Siegfried: Signings open up options for Colts in NFL Draft
By PAUL SIEGFRIED
ISL Correspondent
It’s the time of year when Mel Kiper’s hair is in full bloom and every pro football prognosticator pulls out their crystal ball.
That’s right. It’s time for the NFL Draft, and the speculation as to who will end up where is well underway. For the Indianapolis Colts, an active free-agency period has put them into a good position for the draft, which runs from April 25-27.
The Colts hold the 24th pick in the first round. They have five other picks, including picks in the third round (86th overall), fourth round (121st), sixth round (192nd), and two in the seventh (230, 254). The second round pick went to Miami in the trade for cornerback Vontae Davis, and the fifth-rounder went to San Francisco in a swap of picks last year.
General manager Ryan Grigson addressed a number of the Colts’ needs in free agency, signing 10 players to shore up the offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and secondary. That leaves Grigson with plenty of options heading into the draft, including the possibility they could be a player for a draft-day trade. The Colts could add picks by moving down or even out of the first round entirely.
Should Grigson stick where he is in the first round, he should be in a position to choose the best player available rather than reaching for a need.
With Dwight Freeney gone and Robert Mathis getting up in age, the Colts could use a pass rusher as they continue to transition into a 3-4 defense. But by the 24th pick, the top stand-up outside linebackers ” Jarvis Jones of Georgia, Dion Jordan of Oregon, Barkevious Mingo of LSU and fast-rising Ezekiel Ansah of Brigham Young are all likely to be gone.
The Colts could go for player like Texas A&M OLB Damontre Moore, but Moore’s stock dropped after a lackluster Combine performance in February. UCLA’s highly-productive but inconsistent DE Datone Jones is a possibility, but he is not a true edge rusher and might be a reach at No. 24, as would LSU DE Sam Montgomery and Texas DE Alex Okafor.
Linebackers Arthur Brown of Kansas State and Alec Ogletree of Georgia are better fits in 4-3 defenses, but could be available to the Colts and used inside.
Despite signing tackle Gosder Cherilus and guard Donald Thomas in free agency, the Colts go decide to continue to bolster the offensive line with some young talent. There are three top left tackles in the draft with Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M, Eric Fisher of Central Michigan and Lane Johnson of Oklahoma all expected to be chosen in the first 15 picks.
The Colts could go with Alabama’s massive road-grading right tackle D.J. Fluker, or might go with a top guard like Chance Warmack of Alabama or Jonathan Cooper of North Carolina, who could both fall to the lower part of the first round.
Darrius Heyward-Bey was added in free agency to the wide receiver corps, which also includes veteran Reggie Wayne and second-year burner T.Y. Hilton. But DHB was signed to just a one-year contract, Wayne is nearing the end of his career and Hilton is relegated to the slot. Choosing a wide receiver in the first round isn’t out of the question for the Colts, although the position is a deep one this year and Grigson could find a backup later in the draft.
If they do go for a receiver, someone like Tennessee’s Justin Hunter, Cal’s Keenan Allen and Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins have good size-speed combinations and might be available with the 24th pick. Tavon Austin of West Virginia is an interesting prospect who is undersized at just 5-7, but who blazed to a 4.34 40 time at the Combine and is a dangerous kick returner.
The Colts have also made moves to shore up their secondary with the signing of S LaRon Landry and cornerback Greg Toler this year and trading for Vontae Davis a year ago. But there is still a need there and four solid cornerbacks might be available at No. 24 with Johnathan Banks of Mississippi State, Logan Ryan of Rutgers, Xavier Rhodes of Florida State and Desmond Trufant of Washington all with late first/early second grades. Trufant comes from NFL bloodlines following two brothers into the league.
Even though the Colts have a deep roster of running backs, they could still be looking for the lead back they have been missing in recent years. This year’s draft is one of the weakest for running backs. Alabama’s Eddie Lacy and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball should be available if the Colts choose to go that way.
It gets harder to predict in the later rounds, and the Colts will be looking to add depth and future starters with their picks in the third and fourth rounds.
Offensive line choices could be Justin Pugh of Syracuse or Terron Armstead of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who was relatively unknown until he ran a 4.78 40 at the Combine, the best-ever time for an offensive lineman. Barrett Jones of Alabama is the top-rated center, but could fall into the third round. He is one of the most versatile linemen in the draft, capable of playing anywhere on the line.
The deep wideout pool could produce a big target like Robert Woods of USC or a burner like Marquis Goodwin of Texas.
If the Colts are willing to take a risk, South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore could be available in the middle rounds. Lattimore looked like a sure-fire first-rounder just two years ago, but suffered two knee injuries, including a devastating one last season in which he tore three of the four knee ligaments. He is making another remarkable comeback, but is still likely a year away from competing.
On defense, the Colts might look for an edge-rushing OLB such as Illinois’ Michael Buchanan or Washington State’s Travis Long. At cornerback, Mississippi State’s Darius Slay and Utah State’s Will Davis grade out as players with big upsides to be future starters.
One other intriguing prospect is former LSU cornerback Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu. Famously dismissed from the Tigers’ squad for a drug-policy violation, Mathieu was a first-team All-American and a Heisman finalist before his fall from grace. He flashed electric ability when he was on the field, and some team will be willing to take a chance on Mathieu and hope that he has turned things around.
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