NFL Draft 2018: Quenton Nelson may be the best player in the class

Notre Dame guard, Quenton Nelson is considered the top offensive lineman in the 2018 NFL Draft. Could he still be overlooked entering draft day?

There is immense talent in nearly every position group in the 2018 NFL Draft. With so much focus on quarterbacks, the underappreciated offensive lineman is falling by the wayside. NFL teams are constantly looking for their next franchise quarterback but often neglect front-line protection.

Enter Quenton Nelson, the bulky 6-5, 330-pound guard from Notre Dame. While the lineman didn’t light up the stat sheet in college or win Heisman awards — spoiler alert: they never do at a thankless position — he became one of the most prolific prospects in recent memory — regardless of position.

If teams want to build for the future, look no further than the hard-nosed kid from Jersey.

With outstanding size and power, Nelson is known for his superior run blocking ability. Though the Irish had a disappointing 2017 season, Nelson impressed scouts across the country by dominating the left side of the line in all 12 games.

In addition to his tangible skills, plays like this display his incredible football instincts as well.

While there is still room for improvement as a pass blocker, Nelson should be able to make the necessary adjustments at the next level. Nelson has shown the ability to move around on both sides of the ball and even line up against defensive ends as a tackle.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Full 7-round projection

For teams with issues up front, it would make sense to use an early draft pick on Nelson. However, in many mock drafts, teams in the top 10 are deferring to quarterbacks, which is understandable. In this case, Nelson may drop as far as No. 7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or No. 8 to the Chicago Bears. 

Regardless of which team selects him, Nelson is sure to immensely improve the offensive line.