Hawk Item – – Ranked second in the Big Ten and 17th nationally in sacks (9.5-63) in 2018 . . . tied Pinstripe Bowl record with two sacks in 2017 contest . . . one of four sophomores named to 2017 Leadership Group . . . one of five juniors named to 2018 Leadership Group.
2018 Honors – – Named to CoSIDA Academic All-America second-team . . . Academic All-Big Ten for third year . . . named second-team All-Big Ten by league media and third team by coaches . . . third-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . named to CoSIDA Academic All-America All-District team for second straight year . . . Team Hustle Award, defense . . . named Big Ten Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his play in win over Nebraska . . . named Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his play in win at Minnesota . . . named to Bednarik Award preseason Watch List . . . named to Lott IMPACT Trophy preseason Watch List . . . preseason second-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports . . . 2018 – – Ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (13.5-67) and sacks (9.5-63) . . . ranked eighth on team with 45 tackles . . . started at defensive end in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois . . . recorded one solo tackle for an eight-yard sack vs. NIU . . . started at defensive end in 13-3 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 19 net rushing yards and 188 yards total offense . . . four tackles vs. ISU, including one solo stop and three assists . . . started at defensive end in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa, recording one assisted tackle and one QB pressure as defense allowed just six net rushing yards and 222 yards total offense . . . started at defensive end in 28-17 loss to #18 Wisconsin . . . career-high seven tackles vs. Badgers, including two solo stops and five assists, along with the only sack of the game (-13 yards) . . . started at defensive end in 48-31 win at Minnesota . . . matched career-high with three sacks at Minnesota, while equaling career-high with four solo stops and collecting one assist . . . started at defensive end in 42-16 win at Indiana as defense allowed just 67 net rushing yards . . . two solo tackles and two assists at Indiana, including a shared tackle for loss . . . started at defensive end in 23-0 win over Maryland as defense allowed just 39 offensive plays and 115 yards total offense . . . recorded first career touchdown with recovered fumble in the end zone vs. Maryland, along with one solo tackle . . . started at defensive end in 30-24 loss at #17 Penn State . . . recorded five tackles at Penn State, including four solo stops and one assist . . . 1.5 sacks at Penn State along with one QB pressure . . . started at defensive end in 38-36 loss at Purdue . . . four tackles at Purdue, with one solo stop and three assists, including one tackle for loss . . . started at defensive end in 14-10 loss to Northwestern, recording one QB pressure . . . started at defensive end in 63-0 win at Illinois, recording one solo tackle as an eight-yard sack, along with one QB pressure, as defense allowed just 216 yards total offense . . . started at defensive end in 31-28 win over Nebraska . . . career-best eight tackles vs. Nebraska, including three solo stops and five assists . . . two sacks vs. Nebraska, along with one pass break-up and one QB pressure . . . started at defensive end in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State . . . recorded four tackles vs. MSU, including 2.5 tackles for loss and one QB pressure.
2017 Honors – – First Team CoSIDA Academic All-America . . . Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award . . . Academic All-Big Ten for second year . . . named to CoSIDA Academic All-America All-District team . . . third team All-Big Ten by league media . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches . . . preseason third team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports . . . 2017 – – Recorded 41 tackles, including 21 solo tackles and 20 assists . . . led team with 7.5 sacks, while also collecting 9.5 tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and a blocked field goal . . . started at defensive end in 24-3 win over Wyoming, recording two solo tackles . . . started at defensive end in 44-41 OT win at Iowa State . . . recorded four tackles at Iowa State, including two solo stops, two assists and one sack . . . started at defensive end in 31-14 win over North Texas, but had no statistics while seeing limited action due to injury . . . started at defensive end in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State . . . recorded five tackles vs. Penn State, including four solo tackles and one assist . . . credited with three sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss vs. PSU, along with a blocked field goal, two pass break-ups and one QB pressure . . . started at defensive end in 17-10 loss at Michigan State . . . matched career-best with six tackles at MSU, including two solo stops and four assists, with 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack . . . started at defensive end in 45-16 win over Illinois . . . recorded three tackles vs. Illinois, with one solo stop and two assists . . . recorded one sack and one tackle for loss, along with a forced fumble on the opening play of the game . . . started at defensive end in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern . . . recorded five tackles at Northwestern, including four solo stops and one assist, along with one tackle for loss and three QB pressures . . . started at defensive end in 17-10 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 281 yards total offense . . . recorded four tackles vs. Minnesota, including two solo stops and two assists, along with one sack to end Minnesota’s final possession of the game . . . started at defensive end in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State, recording one assisted tackle . . . started at defensive end in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin, recording one solo tackle and two assists . . . started at defensive end in 24-15 loss to Purdue, but had no statistics . . . started at defensive end in 56-14 win at Nebraska as defense allowed 67 rushing yards and just 267 yards total offense . . . two tackles at Nebraska, including one solo stop and one assist, along with two pass break-ups and two QB pressures . . . started at defensive end in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College as defense allowed just 21 net rushing yards and 102 yards total offense in second half . . . matched career-best with six tackles vs. Boston College, including two solo stops and four assists . . . recorded two sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss vs. Boston College . . . first sack resulted in forced fumble in the fourth quarter that was recovered by teammate and led to game-winning touchdown . . . second sack came in final minute of the game.
2016 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week following 45-21 win over Miami . . . 2016 – – Played on all 13 games, with one start . . . recorded 33 tackles, including 15 solo stops and 18 assists . . . second on team in sacks (7-39) and tackles for loss (8-43), while adding two forced fumbles, one pass break-up and three QB pressures . . . saw first action of career in 45-21 win over Miami . . . recorded two solo tackles and four assists vs. Miami, including 3 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss . . . had one pass break-up and two forced fumbles, with both turnovers leading to Iowa touchdowns . . . started at defensive end in 42-3 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 291 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and one assist vs. ISU, including one sack for four yards . . . saw action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State, recording two assisted tackles and one QB pressure . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Rutgers as defense allowed just one touchdown . . . matched career-high with six tackles at Rutgers, including four solo tackles and two assists . . . saw action in 38-31 loss to Northwestern, recording one solo tackle and two assisted tackles . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Minnesota as defense allowed just 102 net rushing yards and 268 yards total offense . . . recorded two assisted tackles at Minnesota, including a shared QB sack . . . saw action in 49-35 win at Purdue, recording one solo tackle for minus three yards as defense allowed just 47 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 17-9 loss to #10 Wisconsin, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State, recording one solo tackle and one assist . . . saw action in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 201 yards total offense . . . saw action in 28-0 win at Illinois as defense allowed just 61 net rushing yards and 198 yards total offense . . . recorded three tackles at Illinois, including one solo stop and two assists, along with one tackle for loss . . . saw action in 40-10 win over #15 Nebraska, as defense allowed just 90 net rushing yards and 217 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo tackles and one assist vs. Nebraska, including one sack and one QB pressure . . . saw action in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida, recording one solo tackle for a QB sack, and one QB pressure .
2015 – – Redshirted.
High school honors – – Named to Des Moines Register Elite all-state team as a senior and first-team all-state by Iowa Newspaper Association . . . Class 4A Western Iowa Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and named to Elite Western Iowa team . . . first team all-district as a senior . . . Career – – Two-year starter at defensive end . . . team captain as a senior . . . recorded 33 solo tackles and 18 assists, with 21.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks as a senior, with five forced/recovered fumbles and 12 pass break-ups . . . recorded 29 solo tackles and 12 assists as a junior, with 7.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, five forced fumbles, four recovered fumbles, and 12 pass break-ups . . . also member of prep basketball team, serving as team captain . . . earned first-team all-conference honors as a junior . . . averaged 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a junior, as team posted 18-5 record while winning district and conference titles.
Personal – – Born 3/04/97 . . . open major . . . parents are Christy and Jeff Nelson . . . father Jeff played football at Iowa . . . attended same high school as OL Ross Reynolds . . . earned academic all-district honors as a junior and senior . . . recorded over 100 hours of community service as part of Silver Cord organization . . . high school coach was Scott Carlson.