Nate Solder was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (17th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
 

• Earned All-American first-team honors in 2010.
• Was a finalist for the Outland Trophy for the best college football offensive lineman as a senior.
• A durable performer, he played in 2,540 out of a possible 2,542 plays on offense from the beginning of his sophomore season through the end of his senior campaign.
• Started 36 of 49 total games during his college career, including four as a tight end in 2007.
• That play total included 1,400 snaps in pass protection, as he limited his opponents to just five quarterback sacks during that span.
• He arrived at Colorado as a 245-pound freshman tight end and transformed into a 319-pound All-American offensive tackle.
• Solder enrolled at Colorado in 2006, spending the season performing with the scout team. He appeared in 11 games in 2007, starting four contests as a blocking tight end. He caught three passes for 50 yards and recorded three tackles on special teams.
• Solder added over 30 pounds to his frame after his redshirt freshman campaign and emerged from 2008 preseason camp as the team's starting left offensive tackle.
• As a junior, Solder received All-American consideration, adding All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors. He played in all but two of the team's 852 offensive plays.
• One of four team captains, Solder put together one of the finest seasons ever by a Colorado offensive lineman in 2010.

SEASONAL REVIEWS

2010 SEASON

• Consensus All-American first-team selection, receiving that honor from the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News, Walter Camp, Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, Pro Football Weekly and Phil Steele's College Football.
• One of three finalists for the Outland Trophy.
• Unanimous All-Big 12 Conference first-team choice.
• Named the Male College Athlete of the Year by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and also garnered first-team All-Colorado honors from the state's NFF chapter.
• One of CU's four co-captains, as selected by his teammates.
• aelected the recipient of the Zack Jordan Award as the team's most valuable player.
• Provided excellent leadership for a vastly improved offensive line that yielded just 1.75 quarterback sacks per game after giving up an average of 3.67 sacks during his junior season.

2009 SEASON

• All-American third-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, adding fourth-team honors from College Football Insiders.
• Received All-Big 12 Conference first-team accolades from the league's coaches and honorable mention from the Associated Press.
• Earned first-team All-Colorado recognition from the state's chapter of the National Football Foundation.
• Named for the second straight year as one of the recipients of the team's Gold Group Commitment Award, which recognizes excellence with class in a variety of areas.
• Recipient of the John Wooten Award for outstanding work ethic, and was the Iron Buffalo Award winner among the offensive lineman, given to those at each position who represent hard work, dedication, toughness and total poundage lifted in the weight room.

2008 SEASON

• Solder added over thirty pounds of bulk to his frame during the offseason and emerged from fall camp as Colorado's starting left tackle.
• Named one of the recipients of the team's Gold Group Commitment Award which recognizes excellence with class in several areas of school, community and life in general.
• Chosen CU's offensive player of the week for the Kansas State game, and the team's lineman of the week for the Iowa State contest.

 
2007 SEASON

• Solder appeared in all 13 games, starting four regular season contests as a blocking tight end.
• Caught three passes for 50 yards (16.7 avg.) with a long of 23.

2006 SEASON

• Red-shirted as a freshman.

• Attended Buena Vista (Colo.) High School, playing football for renowned long-time head coach Bob Marken.
• Buena Vista posted a combined 27-4 record in his three full seasons on the varsity.
• Was a standout tight end and middle linebacker.
• As a senior, he had 31 receptions for 513 yards and eight touchdowns (and ran one reverse for a short game in the state playoffs), with 118 tackles, 76 solo, five for losses including two sacks, and a fumble recovery.
• For his career, Solder caught 62 passes for 899 yards and 13 touchdowns, while recording 256 tackles (173 solo, 83 assists) with six quarterback sacks and six fumble recoveries.
• Lettered three times in basketball at center, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per game as a senior when BVHS was the league and district champ.
• Lettered twice in baseball, playing first base and pitching (righthander).
• Boasted a 3.93 grade point average.
• Member of the National Honor Society and a regular honor roll student his entire prep career.
• Graduated with a degree in Biology in May 2010 (with a 3.52 grade point average).
• Took postgraduate classes toward a second major in integrative physiology during his final semester.
• One of 16 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes for 2010 and the recipient of an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.
• Finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (considered the "Academic" Heisman).
• Earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 Conference honors as a red-shirt freshman, sophomore, junior and senior, and also attained CoSIDA Academic All-District status his junior and senior years.
• Was the recipient of CU's Dean Jacob Van Ek Award for academic excellence for the 2008 and 2010 seasons.
• An accomplished artist (paintings and sculptures), some of his work earned all-state honors in high school.
• Following Christmas 2009, he traveled to Guatemala and volunteered at an orphanage. As a sophomore, he went to Italy during the summer to help rebuild a town after it suffered many collapses from an earthquake.
• Born April 12, 1988 in Denver, Colorado.