Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson produces top-two pass blocking grade in program history

Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle Zion Nelson is one of the best pass blocking tackles to ever suit up for the Hurricanes, and he has the numbers to prove it. According to Pro Football Focus, Nelson had the highest pass-blocking grade in recent Hurricane history last season. His grade of 85.3 is the second-highest since 2014, just behind a former first-round pick Ereck Flowers.

The six-foot-six junior tackle out of Sumter, SC, had to spend some time honing his craft when he made it to the college level. According to On3’s recruiting database, Nelson is a three-star recruit from the 2019 class. He was the No. 1,353 rated player in the country. Nelson was the No. 121 ranked offensive tackle and 27 best player to come out of the state of South Carolina.

If the Hurricanes want a chance to compete for the ACC crown, they will need a repeat performance from Nelson this season. But not just him, the rest of the offensive line has to contribute to keeping young talented quarterback Tyler Van Dyke upright for the entire season. And if he can do that, he can repeat that level of productivity, he could follow in Flowers’s footsteps and become a first-round pick.

Miami to spend $100 million building new football facility

The Miami Hurricanes went out and made a splash in the college coaching carousel this offseason by landing former Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal. With buzz surrounding Cristobal and his staff, many college football insiders are projecting the Hurricanes’ program to once again establish itself as one of the nation’s elite in the next few years. Not only is Cristobal armed with a remarkably talented coaching staff, but the ‘Canes new head man is also fired up about the new football facility the Hurricanes are building.

According to David Lakes of InsideTheU, Miami’s sparkling new football facility will reportedly cost around $100 million to build. The building project is expected to expand the Hurricanes’ indoor practice facility to a full 100-yards and they will be constructing a new building that will have a number of different football activities in it.

Cristobal couldn’t reveal a lot of specifics about the facility when he made a recent radio appearance on the Hurricane Hotline 560 WQAM, but the plans for the building will be finalized sometime this summer, per the report. He did describe the recovery center in the new facility as “space age”.