Oakland Raiders: One EDGE target in every round of the 2019 NFL Draft

In many ways, Anthony Nelson is like the anti-Jachai Polite. He is huge for an edge rusher at 6-foot-7 and 271 pounds, wins with his power and length, and has been well-regarded as a high-character type of player.

Nelson is a very interesting prospect in that he is kind of a tweener between an edge rusher and an interior three-technique defensive tackle. But he seems to project better as an outside rusher simply because he doesn’t have the strength or leverage to be able to compete in the interior.

That said, Nelson could still be a very effective 4-3 defensive end prospect with the positional versatility to shift inside in the nickel package if need be. Nelson has extraordinary length which he uses to dominate in space and fill up gaps in the run game.

The Iowa product displays a quality arrangement of pass rush moves and uses his hands well to win with technique. He’s not going to be a guy to beat you around the edge and win with speed, but his technique and length can allow him to simply overpower opposing linemen at times.

Nelson doesn’t offer the flexibility that players like Allen or Polite might in that he should never be asked to play as a stand-up pass rusher. But he makes up for it with the versatility to perhaps shift inside and play as an interior lineman.

His physical pedigree and excellent technique make this more than simply a high-floor type of pick as with the right adjustments to his game, Nelson could be a very solid starter at the next level. And in the fourth round, that’s about the type of value you’re looking for.