It’s not often that an offensive lineman comes into the league and is dominant from his very first snap, but the Indianapolis Colts were the lucky benefactors of that anomaly when they drafted guard Quenton Nelson. After being selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Nelson showed how good he was from the start, and even Pro Football Focus acknowledged as much.

Taking to Twitter earlier today, PFF shared their highest-graded left guards, and in what might surprise no one, Nelson landed at the top. While his grade (76.7) wasn’t extremely high for PFF’s standards, he was still the highest-graded player at his position by two points. The grades also include postseason play, which should go to show anyone how consistent Nelson was throughout the year.

Article Continues Below
More Indianapolis Colts News
Colts HC Shane Steichen with Colts cornerback Justin Walley behind him
Rising Indianapolis Colts rookie turning heads in 2025 OTAsJaren Kawada ·
Oct 13, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during pregame warmups against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Colts receive important update after injury scareMike Gianakos ·
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) stands on the field after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Anthony Richardson already dealing with nagging shoulder injuryScotty White ·
NFL rumors: Lions beat Bills, Commanders in ESPN's Trey Hendrickson trade bidding war
Lions beat Bills, Commanders in ESPN’s Trey Hendrickson trade bidding warChris Spiering ·
Three mystery players in the middle, Anthony Richardson and DeForest Buckner around them, Indianapolis skyline in the background
3 Indianapolis Colts hidden gems on 2025 roster you need to knowEnzo Flojo ·
Mystery player in the middle, Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor around him, Colts logo in the background
1 Indianapolis Colts rookie who stood out most in 2025 minicampEnzo Flojo ·

After being drafted by the Colts, Nelson quickly blossomed into one of the best guards in the league in little time. Not only was he the first guard to ever win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month Award, but he was also part of an offensive line that didn’t allow a sack in 156 straight drop backs, and also helped his team have 200 rushing yards in back-to-back games.

After a stellar season in which he played in all 16 games, Nelson was named to his very first Pro Bowl, and was also named a first-team All-Pro. Alongside those accolades, Nelson also was an obvious choice for the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Needless to say, his star has just begun rising, and if his career to come is anything like his debut season in the NFL, Nelson could go down as one of the greatest guards to ever play football.