▁was ▁chief ▁pit master ▁for ▁Lim estone ▁County . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁four - s port ▁ath lete ▁at ▁Ath ens ▁High ▁School ▁playing ▁football , ▁basketball , ▁track ▁and ▁baseball , ▁serving ▁as ▁co - capt ain ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁team ▁and ▁winning ▁letters ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁his ▁four ▁years ▁he ▁completed . ▁Nelson ▁played ▁quarter back ▁and ▁def ensive ▁back ▁for ▁then ▁M emph is ▁State ▁University . ▁A ▁four - year ▁letter man ▁( 1 9 5 2 – 1 9 5 6 ), ▁he ▁gained ▁All - American ▁recognition ▁in ▁his ▁senior ▁season . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁to ▁their ▁first - ever ▁bow l ▁game , ▁the ▁Bur ley ▁Bowl ▁in ▁Johnson ▁City , ▁Tennessee , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁vict orious ▁over ▁East ▁Tennessee ▁State . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁Nelson ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Col ts ▁in ▁the ▁ele vent h ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁NFL ▁D raft . ▁ ▁Having ▁played ▁both ▁quarter back ▁and ▁def ensive ▁back ▁in ▁college , ▁the ▁Col ts ▁made ▁him ▁a ▁def ensive ▁player . ▁ ▁Nelson ▁started ▁ 1 2 ▁games ▁his ▁ro ok ie ▁season , ▁with ▁ 5 ▁inter ception s ▁for ▁ 2 9 ▁yards . ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁Nelson ▁would ▁record ▁ 8 ▁inter ception s ▁for ▁ 1 9 9 ▁yards ▁and ▁ 1 ▁touch down . ▁The ▁Col ts ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win