JJ Nelson's Size Limits NFL Draft Stock Despite Blazing Combine 40 Time

Sheer speed of J.J. Nelson's ilk deserves to be noticed no matter what.

For those who weren't familiar with the UAB product, Nelson turned plenty of heads in racing to an official time of 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash during Saturday's action at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Where Nelson falls short is in his measurements, a modest 5'10.25" and 156 pounds, per the NFL Network telecast.

Although he does have plenty of upside as a return specialist, making an impact as an NFL wide receiver is an entirely different matter and one that Nelson will have difficulty with. This is what will prevent his 2015 draft stock from soaring too high despite his impressive combine outing.

Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News reports what Nelson had to say about how he approaches the gridiron:

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I try to model myself after those guys to help me do everything they did so I can be successful. DeSean Jackson, Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace — those big play, electrifying type of guys. I have the ability and speed to blow the top off of a defense. My special teams abilities help me a lot. I try to be myself, be explosive, get into the hole and not let the kicker tackle you.

"

No question he can get behind any secondary, but the nuances of Nelson's game are going to be what determines how he can be as a wideout. The potential is there for him to be a lethal slot option. It's just a matter of avoiding crushing hits, picking up a pro-style playbook and adding strength if possible.

The adjustment to the NFL will be interesting for Nelson, who's accustomed to using his speed as his primary asset. He'll still be able to in the pros, just not to as much of an extreme degree, since everyone is bigger, faster and stronger.

To compare Nelson to a few other burners who have arrived in the NFL in recent years, Jacoby Ford, Trindon Holliday and Travis Benjamin come to mind.

Save for Holliday, owner of a superior strength-to-weight ratio, even the other two players have an average of over 20 pounds on Nelson.

The least used receiver of the lot is Holliday. Benjamin tore his ACL in 2013, and injuries have plagued the talented Ford in his career. Ford didn't play this last season or in 2012.

If nothing else, Nelson's breakout 40-yard dash performance at Lucas Oil Stadium is a nice chance for UAB football to be in the spotlight. Former Blazer and current NFL player Joe Webb shouted out to Nelson on Saturday:

Player (Year)	Measurements	40-yard dash (seconds)
Jacoby Ford (2010)	5'9", 186 lbs.	4.28
Trindon Holliday (2010)	5'5", 166 lbs.	4.21
Travis Benjamin (2012)	5'10", 172 lbs.	4.36
J.J. Nelson (2015)	5'10 1/4", 156 lbs.	4.28

But Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel brings up a most relevant point with regard to Nelson's lack of size:

Based on the track record—pun intended—of the other dynamic speedsters before him, the forecast for Nelson's NFL career likely sees him as a return specialist.

Benjamin had a punt return touchdown in each of his first two years, Ford took three kickoffs to the house as a rookie in 2010 and Holliday is the only man to return a punt and kick for a score in the same playoff game.

Nelson's college stats back up the notion that he can thrive as an NFL specialist. He had four kickoff returns for TDs in 2014 and also averaged 10.65 yards per punt return (h/t CFBStats.com).

The self-imposed comparisons Nelson made to the likes of Jackson, Brown and Wallace are anomalies who all have greater size and raw receiving ability than the former UAB star.

In terms of actual NFL draft stock, Nelson at least put himself on the radar and just needs one team to fall in love with him to hear his name called at some point. Special teams sparks can provide pivotal turning points in games, so there's no doubt he has value in that regard.

There just isn't enough to Nelson's skill set to project him as a consistently dependable NFL wide receiver.

The caliber of talent at that position figures to be deep this year as well. A fast 40 time will only go so far, likely pushing Nelson to Day 3—somewhere between the draft positions of Benjamin (100th overall), Ford (108th overall) and Holliday (197th overall).