{{short description|Canadian gridiron football player (born 1999)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox Canadian Football League biography | name = Nelson Lokombo | number = 25 | team = Saskatchewan Roughriders | image = 2025, 25, Nelson Lokombo.jpg | caption = Lokombo with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2025 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|3|23}} | birth_place = Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | status = Active | import = no | position1 = Defensive back | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 11 | weight_lb = 190 | CIS = Saskatchewan Huskies | high_school = W. J. Mouat Secondary | CFLDraftedYear = 2021 | CFLDraftedRound = 1 | CFLDraftedPick = 2 | playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2021}}–present | playing_team1 = Saskatchewan Roughriders | career_highlights = * Grey Cup champion (2025) * First-team All-Canadian (2019) * Presidents' Trophy (2019) | CFL = nelson-lokombo/166236/ }} '''Nelson Lokombo''' (born March 23, 1999) is a Canadian professional football defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
== University career == Lokombo played U Sports football for the Saskatchewan Huskies from 2017 to 2019.<ref name=Huskies>{{cite web|url=https://huskies.usask.ca/sports/football/roster/nelson-lokombo/2536 |title=Nelson Lokombo |publisher=Saskatchewan Huskies |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> In 2019, he was named a First-team All-Canadian and was also awarded the Presidents' Trophy as the top defensive player in U Sports football.<ref name=Huskies/> He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 U Sports football season.
== Professional career == In the CFL Scouting Bureau's Final Rankings, Lokombo was named the 17th best player available in the 2021 CFL draft.<ref name=AprRank>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2021/04/26/josh-palmer-tops-spring-cfl-scouting-bureau-rankings/ |title=Josh Palmer tops spring CFL Scouting Bureau Rankings |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=April 26, 2021}}</ref> However, he exceeded those rankings and was drafted second overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders and signed with the team on June 4, 2021.<ref name=signed>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2021/06/04/riders-sign-second-overall-draft-pick-nelson-lokombo/ |title=Riders sign second overall draft pick Nelson Lokombo |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a pre-training camp workout and sat out the entire 2021 season.<ref name=green-scene>{{cite web|url=https://www.riderville.com/2023/06/01/green-scene-appeals-to-roughriders-nelson-lokombo/ |title=Green scene appeals to Roughriders' Nelson Lokombo |publisher=Saskatchewan Roughriders |date=June 1, 2023}}</ref><ref name=debut>{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2022/06/10/former-second-overall-pick-nelson-lokombo-to-make-riders-debut-as-starting-cornerback/ |title=Former second overall pick Nelson Lokombo to make Riders debut as starting cornerback |publisher=3DownNation |date=June 10, 2022}}</ref>
Following 2022 training camp, Lokombo not only won a roster spot, but was also named an opening day starter at cornerback.<ref name=debut/><ref name=2022notes>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2022/10/06113602/2022_CFL_Gm_Notes_75_Ham_vs_Ssk.pdf |title=Game notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> He made his professional debut on June 11, 2022, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats where he had one defensive tackle.<ref name=CFLbio>{{cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/nelson-lokombo/166236/ |title=Nelson Lokombo |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> He started the first three games of the season before being moved to the injured list for the fourth game of the season.<ref name=2022notes/> Upon his return the active roster, Lokombo moved primarily to a backup role before returning to the injured list for the final five games of the season.<ref name=2022notes/> He played in 12 regular season games, starting in four, where he had 13 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, and one forced fumble.<ref name=CFLbio/><ref name=2022notes/>
In 2023, Lokombo played in the first 10 games of the regular season before sitting out seven of the last eight due to injury.<ref name=CFLbio/><ref name=2023notes>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2023/10/12114204/2023_CFL_Gm_Notes_79_Ssk_vs_Ham.pdf |title=Game notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> He played in 11 games, starting in one, where he had five defensive tackles and four special teams tackles.<ref name=CFLbio/><ref name=2023notes/>
== Personal life == Lokombo is the youngest of five brothers, with Boseko playing linebacker professionally in the CFL and Boloy having played defensive back for Minnesota–Duluth.<ref name=brotherly>{{cite web|url=https://theprovince.com/sports/football/cfl/bc-lions/football-ties-run-deep-with-the-lokombos-but-brotherly-bonds-run-deeper |title=Football ties run deep with the Lokombos, but brotherly bonds run deeper |last=Adams |first=J. J. |publisher=The Province |date=May 7, 2021}}</ref><ref name=Boloy>{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-province/20080820/282797827164733 |title=The dream chaser |last=Olajuwon |first=Hakeem |publisher=The Province |date=August 20, 2008}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://www.riderville.com/players/nelson-lokombo/166236/ Saskatchewan Roughriders bio]
{{Saskatchewan Roughriders roster navbox}} {{112th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lokombo, Nelson}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian football defensive backs Category:Players of Canadian football from British Columbia Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players Category:Sportspeople from Abbotsford, British Columbia Category:Saskatchewan Huskies football players