Scott Nelson

Senior safety for Wisconsin. 2021: 1 interception, 5 pass breakups, 50 tackles.

S · Wisconsin · Sr. · #9

6′2″ · 204 lb · Detroit, MI

CFB Index 45 · #299 of 509 safetiesMedium confidenceWisconsin 2021 alumnus

Recruiting

3★

S recruit

No. 804 nationally · Signed with Wisconsin

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 safety for Wisconsin. 2021: 1 interception, 5 pass breakups, 50 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Wisconsin in 2017.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at Wisconsin, 114 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

2017

Signed with Wisconsin3-star out of University Of Detroit Jesuit

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#804 national

CFB

College

Wisconsin

2018–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2018–2021

1 coach

2018–2021

Paul Chryst

Wisconsin

Played his entire career under Paul Chryst.

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

4 seasons under Paul Chryst — 31-16 over that span.

2018Wisconsin8-5HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy

2019Wisconsin10-4HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy

2020Wisconsin4-3HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy, fast tempo

2021Wisconsin9-4HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

45Rotational starter #299 of 509?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: passes defended (91st percentile). Strength: solo tackles (82nd percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Passes defended#207 / 2743 · 91st pct

Solo tackles#481 / 2743 · 82nd pct

Tackles#604 / 2743 · 78th pct

Tackles for loss#794 / 2743 · 69th pct

4.0

QB hurries#827 / 2743 · 59th pct

Sacks#1293 / 2743 · 50th pct

0.5

Interceptions#320 / 824 · 31st pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2021 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	5.1	0.4	0.0	0.6
Road3g	3.7	0.3	0.0	0.3

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-74g	5.2	0.5	0.0	0.5
Weeks 8+6g	4.3	0.2	0.0	0.5

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Luke Fickell

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Part-time starter

Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

45 · #299 of 509 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #299 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2021	Wisconsin	50	33	4.0	0.5	5	1	--
2020	Wisconsin	21	17	4.0	1.0	1	2	--
2019	Wisconsin	4	2	0.0	0.0	1	--	--
2018	Wisconsin	39	21	2.5	0.0	5	1	--
Career		114	73	10.5	1.5	12	4	--

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 2	W 34-7vs Eastern Michigan	2	2	0.0	—	1
Wk 4	L 13-41vs Notre Dame	5	4	1.0	—	1
Wk 5	L 17-38vs Michigan	3	2	1.0	—	0
Wk 7	W 20-14vs Army	11	5	0.0	—	0	Season-high 11 tackles
Wk 8	W 30-13@ Purdue	5	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 9	W 27-7vs Iowa	5	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 10	W 52-3@ Rutgers	3	2	1.0	—	1
Wk 11	W 35-7vs Northwestern	2	1	0.5	—	1
Wk 12	W 35-28vs Nebraska	8	6	0.0	—	1
Wk 13	L 13-23@ Minnesota	3	2	0.0	1	0
Total		47	31	3.5	1	5

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Scott Nelson

2017

2021 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Part-time starter

Career stats

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Box Safety

Players who play like Scott Nelson