The 2025 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Wisconsin offensive tackle Jack Nelson plans on taking full advantage. Nelson recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Nelson also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his abilities as an offensive linemen, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Nelson better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Jack Nelson: I was called up to our head football offices. They handed me my Senior Bowl invite and I was very excited. I wasn’t surprised, in all honesty. It was something I had been working toward. It was a goal of mine. It was great to get the physical invitation.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Jack Nelson: I think my motivation was that everyone knows the Senior Bowl is the best pre-draft bowl game. The best players in college football will be represented. That’s what I’m expecting from a competitive level. It’s like any other opportunity I’ve ever received.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Jack Nelson: I hope to show them my true character and personality. I’m an open book. I want them to see how I see myself, and that’s an experienced, tough, hard-working player. I got roughly 55 starts under my belt at Wisconsin. I stuck with the program through thick and thin over my last five years here.
I really want that to be conveyed through my personality.
JM: How would Jack Nelson write his own scouting report? Is he a power blocker in a phone-booth, or an agile linemen in space? Self-scout yourself for us.
Jack Nelson: I would say Jack Nelson is an athletic blocker with solid hands, solid hand placement. I understand how to leverage my punch and where I place my hands in pass protection.
JM: You’ve played a lot of left tackle in recent years, but you’ve also played a little guard. Where do you see yourself fitting at the next level?
Jack Nelson: I see myself playing right tackle at the next level.
JM: That’s interesting. Most of your experience is at left tackle.
Jack Nelson: That’s correct. The feedback I’ve been getting from scouts, what my agents are hearing, right tackle has been the popular consensus. That’s what I’ve been told, and I don’t have a problem with that. The right side does feel a little more natural to me. I’m excited to show that off in Mobile.
JM: Would you compare yourself to any offensive tackles at the next level?
Jack Nelson: I would have said Andrew Whitworth, but he retired. I’d probably say Roger Rosengarten from the Baltimore Ravens.
JM: Roger Rosengarten did a great job at right tackle this season. How does Jack Nelson handle speed differently from power?
Jack Nelson: That’s something I’m still working on. I like to stay calm, keep my breathing and my balance when facing the speed rush. I keep my head between my feet and frame, ensuring I don’t overextend my limbs, my chest, or my legs. I settle the angle and cover it up.
If I get a power rusher, it’s all about the hand placement with my inside arm. I have to get that inside arm up underneath with my elbow bent at 90 degrees so I can get my feet set and direct that power upwards.
JM: That’s a terrific, in-depth answer. What’s on Jack Nelson’s pre-game playlist?
Jack Nelson: I’m a big Rock & Roll guy. I love the 90s grunge music.
JM: At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Jack Nelson?
Jack Nelson: It means I successfully showcased my ability. I’m excited about blocking out in space. I’m ready to showcase my athleticism out on the edge. I’m ready to demonstrate my ability to anchor against power during the one-on-one drills.
I really want my experience and tenure as a blocker with many starts under my belt to shine through.
