Begins his third season in the AFL and first with the Crush coming over as a free-agent in the 2007 off-season & Named 2006 AFL Rookie of the Year & Totaled second highest receiving yardage total by a rookie in AFL history in just 11 games with San Jose & Placed 8th overall in the league in yardage and ranked 3rd with 117.1 ypg & Named AFL Offensive Player of the Week (Wk 10) and Rookie of the Month (March) & Established multiple rookie San Jose franchise receiving records & A member of NFL Europe's Cologne Centurions first-ever team in 2004 & A consensus Division II All-American after setting several school and conference records at St. Cloud State & Had a streak of 34 games with a reception during his college career & Began his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings during the 2004 season & Originally signed as a free agent on October 25, 2005 & Re-signed on December 20, 2006 & Signed with the Crush on Nov. 5, 2007.
2007 (w/ San Jose): His second season in the AFL began with a San Jose team record of nine consecutive 100-yard receiving games & Surpassed Titus Dixon for 7th all-time in career receiving yards for the SaberCats & Tied a team game record with 14 receptions against Los Angeles and was also named the games Ironman with 180 yards and 4 touchdowns (3/4) & Matched a team record of 25 receptions in consecutive games the following week against Chicago (3/9) & Recorded his 10th 100-yard receiving game of his career with eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown at Georgia (3/24) & Reached the 2,000 career receiving yard mark against Colorado when he hauled in 127 yards (tying a team record ) on 12 catches with 3 touchdowns (4/6) & Had his streak of consecutive 100-yard receving games broken when he totaled 7 receptions for 97 yards against Las Vegas, however he did go over the 50 TD career mark in the game with two touchdown receptions (5/12) & Missed five games due to a leg injury, but made it back for the season finale, where he went over the 100-reception mark in just 11 games.
2006 (w/ San Jose): Played in 12 games his rookie season with San Jose starting the final 11 at OS...Became the second SaberCat to earn Rookie of the Year honors...Set franchise rookie records with 94 receptions, 1,405 yards and 26 TDs...Tied a team season record with 7 100-yard receiving games and holds the 2nd longest streak in team history with 4 straight 100-yard games...Tied a team mark with consecutive double-digit reception games and had 3 on the season...Made his AFL debut as backup WR/LB after sitting out the first two games with an injury (at Arizona 2/12)...Caught 7 passes, including his 1st career TD, while making his 1st AFL start at OS (at Utah 3/4)...Caught a career-best 13 passes, the 2nd highest game total in team history (vs Georgia 3/17)...Notched his 3rd straight 100-yard receiving game with 138 yards on 9 grabs (at Nashville 3/25)...Totaled 203 receiving yards, the 2nd highest game total in team history and 4th straight 100-yard receiving game, with 5 TDs on 11 catches for Offensive Player of the Game (vs Arizona 4/2)...Had 6 catches for 120 yards, his 6th 100-yard game in 8 starts, and surpassed the 1,000 mark for the year (vs Austin 4/22)...Had 9 catches for 117 yards, equaling a team season record with 7 100-yard games (vs Colorado 5/6)...Totaled 81 receiving yards to become the 2nd rookie in AFL history to reach 1,400 in a season (vs Columbus 5/13).
COLLEGE: Had an outstanding four-year career at Division II St. Cloud (Minn.) State University...Ended his career as SCSU's all-time leader in TD receptions (43) and points (266)...Also ranked 2nd all-time in receptions and 3rd in receiving yards in school history...Had a streak of 34 consecutive games with a reception...Named All-American by Associated Press, AFCA Division II Coaches and Football Gazette following 69 receptions as a senior...Earned North Central Conference's Most Valuable Receiver and first-team all-conference honors...Caught a school record 4 TDs in consecutive games...Earned second-team All-NCC as a junior and caught a pass in every game his sophomore year.
PERSONAL: Born Benjamin Scott Nelson on August 21, 1979 in Coon Rapids, Minn....Earned all-conference honors while playing at Anoka (Minn.) High School...Also an honorable mention All-Metro and All-State honoree...Lettered three times as a member of the basketball team...Graduated with academic honors and received President's Scholarship to SCSU...His parents Dennis and Marge, brother, Eric, and sister, Stephanie, all live back home in Minnesota.
