By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Anthony Nelson defies many of the stereotypes for a football player.

For one thing, he stands nearly 6-feet-8 and probably looks more like a power forward in basketball than a defensive end in football.

Nelson’s laid-back personality also makes him standout in a sport where many of the players are highly emotional and cherish the spotlight.

He speaks softly and seems more stoic than stoked.

“I’m pretty mellow, pretty laid back and all that,” Nelson said Tuesday. “But I just like to compete, and I have fun competing and working hard and pushing my body.

“And that’s the thing that’s great about being on a football team is that everybody else around you is feeling the same thing and you compete against them and compete with them. It’s just a fun atmosphere and then getting that chance to go out and perform on Saturday, that’s what gets you excited.”

Nelson was among a select number of Iowa players who were made available to the media on Tuesday for a mid-summer update.

He talked about his never-ending quest to improve in all areas as a player and how he approaches that challenge during the summer months.

“When you’re not in pads, it’s a good opportunity to work on your fundamentals and pay attention to those details that make you successful,” Nelson said.

Nelson’s approach is obviously working, considering his success on the field.

The Waukee native enters his redshirt junior season on the verge of stardom after leading Iowa with 7 ½ sacks last season. He also had 9 ½ tackles for loss, four pass break-ups and two forced fumbles.

“There is definitely flashes of stuff I did well,” Nelson said. “But the biggest thing I want to work on, and that I’m always working on, is just bring that consistently, making those good plays more consistently.”

Nelson’s soft-spoken approach fits perfectly in the environment that is present at Iowa after nearly two decades under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

The whole always takes priority over the individual parts under Ferentz, and that even includes how the Iowa players enter the stadium on game day in their traditional swarm formation.

Hayden Fry started the tradition in which the players take the field in a tight formation and with their arms locked. Ferentz has honored the tradition since replacing Fry in 1999.

“I like the Swarm,” Nelson said. “It’s a good symbol of what we’re about and Iowa fans recognize that and they get excited and that gets us excited.

“We get to look to our left and right and see our teammates and just get ready to go compete with them.”

Nelson's teammates showed their respect by selecting him as one of the 12 players to Iowa's Leadership Group. That honor is usually a pretty good sign that a player is taking care of business on and off the field.

Nelson plays a position that is arguably the deepest on the team with fellow starter Parker Hesse also returning at defensive end, along with rising star A.J. Epenesa and dependable walk-on Sam Brincks.

They will be asked to carry a heavy load as Iowa breaks in three new starters at linebacker and one at defensive tackle.

Nelson's role as an Iowa football player is sort of a family affair with his father, Jeff Nelson, having played on the defensive line at Iowa from 1990-92 under Fry.

Nelson’s younger brother, Nathan Nelson, is also an incoming freshman walk-on for the Hawkeyes at defensive end.

Nathan Nelson is about four inches shorter than Anthony, but their personalities apparently are similar.

“I’d say we’re pretty similar,” Anthony said. “We’re both pretty laid-back, but when it’s time to compete, we like to get after it.”