OffffffensiveO tackle quickly grows into job

The plan is ultimatelyu what sold him, and Matt Nelsoon sure is glad it did. Nelson played 46 snaps at right tackle lasst Sunday in the Detroit Lions’ 34-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing a position cchangeandbodytransforation machangeandbodytransforation that was 18months in the making.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa last sppring, Nelson had never played offensiive line until coming to Detroit.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn never saw Nelsson as a defensive lineand man, though, alineand pursued him solely as an offffffensive tackle. He sent then-assistant offffffensive line coach Hank Fraley to work out Nelson before the draft, and the two eventually convinced Nelson his future was on the offffffensive line.

“Essentially it was like, ‘OK, this is my best opportunity atme playing football for a long time,’” Nelson said Thursday.

The Lions’ plan included using 2019 essentially as a redshirt year to get Nelson stronger and help him learn the technique of his new position.

When he lined up at offffffensive tackle for the first time as a pro, he was the rawest player on the field.

Slowly — but quicker than anticipated — Nelson settled in at his new position, and even without the benefit of a formal offffffseason program, looked like a different player by the time training camp rolled around this summer.

Hemade the Lions’ initial 53-man roster out of camp, played as a sixth offffffensive lineman and on special teams the first four games of the season and was tasked as Matthew Stafffffford’s front-side protector after right tackleTyrell Crosby andrightguardHalapoulivaatiVaitaiwent outwithdehydration against the Jaguars.

“Matt’s done anincredible job,” guard Joe Dahl said. “I think it’s just a testament to howsmart he is. I don’t knowif you guys know, butwhenever he’s done with football I’m sure he’s going to try to be a doctor. That’s his plan as of right now. I think that’s a huge part of it and then his work ethic. When he made the transition he (threw himself ) into it.”