The Falcons drafted Jack Nelson in the 7th round of the NFL Draft, and they are convinced he is an absolute steal for them. Atlanta has the luxury of starting a left-handed quarterback this next season in Michael Penix Jr., and that means they need depth on the right side more than the left side. They want strong right tackles to protect Penix's blind side.
One reason they picked up former Badger Jack Nelson is his versatility. He can play all over, but he self-admits being strong on the right side. According to a new article on OnSI.com by Daniel Flick, Nelson has everything the Falcons want, and they were able to get him in the seventh round with a pick they called a steal.
Former Badger Jack Nelson was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 7th round
The entire story and interview with Badgers offensive line coach AJ Blazek is worth the read even though it's written for Falcons fans, it's a good to hear from Blazek on what he sees in Nelson.
However, the Raheem Morris quote in the same article should get Badger fans fired up. He is speaking about Wisconsin in relation to why they wanted Nelson, and the NFL's perception of the Wisconsin Badgers is still strong.
"You like the traits, you like the cover, your ability when you pass pro. Then you get your guys up front and they really like to do what we do, (which) is run the football, and watch them do some of those things, especially at an institution like Wisconsin. You’ve got to be on fire about acquiring a young man (we were) able to pick up in the seventh round."Raheem Morris, Falcons HC
Nelson seems to have already made quite an impression on the coaching staff, and now, thanks to this article, he's making waves in the fanbase. If he gets called on in his rookie year, Nelson will be ready.