Top ten Wisconsin football players of the season so far
5. S Scott Nelson
Nelson is the second freshman on this list and is here for most of the same reasons that Jake Ferguson is. He was tasked with taking over a huge position on the team and has played very well.
Nelson made himself known as a shadow to senior safety D’Cota Dixon throughout camp. He showed a dedication to learning the ins and outs of the defense like a seasoned upperclassman before he ever took a snap. It’s no surprise that he’s been everywhere on the field in the first few games.
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Before I talk about all the great things Nelson has done it’s fair to talk about the biggest issue in his game. By far, it’s his consistency making tackles. He’s third on the team in tackles and has 2.5 tackles for loss. Those numbers would be markedly higher if he was better at wrapping up and bringing the ball carrier down. This isn’t something that’s plaguing the defense so I’m not concerned about it too much. But if I’m allowed to nitpick one thing, it’s this.
What Nelson has done well is always find a way to be around the ball. Whenever he creeps into the box, he recognizes runs exceptionally well and can often find the ball carrier before he gets too far beyond the line of scrimmage. He’s even better in the passing game. Nelson already has one interception and four pass breakups, which leads the team.
Jim Leonhard was one of the best safeties in NCAA history and is surely coaching up Nelson to be another one of the greats. He’s shown all the signs, has the coaching, and he has the entire state pulling for him.