Indianapolis Colts Guard Quenton Nelson Rated NFL’s Fifth-Best Player

It’s no surprise that Indianapolis Colts offensive left guard Quenton Nelson is considered the team’s best player in media lists that evaluate top NFL talent.

What might raise some eyebrows is the respect Pro Football Network showed Nelson in listing him No. 5 on its list of Top-100 NFL players on Friday.

The pancake machine out of Notre Dame has been an All-Pro nightmare for defenders in just two seasons.

PFN offered this summary on Nelson:

“Since entering the league as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Quenton Nelson has become something of a legend. When he scored a touchdown in November 2019, Twitter exploded with delight to see such a respected player get his opportunity in the limelight. The touchdown may not have counted, but the reaction told you everything about the way Nelson is viewed.

“The Indianapolis Colts offensive line had widely been viewed as a joke for much of retired quarterback Andrew Luck’s time with the team. However, the arrival of Nelson changed all of that, as the Colts offensive line immediately became a top-10 unit. While that is not all thanks to Nelson, his presence in the middle of the line goes a long way towards giving that line the solidity required.

“To be selected as a first-team All-Pro twice in your first two seasons is an extremely impressive feat. Nelson’s strength, agility, and technique saw Pro Football Network’s Matt Valdovinos refer to him as his “1B” among the top interior offensive lineman in the league back in May. However, Nelson’s raw skills are arguably on another level compared to Valdovinos’ number one in Zack Martin, so to see him as the top interior offensive lineman and a top-five selection on our list is no surprise.”

Three other Colts made PFN’s list — All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard at No. 49, All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner at No. 51, and All-Pro center Ryan Kelly at No. 85.

Here’s what was written about the linebacker known as “The Maniac:”

“Darius Leonard has had as impressive a start as possible to his football career. As a second-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Leonard earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, leading the league in tackles and being one of the leaders of a defense that ranked 10th in Football Outsiders DVOA and 13th in yards per play allowed at 5.5.

“With back-to-back seasons of over 100 tackles and an All-Pro selection already on his resume, Leonard has one of the brightest futures among the young defensive stars in this league.”

Here’s the take on Buckner:

“Rounding out the bottom half of PFN’s Top-100 Players is DeForest Buckner, a player who made a name for themselves in San Francisco before being shipped to Indianapolis for a first-round pick. Buckner is an exceptionally large man. At 6’7”, 300 pounds, he is one of the more imposing individuals in the league. Buckner utilizes his length to burst through offensive lines and disrupt plays before they even have a chance to get started.

“Elite defensive tackles will always be better than their numbers suggest, and Buckner is no exception. He has only broken double-digit sacks once in his career, but playing alongside the remarkably talented 49ers defensive line caused his numbers to take a bit of a dip. The Colts must be drooling at the thought of Buckner eating up blocks in front of Leonard. It is only fitting that one of the most underrated players in the game is underrated on this list, too.”

And, finally, PFN offered this take on Kelly:

“While guard Quenton Nelson gets much credit for the Indianapolis Colts’ nasty interior offensive line, Ryan Kelly has earned his spot in the PFN Top 100 for a reason. Since getting drafted by the Colts in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, Kelly has quickly taken over as one of the league’s top centers. Kelly served as the glue inside Indianapolis’ No. 7 rushing attack.

“After dealing with injuries in 2017 and 2018, Kelly returned to the field strong, allowing only one sack in 2019. The former Alabama center collected his first Pro Bowl appearance. With a contract year on the horizon, Kelly could double-down on his breakout campaign to earn a significant payday.”

(Phillip B. Wilson has covered the Indianapolis Colts for more than two decades and authored the 2013 book 100 Things Colts Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. He’s on Twitter @pwilson24, on Facebook at @allcoltswithphilb and @100thingscoltsfans, and his email is phillipbwilson24@yahoo.com.)