Countdown to 2018 IUFB Kickoff: 29 Days (Craig Nelson and Kahlil Bryant)

Written by T.J. Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Countdown to Kickoff: #29 – Craig Nelson

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 183 pounds

Hometown: Miami, FL. (Booker T. Washington High School)

Class/Position: Redshirt Freshman/Running Back

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff rolls on and we are now under one month until the 2018 arrives and the Indiana Hoosiers take the field against Florida International in Miami. Speaking of Miami, one of the players that today’s countdown focuses on hails from that city. He’s a potential breakout candidate after redshirting his freshman season, running back Craig Nelson.

High school football is serious business in Florida, especially in Miami. Booker T. Washington High School is one of the powerhouse programs in the area. That’s where redshirt freshman running back Craig Nelson played his high school football and he came to Indiana after back-to-back seasons as an All-Dade County selection. Nelson began his high school career as a defensive back and earned letters and extensive playing time as a freshman and sophomore at that position. His coaches felt they could use his speed and explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball so they presented him with a move to running back. He seized the opportunity and during his senior year, Nelson ran for 1,074 yards with ten touchdowns. He added 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Nelson didn’t arrive on campus with ideal size for a running back and he redshirted the 2017 season. However, during this season’s spring camp, he burst onto the scene. Nelson’s lower body is noticeably bigger and stronger and he looked the part of a change-of-pace running back, impressing coaches and media alike. Nelson doesn’t have the size to be a bell-cow running back but he seems perfect for a role of 5-10 carries plus working as a receiver out of the backfield. He has terrific speed and the hope of this writer is that he can become the homerun hitter the IU running back room has been missing since the departure of Tevin Coleman. Morgan Ellison is set to be the feature back for IU and there is definitely a hope that he can have a special season. There are a lot of options behind him and the competition for snaps is going to be fierce all season. Nelson will compete with incoming freshmen Ronnie Walker, Kristian Pechac (walking on) and Stevie Scott (although Scott is a much bigger back with likely a different role) along with returning players like Cole Gest and walk-ons Ricky Brookins and Ahrod Lloyd. Senior Mike Majette has primarily worked as a slot receiver so I don’t think he’ll factor into this competition but he certainly has experience and could be used at some point. Running back is a brutal position and often becomes one where depth is essential by the end of the season. However, I don’t think it will take a bunch of injuries for Nelson to get on the field. I fully expect the redshirt freshman to be a key part of helping IU’s rushing attack regain some big-play ability.

Countdown to Kickoff: #29 – Khalil Bryant

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 206 pounds

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL (First Coast High School)

Class/Position: Junior/Defensive Back

The second part of the countdown today takes a look at another player from the Sunshine State (a common and welcome theme on the IU roster!), this one from Jacksonville: safety Khalil Bryant.

Bryant is a 5’10” safety that came to Indiana after a standout three-sport career at First Coast High School in Jacksonville. He lettered in both basketball and baseball but excelled on the gridiron. He helped lead the team to three conference and district championships and posted 112 tackles with 17 pass breakups as a senior. His play helped him earn a spot on the Florida team for the prestigious Florida-Georgia All-Star Game and he earned Most Valuable Player at the contest. He wasn’t just good as an athlete. Bryant was a member of the National Honor Society and he is now an exercise science major at Indiana.

Bryant played for Tom Allen’s first defense at IU in 2016, appearing in 11 games and making three tackles. He also played in 11 games as a sophomore but usually only saw the field on special teams. However, he got some extended time against Georgia Southern and had a career-high five tackles in the blowout win.

Chase Dutra is gone but IU is still loaded in the secondary. Jonathan Crawford is written into the starting lineup in permanent marker and talented young players like Juwan Burgess and Bryant Fitzgerald are going to be significant contributors. Incoming freshmen Jordan Jusevitch and Devon “Monster” Matthews are both very talented and they will both push for playing time in 2018. Bryant is better in pass coverage than he is run support and I think he’s behind the first three guys I mentioned but likely begins the season ahead of Jusevitch and Matthews. How Bryant and those two players play over the final weeks of practice and then in the first four games of the season will determine how much time the junior from Florida sees at safety in addition to his special teams work.

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!