Colts grab pass rusher Werner in first round of NFL Draft
By PAUL SIEGFRIED
ISL Correspondent
In need of a pass rusher with the departure of Dwight Freeney, the Indianapolis Colts selected Florida State’s Bjoern Werner with the 24th pick of the first round of Thursday’s 2013 NFL Draft.
Last year they were such a great team and they made it to the playoffs and they just surprised everybody and they were the Cinderella story,” Werner said. “It’s such an honor to go in there and try and help the team win. I can’t wait to prove that I’m worth that pick.”
Werner, at 6-3 1/4 and 266 pounds, can play defensive end but will most likely play as an outside linebacker in the Colts 3-4 defense. He was highly productive with the Seminoles a year ago, registering 18 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and had eight passes batted down.
“He’s a dynamic pass rusher. We knew we needed to address that. He was the highest rated player on the board at the time,” said Colts head coach Chuck Pagano.
Heading into the draft, the Colts had said they were receptive to trading down to gain extra picks. In the end, and with Werner still on the board, Colts’ GM Ryan Grigson decided to stay put and grab the pass rusher they needed.
“He was who he wanted. We were really happy he was there,” said Grigson. “He’s the first guy off the ball every down. His closing speed is excellent on the film.”
Werner’s strength is in his speed at the snap and is known to have a non-stop motor. While not a pure speed rusher, Werner uses his leverage to beat offensive linemen, then has a good closing burst to the quarterback. He also has good read-and-react skills, as evidenced by his 16 passes knocked down over the past two seasons.
The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft will be held on Friday. The Colts own the 24th pick of the third round, which is the 86th overall. They do not have a second-round pick after trading it to Miami a year ago for cornerback Vontae Davis.
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