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The 2023 PNJ Player of the Year for football has found his college home.
Pensacola Catholic’s Nigel Nelson announced over the weekend that he committed to Division I Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. After a standout junior season, Nelson said he knew he wanted to be committed going into his senior year.
And the Owls stood out after an offer on Aug. 11, followed by a recent unofficial visit, Nelson told the PNJ.
“FAU, overall, the staff is great, the facilities are great and the atmosphere is great,” Nelson said. “Staying in Florida is definitely a plus. Boca is a beautiful place, as everybody knows. … I knew FAU would be home after all the love they showed to me.”
Nelson was a two-way player for Pensacola Catholic in both 2022 and 2023, playing at safety and running back. When Nelson first got to the varsity level, he was a linebacker – his primary position – but as the team needed to fill positions, he was moved to safety.
His effectiveness on both sides of the ball pushed Pensacola Catholic to the Class 2S State Final Four, ultimately falling in overtime to Bradford, 22-21. And Nelson was a big reason, especially in the playoffs, the Crusaders got that far.
Nelson put up 1,371 yards rushing in 14 games with 25 touchdowns, including 350 yards against West Florida in October, plus 251 yards at Florida High in November in the Region 1-2S final. In all four playoff games, Nelson scored one touchdown and put up 120-plus yards.
And on defense, Nelson finished the season with 54 total tackles, with five interceptions.
“My confidence after this past season skyrocketed. I feel like I proved a lot of people wrong, and showed that I can do more than what they thought,” Nelson said. “I’m not just a big, slow linebacker. I can move and cover, given that I led the area in picks and still played both…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/pensacola-catholic-two-way-player-220328847.html
Author : Pensacola News Journal
Publish date : 2024-02-26 22:03:28
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