Reggie Nelson is in his second stint as the offensive line coach for GSU after serving as the offensive line coach from 2014-2021
Nelson mentored Trenton Scott, who signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers and is currently with the Washington Commanders having completed his sixth season as a player in the NFL. Scott was an All-SWAC performer in 2017 and 2016 and was named to the AFCA coaches All American team in 2017.
As the offensive line coach at Grambling State University, Nelson helped to develop All-American offensive linemen Justin Miller, William Waddell and 2021 Senior bowl participant David Moore. During his five years at McNeese State, Nelson developed two first team All-Americans and seven first-team all-conference players and two second-team all-conference players.
A native of Alexandria, La., Nelson was a four-year letter winner as an offensive lineman at McNeese State from 1995-98 and later served on the Cowboys coaching staff for five years. Nelson coached the offensive line at McNeese State from 2007 to 2011.
As a player at McNeese State, Nelson was selected as the team captain, awarded the Senior Scholastic Award and was a Consensus AP All-American in 1998. Additionally, he was a two-time AFCA All-American (1997,1998), two-time Sports Network All-American (1997, 1998), two-time ESPN News All-American (1997,1998), Three-time All Louisiana pick (1996,1997, 1998), three-time All-Southland Conference team member (1996, 1997, 1998) and a two-time All-Southland Conference Academic Team award recipient (1997,1998). Nelson started a school record 52 consecutive games at McNeese State University. Nelson was also selected to the Southland Conference’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Football Team in 2013. Nelson was inducted into the McNeese State Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Alexandria Senior High Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Following his career at McNeese State, Nelson was drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. Nelson spent his entire rookie season with the Chargers. His second year was spent between the Minnesota Vikings for the first five weeks of the season and the Jacksonville Jaguars for the remainder of the 2000 season. He was allocated to the Frankfurt Galaxy during the spring of 2001, played for the Barcelona Dragons during 2002 and was on the preseason roster of the Green Bay Packers in 2002. In 2005, Nelson played offensive tackle for the Ottawa Renegades of the CFL.
Nelson graduated from McNeese State in 1998 and then followed with a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology in 2005. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. (Fall 1995) and Psi Chi which is the National Honor Society in Psychology. He is married to the former Nikki Hunter and has two children Reggie (23) and Noah (20).
