# Nelson Lokombo

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Nelson_Lokombo.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Lokombo
> Source revision: 1339571873
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{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](/source/Saskatchewan_Roughriders) in 2025
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1999|3|23}}
| birth_place       = [Abbotsford, British Columbia](/source/Abbotsford%2C_British_Columbia), Canada
| death_date        = 
| death_place       = 
| status            = Active
| import            = no
| position1         = [Defensive back](/source/Defensive_back)
| height_ft         = 5
| height_in         = 11
| weight_lb         = 190
| CIS               = [Saskatchewan Huskies](/source/Saskatchewan_Huskies_football)
| high_school       = [W. J. Mouat Secondary](/source/W._J._Mouat_Secondary_School)
| CFLDraftedYear    = 2021
| CFLDraftedRound   = 1
| CFLDraftedPick    = 2
| playing_years1    = {{CFL Year|2021}}–present
| playing_team1     = [Saskatchewan Roughriders](/source/Saskatchewan_Roughriders)
| career_highlights = 
* [Grey Cup](/source/Grey_Cup) champion ([2025](/source/112th_Grey_Cup))
* First-team [All-Canadian](/source/U_Sports_Football_All-Canadian_Team) ([2019](/source/2019_U_Sports_football_season))
* [Presidents' Trophy](/source/Presidents'_Trophy_(U_Sports)) ([2019](/source/2019_U_Sports_football_season))
| CFL               = nelson-lokombo/166236/
}}
'''Nelson Lokombo''' (born March 23, 1999) is a Canadian professional [football](/source/Canadian_football) [defensive back](/source/defensive_back) for the [Saskatchewan Roughriders](/source/Saskatchewan_Roughriders) of the [Canadian Football League](/source/Canadian_Football_League) (CFL).

== University career ==
Lokombo played [U Sports football](/source/U_Sports_football) for the [Saskatchewan Huskies](/source/Saskatchewan_Huskies_football) 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](/source/Saskatchewan_Huskies) |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> In [2019](/source/2019_U_Sports_football_season), he was named a [First-team All-Canadian](/source/U_Sports_Football_All-Canadian_Team) and was also awarded the [Presidents' Trophy](/source/Presidents'_Trophy_(U_Sports)) 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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Canadian_Football_League) |date=April 26, 2021}}</ref> However, he exceeded those rankings and was drafted second overall by the [Saskatchewan Roughriders](/source/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](/source/Canadian_Football_League) |date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> Unfortunately, he suffered a torn [Achilles tendon](/source/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](/source/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](/source/2022_Saskatchewan_Roughriders_season), Lokombo not only won a roster spot, but was also named an opening day starter at [cornerback](/source/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](/source/Canadian_Football_League) |access-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> He made his professional debut on June 11, 2022, against the [Hamilton Tiger-Cats](/source/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](/source/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](/source/2023_Saskatchewan_Roughriders_season), 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](/source/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](/source/Boseko_Lokombo) playing [linebacker](/source/linebacker) professionally in the CFL and Boloy having played defensive back for [Minnesota–Duluth](/source/Minnesota_Duluth_Bulldogs_football).<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](/source/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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nelson Lokombo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Lokombo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Lokombo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.