2023 TSF Cincinnati DPOY: P.J. Nelson
- Updated: February 20, 2024
When the Princeton (12-1) defense was on the field, one’s eyes automatically became fixated on linebacker P.J. Nelson who was named the 2023 TriState Football Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year, as TSF paid tribute to the area’s finest from Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton and Southeast Indiana at the Year in Review Show on Monday night, in front of a packed house at the Holy Grail in downtown Cincinnati.
The junior was a beast in the middle of a Vikings defense that allowed just 11.0 points per game (they didn’t allow more than 19 points in a game) in route to an undefeated regular season and the Princeton’s first outright GMC title since 1993. Nelson recorded 89 total tackles, had 12.0 sacks, 23.5 tackles for losses, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries. He found the end zone on a scoop-and-score and a pick-six.
Those efforts also earned Nelson OPSWA Division I Ohio Defensive Player of the Year, OPSWA Division I First Team All-Ohio, OPSWA Division I Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year, GMC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-TSF honors.
Nelson heads into his senior year with 151 total tackles, 18.0 sacks, 35.0 tackles for losses, 11 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception. His offers include Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, UMass, Miami (OH), Pitt, Ohio, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Charlotte, Toledo and Akron.
The other 2023 TSF Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year finalists were seniors Jacob Asbeck (Lakota West), Tayshawn Banks (Taft), Quaid Hauer (Wyoming), Terhyon Nichols (Withrow), Kyler Paul (Moeller), Shep Snell (Cincinnati Country Day) along with juniors Justin Hill (Winton Woods) and Jayonn Saunders (Purcell Marian). This was the second finalist nomination for Banks.
TriStateFootball.com was founded in 2005 and started its postseason awards in 2007. Nelson is the first player from Princeton and just the second junior (Kyle Bolden – 2015) to be named the TSF Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year.
TSF Cincinnati Defensive Players of the Year
2023 – P.J. Nelson (Princeton)
2022 – Jermaine Matthews Jr. (Winton Woods)
2021 – Jyaire Brown (Lakota West)
2020 – Dontay Corleone (Colerain)
2019 – Deshawn Pace (Colerain)
2018 – Ivan Pace Jr. (Colerain)
2017 – Cris Oats (Winton Woods)
2016 – Kyle Bolden (Colerain)
2015 – Kyle Bolden (Colerain)
2014 – Elijah Taylor (Moeller)
2013 – Sam Hubbard (Moeller)
2012 – Shane Jones (Moeller)
2011 – Adolphus Washington (Taft)
2010 – Steven Daniels (St. Xavier)
2009 – Marcus Rush (Moeller)
2008 – Chris Williams (Winton Woods)
2007 – Brandon Mills (Colerain)
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