).
But two years earlier in Nelson’s freshman year, Miami allowed 51 sacks, ranked 128th of 130 FBS teams.
Today, Nelson is a legit draft prospect. WalterFootball.com senior draft analyst Charlie Campbell projected last month that Nelson would be the seventh offensive tackle chosen in the April 27-29 draft — rounds 3-5.
Nelson is especially grateful that UM coach Mario Cristobal won two national championships with the Hurricanes as an offensive tackle and was a long-time offensive line assistant. Cristobal still spends plenty of time observing the linemen with close friend, former Miami Columbus High teammate and current UM offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.
“It’s nice to be getting that attention from the head coach because sometimes you can feel like the O-line can get a little left out,’’ Nelson said. “It’s nice knowing that the head coach is really rooting for us.”
Mirabal, Nelson said, is “a great guy’’ and “really great teacher.”
“He really knows his stuff and you can tell whenever we’re in meetings he gets down into every detail and makes sure everybody’s engaged.”
Nelson said he’s focused on going “harder every day’’ and described the initial week of practice as “pretty great.’’
’’My teammates were out there competing, really getting after it,’’ he said. “The little things, like technique and all that stuff will come.’’
