Mountaineers in the Pros
Several NFL Teams Showing Interest in WVU OL Product Doug Nester
Several NFL teams have shown extended interest across the Hula Bowl and Shrine Bowl for West Virginia offensive lineman Doug Nester, according to Justin Melo of the Draft Network. Melo reports the Steelers, Saints, Packers, and Texans have spent extensive time with Nester.
“I really enjoyed meeting with all of the teams. It was actually my second interview process because I attended the Hula Bowl as well. As I try to narrow that down, I had some really good meetings with the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Green Bay Packers. I also enjoyed my time with the Houston Texans at the Hula Bowl. Those were some of the standout interviews,” Nester told Melo.
.@WVUFootball IOL Doug Nester attended @Hula_Bowl + @ShrineBowl after playing in 53 career games as a versatile G/T.
Between the two events, Nester spent extended time w/ #Saints, #Packers, #Texans, #Steelers.@TheDraftNetwork Interview with @Freshie74:https://t.co/RlSgIetg6z
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 15, 2024
While his teammate Zach Frazier will get much of the attention, Nester has played four different spots on the offensive line, but he does not have lots of experience at left tackle. He played mostly right tackle and guard during his career, but during bowl season, he showcased some versatility at center.
Throughout much of the season, Nester battled injuries, but he could see himself slotting right into the AFC North as a hard-nosed player. But he sees himself as the type of player built for the division’s rugged physicality.
A versatile day-three option for the Steelers, Nester makes sense for interior offensive line depth and someone who can at least shift out to tackle. Granted, they added someone like that in Spencer Anderson last offseason, but Nester’s tape speaks for itself.
He is a tough, strong player that can get vertical displacement in the run game. Add in the fact that Nester has experience with a guy like Frazier, who seems to be hot on the Steelers radar, and he could make a lot of sense with one of the day-three picks that Pittsburgh has at this point.
Most of this story was written by Nick Farabaugh and initially appeared on our partner site Steelers Now.