New York Giants Draft Prospect: Nelson Ceaser, EDGE
Nelson Ceaser, EDGE
Height: 6’3
Weight: 250 lbs.
Class: Senior (5th-Year)
School: Houston
College Stats
A former three-star recruit out of Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas, where he was the 88th Texan and the 43rd defensive end recruit in the 2019 cycle; he was a four-star recruit, according to RIVALS.
Ceaser was a team captain in 2023 where he continued to display his versatility. Caesar aligned on 54% of his snaps at right edge, 22% at left edge, 14% at inside linebacker, and 10% on the line of scrimmage between the 4i-shade and the nose.
Ceaser had 33 pressures in 2023, 45 in 2022, and 20 in 2021. His 9.5 sacks in 2023 led the Big-12. He also provided special teams experience on kick and punt coverage, field goal block, and on the field goal kicking unit. Ceaser will attend the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
Strengths
- Big, long, good thickness through his body
- Solid overall athletic ability - good explosiveness, solid COD
- Good first step - maximized when he stays low
- Converts speed to power - good lower-leg drive
- Can maneuver in space with light enough feet
- Lower-body flexion allows him to bend through contact
- Can bend and threaten to the high side
- Can dip high punches and get his hips into the pocket
- Does well hand-fighting vs. OTs, shock in hands, quick moves
- violent hands on contact - can string moves together
- Used his front hand well to initiate contact
- Combines it well with a violent chop
- Has relentless nature, adaptability in rush
- Flashed inside spin move (had a sack off this)
- Solid overall hand placement/timing
- Quick hands to engage and uses length well vs. the run
- Locates and sheds quickly vs. run if the OT doesn’t beat him to the punch
- Backside pursuit and hustle
- Versatility - showed patience at LB - better eyes than I anticipated
- Good blitz timing from the second level - good power on contact
- Special teams upside
Weaknesses
- Upright rusher - allows his pad level to get too high
- Especially from four-point stance
- Has violent punches but isn’t the most physical in the wrestling aspect of shedding blocks (once he’s tied up)
- Anchor on the LOS needs to improve
- Can he consistently set the edge as an EDGE?
- More of an evader of blocks than one who consistently sheds
- Could do a better job setting the edge
- Needs work to play LB full-time
- Will be labeled a tweener
Overview
Nelson Ceaser is a versatile pass rusher - who is not inept against the run - with good explosiveness and average athletic traits overall for an EDGE rusher. The best aspects of his game are his initial pass rush moves and the subsequent powerful club/swipe that allows him to separate or work high-side to collapse into the pocket.
Ceaser aligned in a four-point, three-point, and a two-point stance. While his pad-level tended to rise during his rush, he was able to leverage the lower-body flexion he does possess to provide OL less surface area to strike, although he isn’t the bendiest pass rusher, he can bend and threaten high side. As a run defender, he isn’t a player who consistently wins by anchoring and shedding, rather one who uses his short-area-quickness to evade blocks and slip around them.
At the end of the day, Ceaser has the traits - and successfully - got to top of the pass rushing arc, while displaying an ability to finish positively to harass QBs. Ceaser should start on special teams and work his way into a pass rushing rotation. He’s one of the many players who can rise up draft boards with a good week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
GRADE: 5.99
Nick Falato
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