Nelson is NSD surprise for I-State

One name that surfaced in Iowa State’s signing class from totally out of the blue was that of a Columbia (Mo.) high school defender that never took an official visit to Ames.

Rock Bridge standout defensive lineman Jerrion Nelson became the latest surprise for followers of Cyclone recruiting, as the three-star announced his decision after keeping it quiet for some time.

“I gave the news to them a week or two ago,” said Nelson. “I committed to them and wanted to wait until signing day to announce it. I liked the coaching staff when they were at Toledo, and when they came to Iowa State it was great because it was closer.

“They had some guys that committed early and it looks like we’ve got a huge class coming in. The coaching staff is all full of awesome people, especially Coach (Eli) Rasheed and Coach (Matt) Campbell. It’s got a good family atmosphere around Ames. It’s nice.”

It was an odd recruiting cycle for Nelson, who reportedly had a final-four of I-State, Purdue, Syracuse and Tulsa, in that he didn’t taken an official visit anywhere.

“I didn’t make it to Iowa State, but had been up there before,” Nelson said. “I played in some basketball tournaments, so I’ve seen the campus before.”

Nelson battled through injuries to have a successful senior season. He dealt with a hamstring issue in the preseason and then broke his hand during the fall and had to play through the pain. Nelson still recorded 86 tackles and 4.5 sacks, and later competed in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl in Carson, Calif., in January.

ISU is targeting Nelson to play somewhere along the defensive front.

“It will probably be an end or tackle,” Nelson said. “As long as I get a chance to play, I don’t care where it’s at. They really like my athleticism and my football smarts. I think I’ve got a high IQ and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. I’ve got a pretty high motor.”