The 2022 NFL draft may not be for another year, but one Miami Hurricane is already getting way-too-early projections as a first-round pick next year: Zion Nelson.
That’s right. The once-undersized left tackle and under-the-radar, two-star recruit that Miami swooped in late in his recruitment to lure him away from his Appalachian State commitment.
It may be surprising considering Nelson was a project for the Hurricanes when they first brought him on board. Out of Sumter, South Carolina, Nelson arrived at UM for his initial spring session in 2019 at 240 pounds. He had to gain significant weight to transform into a college offensive lineman and then recalibrate his athleticism amid the rapid weight gain.