Philip Nelson's winding path brought him back to the same football field as Mitch Leidner during the NFLPA's Collegiate Bowl last weekend.
For the first time in three years, the two ex-Gophers quarterbacks took the same field. Leidner was one of three quarterbacks on the "American" team facing Nelson, who started for the "National" squad in the college all-star game in Carson, Calif.
Nelson's National team walked away with a 27-7 win.
Leidner had a rough outing Saturday in the boxscore, completing just three of 12 passes for 38 yards while chipping in five carries for 11 rushing yards. Nelson led all six quarterbacks in the college all-star game with 102 passing yards on 11 of 18 attempts, including an interception.
Nelson, the Gophers' former prized recruit, played one season — as a walk-on at East Carolina — following his transfer from the University of Minnesota in January 2014 after on-field struggles that led to split snaps with Leidner.
Nelson went to Rutgers but was dropped by that program only months after his 2014 transfer due to charges that led to a guilty plea for a fifth-degree misdemeanor assault. Nelson was sentenced to 100 hours community service for his role in a 2014 fight that caused severe brain injuries to Isaac Kolstad, a former football player for Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Leidner took over after Nelson's departure in Minnesota and started for three years, compiling a 25-16 record as the Gophers starter. He threw for eight touchdowns to 12 interceptions last fall (adding 10 rushing touchdowns) with an 8-4 record at the helm.
It appears unlikely either Leidner or Nelson will be selected in this spring's NFL Draft, though Leidner's size (6-4, 230 pounds) could help him land an opportunity as an undrafted free agent.
