As fall camp nears an end, there are always some tough conversations had by the coaching staff about which true freshmen may be ready to play and which may benefit from a redshirt season.

Outside linebacker Garrett Nelson’s name will not be involved in those conversations as his position coach, Jovan Dewitt, already knows the answer.

“If there’s a freshman that would be the closest to being ready, it would be Garrett,” Dewitt said about Nelson when asked if any of his freshmen were ready to play early.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Scottsbluff, Neb. native was an early enrollee for the Huskers, which meant that Dewitt was unable to work with him as closely as he would have liked as he fought his battle with throat cancer last spring.

However, now that Dewitt is fully back, he said Nelson has done nothing but impress him and is poised to not only play special teams, but also on defense.

“He’s going to play right away. I’m talking in both special teams and defense,” Dewitt said. “He’s a physical kid that can play on the edge and hold the point. I didn’t get to work with him as much in the spring as I wanted to, but the really cool thing for me is how well he learns. Once you’ve got the physical tools and can learn the mental aspect, it makes it so much better for everybody. I’ve been pretty impressed with him.”

Nelson was a two-time all-state selection in high school as a defensive end and helped lead the Bearcats to a runner-up finish as a senior. Although, Dewitt said making the transition from having his hand in the dirt as a defensive lineman to working in a two-point stance as an outside linebacker has not been hard for the freshman.

“It’s actually easier than you would think, it really is,” Dewitt said about Nelson’s position change. “If you’re trying to recruit for athletic ability—even though he played multiple games in his life with his hand in the dirt -- he’s got some natural ability. Probably more than I initially thought.”

In addition to being physically ready and a quick learner, Nelson’s motor may be the biggest reason he’s set to see the field for the Huskers this fall.

“There’s a phrase I like to use: I would much rather say ‘woah’ than ‘giddy-up.’ With Garrett, I don’t know if I’ve ever had to say ‘giddy-up.’ It’s a lot of ‘woahs.’ That’s how he’s wired differently,” Dewitt said. “For freshman, when they get out there, they’re a little nervous about this, they’re a little nervous about that and that leads to hesitation.

“Garret has embraced the desire to excel and no fear of failure. He embraces that. If he makes a mistake, it’s going to be at a million miles per hour.”