Iowa football: Which UDFAs will make the active roster
By Andrew Wade
Matt Nelson – Detroit Lions
Matt Nelson is attempting to do something that only a few players do, and that is switching positions entirely. Instead of attacking offensive tackles, the 6’8” Nelson will be protecting his quarterback from guys like him.
It’s an unusual switch to make after college, but Nelson’s build warranted it while the depth of the Iowa football team required he stay on the defensive side of the ball. Heck, the Hawkeyes even had him slide inside to be an interior pass rusher to make room for a few other talented ends.
While some may be questioning how difficult the switch can be, consider this. Left guards switching to right guard or left tackles switching to the right side is a big deal, and they are still playing the same position. Nelson is learning a brand new position.
In high school, he played defensive end and tight end. This switch is a monumental undertaking, but from an intelligence perspective, Nelson has the ability to do it. At the University of Iowa, he was a Biology major who has aspirations to eventually become a doctor.
The one thing the Cedar Rapids native has going for him is Detroit lacks depth at the tackle position. Currently, Nelson is on the third string and he is just battling a journeyman veteran (Oday Aboushi), another 2019 undrafted free agent (Micah St. Andrew), and Detroit’s 2018 fifth round pick (Tyrell Crosby).
Don’t forget, Detroit head coach Matt Patricia is a New England Patriots guy, and is familiar with the Iowa football teams coaches. He likely knows exactly what kind of player Nelson is, and he wouldn’t be giving this experiment a shot without doing his due diligence.
Prediction: Nelson makes a ton of growth in a short time period, but not enough for Detroit to feel comfortable with him on the active roster just yet. However, he will be on the 53-man roster by seasons end because of injuries and his growth.