It'd be completely understandable if a defensive player wasn't exactly excited to go up against Quenton Nelson, either in practice or a game. The three-time All-Pro Colts guard has a proven track record of finishing blocks by hurling defenders into the turf.
And nobody wants to be on the wrong end of a highlight reel, after all.
But Isaac Rochell approached Nelson's piledriving prowess differently when the two were teammates at Notre Dame from 2014-2016. Rochell, in fact, relished the opportunity to square off against Nelson — especially with NFL eyes on them in practices in South Bend.
Now teammates again with Nelson with the Colts, Rochell explained his thinking on a conference call with reporters Wednesday.
"My senior year, while I'm going through this transitional process and I know I'm going to the NFL, we have scouts at practice — I used to intentionally go against Q because I knew people loved Q, and I'm like, I want to go against Q then," Rochell said. "So back at Notre Dame, I used to love competing against him. Knew back then when he was young I knew he was going to be a great player.
"But I'm super excited to compete against him again. The dude is great."
Rochell said Nelson reached out after he signed with the Colts to offer help on getting settled in Indianapolis, but also added an encouraging message.
"When I talked to Q," Rochell said, "first thing he says is 'You're going to love the locker room. You're going to love the guys.'"
Rochell comes to the Colts after four years with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he totaled 74 tackles, 9 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for a loss in 51 games. Rochell played in all 16 of the Chargers' games every year from 2018-2020 and sees himself fitting as a versatile defensive end in Matt Eberflus' 4-3 scheme.
While Rochell said he hasn't done a deep dive into exactly what his responsibilities will be in the defense yet, he did say he's expecting to compete and that the scheme and team seem "like it's the perfect fit."
While Rochell and Nelson go way back, he does have other connections to the Colts. Safety Matthias Farley, a former Notre Dame teammate who played for the Colts from 2016-2018, lauded the culture in Indianapolis. Rochell also reached out to ex-Chargers teammate Philip Rivers — an "absolute legend," Rochell said — about the Colts, too.
Those conversations, as well as trading direct messages with DeForest Buckner on Instagram, clearly left a strong impression on Rochell about his new team.
"It starts with Chris Ballard," Rochell said. "He's set a standard for nutrition, for how you need to take care of your body — kind of all these other things outside of just learning a scheme. Because that's the easy part. You can go find a guy standing outside the 7-11 who can learn a scheme. It's everything else that makes teams great. So you've got great players and great leadership and you see the results of that."
Defensive end Isaac Rochell signs with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021 free agency.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell signs autographs before an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell rushes in on defense against the Kansas City Chiefs during a NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chargers defeated the Chiefs 38-21. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell rushes in on defense against the Kansas City Chiefs during a NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chargers defeated the Chiefs 38-21. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) is covered by Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garett Bolles (72) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell, is covered by Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garett Bolles (72) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) is defended by Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Jake Matthews (70) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Walter Payton Man of the Year Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) warms up before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, December 13, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) pauses outside the huddle between plays against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell looks on from the sideline before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) walks the field before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Tight end Hunter Henry (86) and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) exit the field after an NFL football game against Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Emilee Chinn)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) warms up before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) walks on the field while warming up against the Denver Broncos before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov.. 1, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Justin Edmonds)
Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (3) runs with the football away from Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov.. 1, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Justin Edmonds)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) rushes Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) celebrates with defensive end Joey Bosa (97) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Chargers' Isaac Rochell s5ands on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) blocks against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell warms up before an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) blocks against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell (98) runs on the field, during the second half at an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell lines up New Orleans Saints during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull )
