Freshman offensive lineman Zion Nelson will be making his first career start at tackle when the Miami Hurricanes take on the No. 8 Florida Gators on Saturday in Orlando.

Nelson was rated by ESPN as a three-star prospect at the time he was recruited out of South Carolina. He was the No. 39th ranked player in the state by 247sports.com.

As a senior, Nelson was a key part of a 10-1 team at Sumter High School that finished the 2018 season in the Class 5A regional semifinals. Sun Belt Conference schools like Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina were among others to have sent Nelson recruiting offers before signing with the Canes.

Nelson graduated high school early and enrolled at the University of Miami in January at the start of the spring semester. He got an early jump on learning offensive coordinator Dan Enos’ system and said back in fall camp that he, “probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if I hadn’t been here in the spring.

His first test will likely be his biggest of the season. Fellow offensive lineman, Navaughn Donaldson, also started as a true freshman and offered sound advice during his media availability on Wednesday.

“I told Zion myself, the game is going to be slower than practice,” Donaldson said. “You’re not going to be as tired. I mean, there are going to be drives where you do get tired but it’s not going to be where you’re hellishly exhausted, like your have to hurry up. The game is a little slower than practice and I just told him to take your time and communicate. You’re gonna communicants and we’re going to work this out and it’s going to be a good game.”