SB Nation - Nate Solder

PHOTO: Von Miller Interviews Nate Solder At Super Bowl 2012

Russ Oates — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:02:34 -0000

Just because the Denver Broncos aren't in the Super Bowl this year doesn't mean the team won't be represented there. Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller is there as part of media day, and he was able to interview former Colorado Buffaloes tackle Nate Solder, now of the New England Patriots.

via @Denver_Broncos

One day, Miller's going to be on the other end of the microphone, answering question about how it feels to be playing in the biggest football game of the year.

PHOTO: Nate Solder Dominates Ray Lewis In 2012 AFC Championship Game

Russ Oates — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:46:13 -0000

It's halftime of the 2012 AFC Championship Game and the New England Patriots lead the Baltimore Ravens, 13-10. One of the big contributors to that score has been former Colorado Buffaloes tackle and current New England Patriots starter Nate Solder. On Benjarvus Green-Ellis' touchdown run at roughly the 10-minutes mark in the second quarter, Solder completely dominated all-world linebacker Ray Lewis. Photographic evidence below:

via @xmasape

Solder pushed Lewis back on that play as Green-Ellis hit the wide open hole to the right side. He found the touchdown and temporarily put the Patriots in a 10-3 lead. Dennis Pitta caught a touchdown for the Ravens a little bit later and Stephen Gostkowski put the Patriots back in the lead with three minutes to go in the half.

Solder and the rest of the offensive line have paved the way for Green-Ellis to pick up 52 yards on the ground and to average 6.3 yards per carry. What will we see in the second half -- maybe Solder heading to Super Bowl XLVI in two weeks with the rest of his Patriots teammates?

Nate Solder Leaves Everyone But Parents In The Cold For Tickets

Russ Oates — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:01:28 -0000

Former Colorado Buffaloes tackle and current New England Patriots rookie Nate Solder has his home-state team the Denver Broncos visiting him this weekend in Foxborough. But he's only bringing his parents out for the game (via the Denver Post):

"Everybody else that wants to come, that's going to be on them," Solder said, laughing. "I just thought that was the fairest way to go about it."

Or maybe he doesn't want everyone else to see his team lose to the Broncos. BA-DUM-BUM.

NFL Draft 2011: 25 Players To Attend, Broncos' Selection Likely Among Them

Russ Oates — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:01:10 -0000

The 2011 NFL Draft will have a record 25 players attending on Thursday, April 28. While neither of Colorado's top prospects, tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Jimmy Smith, will be there, the Denver Broncos' selection at No. 2 is almost assuredly among the players attending.

Among the likely choices who will be there to hold up a Broncos jersey are Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, quarterbacks Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert and Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller. Though out of those players either of the defensive tackles or Miller would be the best bet to display a Broncos jersey on stage.

A full list appears below.

Here are the 25 players confirmed to attend the NFL Draft:

1)	Prince Amukamara	CB	Nebraska	14)	Corey Liuget	DT	Illinois
2)	Akeem Ayers	LB	UCLA	15)	Von Miller	LB	Texas A&M
3)	Adrian Clayborn	DE	Iowa	16)	Rahim Moore	S	UCLA
4)	Randall Cobb	WR	Kentucky	17)	Cam Newton	QB	Auburn
5)	Marcell Dareus	DT	Alabama	18)	Patrick Peterson	CB	Louisiana State
6)	Nick Fairley	DT	Auburn	19)	Mike Pouncey	G/C	Florida
7)	Blaine Gabbert	QB	Missouri	20)	Aldon Smith	DE	Missouri
8)	AJ Green	WR	Georgia	21)	Tyron Smith	T	USC
9)	Mark Herzlich	LB	Boston College	22)	Phil Taylor	DT	Baylor
10)	Mark Ingram	RB	Alabama	23)	Danny Watkins	G	Baylor
11)	Cameron Jordan	DE	California	24)	JJ Watt	DE	Wisconsin
12)	Julio Jones	WR	Alabama	25)	Ryan Williams	RB	Va. Tech
13)	Ryan Kerrigan	DE	Purdue

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28th and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it all out at our 2011 NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog Mocking the Draft. Visit Mile High Report for more on the Broncos.

NFL Mock Draft 2011: Could Steelers Pick Ben Ijalana?

Charlie Wilmoth — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:21:32 -0000

SBNation.com's latest NFL Mock Draft has the Steelers taking Villanova tackle Ben Ijalana with the 31st overall pick:

A post-season injury has prevented Ijalana from working out, allowing him to stay squarely under the radar. He has the look of a potentially dominant guard, with the athleticism to play tackle - and the Steelers need line depth badly.

The offensive linemen SB Nation has going off the board before that are Tyron Smith (No. 13), Anthony Castonzo (No. 19), Nate Solder (No. 23), Gabe Carimi (No. 26), Mike Pouncey (No. 27) and Derek Sherrod (No. 29). That's most of the big names. Who the Steelers end up taking might depend on who's available at what positions when they pick. Cornerback looks like it might be a more pressing need; the corners SB Nation has going in the first round are Patrick Peterson (No. 3), Prince Amukamara (No. 7) and Jimmy Smith (No. 25).

Quarterback Cam Newton is the top overall pick. Pitt receiver Jon Baldwin, who a month or two ago appeared in many first-round mock drafts, is nowhere to be found here.

2011 NFL Draft: Penn State's Evan Royster, Stefen Wisniewski To Attend Scouting Combine

Charlie Wilmoth — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:05:52 -0000

Penn State running back Evan Royster and offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski will participate in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis later this month.

Wisniewski occasionally crops up as a potential first-rounder in NFL mock drafts, but less often than several other offensive linemen, such as Derek Sherrod, Nate Solder, Anthony Castonzo, Tyron Smith, Mike Pouncey and a couple others. If he's drafted in the first round, it'll probably be near the end, but the second round is probably more likely.

What will happen to Royster is a little less clear, despite his status as Penn State's all-time leading rusher. He's coming off two seasons that were somewhat disappointing compared to his breakout sophomore year. NFL Draft Scout projects he'll be a fifth-rounder. Mocking The Draft ranks him the 25th-best running back prospect in the draft. It wouldn't be a shock to see Royster go anywhere from the fourth round to not being drafted at all. A good combine could help him, however.

2011 NFL Draft: Defense A Hot Commodity In Top 200 List

Russ Oates — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:37:33 -0000

SB Nation's own Mocking the Draft recently released an updated Top 200 Prospects List for the upcoming 2011 draft, and there are a number of defensive players who are highly ranked. Players the Denver Broncos should be interested in, such as DE Da'Quan Bowers, DE/DT Nick Fairley and CBs Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara are all ranked inside the top 10. Right now, we'll find these players in various places in the top 10, but Bowers and Peterson seem destined to be the top-ranked defensive players in the 2011 draft.

Somewhat interestingly, Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green is Mocking Dan's No. 1 overall prospect. On Wednesday night there were reports that Green, a junior, had already decided to enter April's draft. However, he later tweeted that he had yet to make a decision. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck didn't fall far, coming in as the No. 2 prospect.

Other defensive players that could make their way into consideration for the Broncos should they do well during pre-draft workouts and interviews could be North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn (No. 9) and Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward (No. 11). Quinn is a junior who would need to declare for the draft. Adrian Clayborn (No. 12) could also be in play. But beware of other players who could turn into workout warriors over the next few months.

There are only a few local products in this top 200. Both are from the Colorado Buffaloes: cornerback Jimmy Smith and offensive tackle Nate Solder. They come in consecutively at No. 35-No. 36, putting them on the bubble of the first round.

Solder is a 6-foot-9, 315-pound tackle who has been highly thought of for years. In this top 200, he is the fourth-rated offensive tackle, behind Ole Miss' Derek Sherrod, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo and Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi (who won the 2010 Outland Trophy). I wouldn't be surprised to see Solder move up into the first round come April.