2017 National Signing Day Profile: Craig Nelson

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Craig Nelson, 5’10”, 180 pounds, Miami, FL (Booker T. Washington High School), RB, 247Sports Composite Ranking: 3-Stars

Roughly a month before National Signing Day, many (Hoosier Huddle as a collective included) were quite concerned with the lack of offensive skill players in the 2017 class. The defensive commits and offensive linemen coming in looked great but we had just seen the offense struggle with inconsistency and explosiveness during the 2016 season and Hoosier fans wanted to see some “game breakers” brought in. The past few weeks have alleviated those concerns as a number of exciting skill players have joined the 2017 Hoosier Army and rounded out the recruiting class. One of those recent offensive commits is Craig Nelson, a speedy running back from Florida. Nelson played defense for powerhouse Booker T. Washington High School in Miami for his sophomore and junior seasons before switching to running back and bursting through with 1,074 rushing yards and ten touchdowns along with 150 receiving yards and five touchdowns. 

Nelson began thinking about IU after talking with Indiana running backs coach Deland McCullough. He is yet another Sunshine State prospect to choose Indiana (there are seven in this class alone) and his 4.5 40-yard dash shows he has the potential to be turn any run into a big play. His size makes it unlikely he’ll become an every down back but he doesn’t shy away from contact and he’s used to playing against top-level high school competition in Miami. 

The Hoosiers have good depth at the running back spot for 2017 but much of the position group is filled with upperclassmen and it was critical for IU to replenish the position for the future. That being said, Nelson’s top-end speed and IU’s need for more explosive plays in the running game could lead to him earning a role this coming season.