Nelson Spruce: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|American football wideplayer receiver(born 1992)}}

| name = Nelson Spruce

| image = Nelson Spruce signing autographs at Rams training camp.jpg

| image_size = 250

| alt =

| caption = Spruce signingwith autographsthe at[[Los RamsAngeles training campRams]] in 2017

| current_team =Free agent

| number = 86, 5

| position = [[Wide receiver]]

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|12|5}}

| birth_place = [[Westlake Village, California]], U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs =205 210

| high_school = [[Westlake High School (California)|Westlake]]<br>([[Thousand Oaks, California]])

| college = [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]] (2011–2015)

| undraftedyear = 2016

| pastteams =

* [[Los Angeles Rams]] ({{NFL Year|2016|2017}})*

| status =

| highlights =

'''Nelson Gregory Spruce''' (born December 5, 1992) is ana former [[American football]] [[wide receiver]] who is a [[free agent]]. He played [[college football]] at [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]].

Spruce attended [[Westlake High School (California)|Westlake High School]] in [[Thousand Oaks, California]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/12/sports/la-sp-0913-sondheimer-20100913|title=Thousand Oaks' Richard Mullaney, Westlake's Nelson Spruce can bowl over opponents|last=Sondheimer|first=Eric|date=2010-09-12|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> He was rated a three-star recruit by both [[Rivals.com]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/21411|title=Rivals.com|website=n.rivals.com|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> and [[ESPN.com]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=httphttps://espnwww.goespn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/106130/nelson-spruce|title=Nelson Spruce - Football Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN|website=ESPN.com|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> and committed to play [[college football]] at [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado.]]

After [[redshirt (college sports)|redshirting]] his freshman season, Spruce led the Colorado Buffaloes in receptions (44) and receiving yards (446) his freshman season and proceeded to rack up 55 catches for 650 receiving yards his sophomore season. His breakthrough year came during his junior season in 2014 when he set 31 school records<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cubuffs.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=318|title=Nelson Spruce - 2011 Football Roster - CuBuffs.com {{!}} University of Colorado Athletics|website=www.cubuffs.com|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> as well as a [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]] record for receptions in a game with 19 against [[California Golden Bears football|California]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pac-12.com/colorado-vs-cal-nelson-spruce-reception-record|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020043050/http://pac-12.com/colorado-vs-cal-nelson-spruce-reception-record|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 20, 2014|title=Nelson Spruce resets his Colorado reception record|website=Pac-12|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> As a senior in 2015, Spruce finished his college career by breaking the all-time Pac-12 receptions record in a game versus [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cubuffs.com/news/2015/10/31/210463900.aspx|title=Spruce Sets Pac-12 Receptions Record - CuBuffs.com {{!}} University of Colorado Athletics|website=www.cubuffs.com|date=October 31, 2015 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>

During his time at Colorado, Spruce set or tied 43 school or conference records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cubuffs.com/news/2015/12/4/210557697.aspx|title=Woelk: Spruce's Legacy Will Be More Than Numbers - CuBuffs.com {{!}} University of Colorado Athletics|website=www.cubuffs.com|date=December 4, 2015 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>

{{nflNFL predraft

|height ft = 6

|height in = 1 1/8

|weight = 206

|dash = 4.6958

After going undrafted in the [[2016 NFL Draft]], Spruce signed as an [[undrafted free agent]] with the [[Los Angeles Rams]] <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/rams-nelson-spruce-signs-with-rams/|title=Rams' Nelson Spruce: Signs with Rams|website=CBSSports.com|date=May 3, 2016 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> The rookie made a big impression in his first preseason game, catching six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown to help the Rams defeat the [[Dallas Cowboys]] 28-2428–24 in the team's first game back in Los Angeles after relocating from St. Louis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2016081353/2016/PRE1/cowboys@rams|title = Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams 2016 PRE 1 - Game Center|website = [[NFL.com]]}}</ref> However, Spruce suffered a knee injury on the game-winning play and was out for the remainder of the preseason. Spruce made the Rams' regular season roster, but remained on the inactive list. After suffering an additional calf injury, Spruce was placed on injured reserve on November 18, 2016, ending his rookie season without making his regular season NFL debut.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rams Promote DB Blake Countess To Active Roster, Place WR Nelson Spruce On I.R.|url=http://nfltraderumors.co/rams-promote-db-blake-countess-active-roster-place-wr-nelson-spruce-r/|date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

Spruce stayed with the Rams through the offseason program, and caught six passes against Dallas in the preseason opener, but he saw little action in the following weeks as he had to compete for a roster spot with newly- arrived receivers Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, [[Cooper Kupp]], and Josh Reynolds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/29/from-cult-hero-to-possibly-cut-beloved-rams-receiver-nelson-spruce-forges-on/|title = From cult hero to possibly cut, beloved Rams receiver Nelson Spruce forges on|date = August 30, 2017}}</ref> On September 2, 2017, Spruce was waived/injured by the Rams and placed on injured reserve.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rams Announce Roster Moves|url=http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-Announce-Roster-Moves/33a04e1d-a581-47b1-a2ef-75984001a240|author=Han, Jamie|website=TheRams.com|date=September 2, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208051619/http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-Announce-Roster-Moves/33a04e1d-a581-47b1-a2ef-75984001a240|archivedatearchive-date=February 8, 2018}}</ref> He was released by the team following an injury settlement two days later.

On October 16, 2017, Spruce was signed to the [[Chicago Bears]]' practice squad.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bears sign Nelson Spruce, release Jason Thompson|url=https://chi.247sports.com/Boltnfl/Nelsonchicago-Sprucebears/article/nelson-spruce-signed-by-Chicagochicago-Bearsbears--109039508/|website=247Sports.com|date=October 14, 2017}}</ref>

On May 14, 2018, Spruce signed with the [[Los Angeles Chargers]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Chargers Sign WR Nelson Spruce|url=http://www.chargers.com/news/2018/05/14/chargers-sign-wr-nelson-spruce|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515183822/http://www.chargers.com/news/2018/05/14/chargers-sign-wr-nelson-spruce|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 15, 2018|author=Henne, Ricky|website=Chargers.com|date=May 14, 2018}}</ref> He was waived on September 1, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chargers Cut Roster Down to 53|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/chargers-cut-roster-down-to-53|author=Henne, Ricky|website=Chargers.com|date=September 1, 2018}}</ref>

On September 28, 2018, Spruce signed with the [[San Diego Fleet]] of the new [[Alliance of American Football]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Alexander|url=https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2018/09/28/san-diego-aaf-pro-football-team-the-fleet-signs-former-usd-poway-star/|title=San Diego AAF Pro Football Team, the Fleet, Signs Former USD, Poway Star|newspaper=Times of San Diego|date=September 28, 2018|accessdateaccess-date=January 30, 2019}}</ref> During the third week of the AAF season against the [[San Antonio Commanders]], Spruce caught four passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-1131–11 victory. Spruce had a season high 12 catches for 146 yards in week seven against the [[Arizona Hotshots]]. The league ceased operations in April 2019.<ref>{{citeCite newsweb |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |last2=Wickersham |first2=Seth |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Inside the short, unhappy life of the Alliance of American Football |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26957796/inside-short-unhappy-life-alliance-american-football |titleaccess-date=InsideJanuary the short9, unhappy life of the Alliance of American Football |first=Seth Wickersham |last=Michael Rothstein2024 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |date=June 13, 2019 |accessdate=September 12, 2019}}</ref> Spruce would finish fifth in the [[Alliance of American Football]] in receiving yards with 426 and second in receptions with 38.

Spruce was drafted in the 3rd round in the [[2020 XFL Draft]] by the [[Los Angeles Wildcats (XFL)|Los Angeles Wildcats]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Bender|first=Bill|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/xfl-draft-tracker-results-picks-list-rosters-football-league/jahz8p84e4i61hb8lajqs4a22|title=XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league|website=[[Sporting News]]|date=October 21, 2019|accessdateaccess-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> In his first XFL game, Spruce caught 11 passes for 103 yards. In Week 2, he had six catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard pass.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reyes |first1=Lorenzo |title=XFL Week 2 winners and losers: As P.J. Walker and Cardale Jones thrive, other QBs struggle |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/xfl/2020/02/17/xfl-week-2-winners-losers-troubling-attendance-sloppy-qb-play/4782365002/ |accessdateaccess-date=February 17, 2020 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=February 17, 2020}}</ref> By the time the 2020 XFL season was suspended due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Spruce had only played in the first three out of a possible five games, but had caught 20 passes for 256 yards and 2 scores,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stats.xfl.com/Player/10546|title=XFL Live Stats|access-date=June 11, 2020|archive-date=April 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412014110/https://stats.xfl.com/Player/10546|url-status=dead}}</ref>, and was named to both the XFL mid-season awards list,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xfl.com/articles/all-xfl-midseason-team|title=All-XFL Midseason Team}}</ref> and was one of the highest rated receivers according to [[Pro Football Focus]].<ref>https://twitter.com/xfl2020/status/{{cite tweet|number=1247912697045438465/photo/1|user=XFL2023|title=The grades are in. ⁣⁣Take a look at the highest-graded players of the season according to @PFF.|date=April 8, 2020}}</ref> He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |author=Condotta, Bob |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |website=SeattleTimes.com |date=April 10, 2020 |accessdateaccess-date=July 17, 2020}}</ref>

* [http://www.therams.com/team/roster/Nelson-Spruce/77cef5fd-d306-4805-97b1-b70c540c9eef Los Angeles Rams profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729195400/http://www.therams.com/team/roster/nelson-spruce/77cef5fd-d306-4805-97b1-b70c540c9eef/ |date=July 29, 2016 }}

[[Category:PeoplePlayers of American football from Westlake Village, California]]