Nelson

Ceaser

Ceaser logged zero snaps in his 2024 rookie season. The Bills correspondingly waived WR Jalen Virgil and DE Justin Hollins with injury designations. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writes, “Virgil was quite limited during Wednesday’s practice, while Hollins was not on the field for the session.”

Caesar (6’3/254) is a former four star recruit who saw limited action during his initial two years with the Cougars. While he posted impressive production in 2023 with 9.5 sacks and 13.5 TFL’s, he possesses athletic limitations that will hold him back in the NFL. At the combine he solely weighed in and ran a 49th percentile 4.89s 40 yard dash. The Ridge Point HS product spent the majority of his time lined up at EDGE, but played about 14% of his total snaps at off-ball linebacker, a pattern that will not continue at the next level. As a pass rusher his bull rush may be his best move, but as a subpar athlete, he fails to convert speed to power effectively, with his charge often being stunted by tackles with heavy anchors. Unfortunately, he fairs no better as a finesse rusher. Caesar earned a solid 76.6 PFF run defense grade, but would have likely scored better if he did not waste quite as many snaps off the ball. Due to his athletic ceiling he is unlikely to become an effective pass rusher in the NFL, but if he can continue to stack blockers and make plays in the run, he could eventually become a part of your early down edge rotation.

The Cougars are expected to have Nelson (6'3/245) back with them as they take on the Rice Owls on the road Saturday. This will be our first real look at Ceaser, who hasn’t played in a game yet. Ceaser was a four-star recruit in 2019, choosing Houston over the likes of Arkansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Oklahoma. He was the first four-star prospect the Cougars were able to snatch in the 2019 class.

Ceaser also was considering offers from schools like Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Minnesota. He’s considered one of the best pass-rushers from the state of Texas, and 247 Sports composite rankings put him 39th overall among prospects from the state. At 6-foot-3, 220-pounds, Ceaser has an excellent frame, and reports indicate he has a quick first step. It’s the first four-star get in the 2019 class for the Cougars, who have the fifth-ranked AAC group in 247 Sports’ eyes.