Indianapolis Colt’s Draft Grade

Seen as one of the most threatening teams out of the AFC South the past few seasons, many are still hopeful for the Indianapolis franchise despite the Jaguars being the obvious favorites to win the division. With a new regime now in place with the hiring of HC Shane Steichen, hope is still in the air with the Colts still having All-Pro players such as Jonathan Taylor, Quentin Nelson, DeForest Buckner, and Shaquille Leonard on their roster. So, with this year’s draft now over, let’s take a look at the Colt’s draft grade for this year.

Overall Draft Grade: A

Round 1 (4): Anthony Richardson, QB – Florida

How he fits in…

Everyone knew the Colts needed a new franchise quarterback since Andrew Luck announced his retirement, and it appears they may have found that player in Anthony Richardson. As explained in a previous article, he’s a high risk very high upside type of player whose development is projected to be like that of Eagle’s QB Jalen Hurts. There will be growing pains, but with an offense featuring one of the league’s top runningbacks, prominent wide receivers in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, an offensive line led by All-Pro talent Quentin Nelson, and a creative play caller in Shane Steichen, the pieces are in place for Richardson to excel in the NFL. 

Where he falls short…

The pieces may be around Richardson to perform well in his first season, but the fact of the matter is he still has a lot of work to be done. His pocket awareness is almost nonexistent, he’s slow when getting through his progressions, and he’s inaccurate and inconsistent when delivering the football. Like I said the pieces are around him to succeed, but this was also said about Matt Ryan last year. 

Round 2 (44): Julius Brents, CB – Kansas State 

How he fits in…

Finally reaping the benefits from an amazing Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Julius Brents will go into summer ball as one of the top outside cornerbacks on the depth chart, allowing Kenny Moore to remain in the Slot. A big and lengthy corner, he’ll likely be tasked with covering some of the larger receivers in the AFC South. He isn’t the fastest cornerback, emphasizing the need to get his hands on receivers, but in Gus Bradley’s Cover-3 scheme, this should allow his size, length, and athleticism to flourish. 

Where he falls short…

The problem that will come with Brents being asked to play a lot of man and Cover-3 match opposed to a strict Cover-2 defense will be that he’ll either need to match or stay on top of routes. He doesn’t have the speed to play a deep trail technique and he gets too handsy if a receiver stacks him in press bail. Because of this, he’ll likely have to play off coverage more often than not, making him susceptible to quick-breaking routes and double moves. Another issue with him having to play off coverage is that he also often takes a false step when breaking downhill on receivers or the ball. He has the traits, but in the NFL, you often need more than just traits.

Round 3 (79): Josh Downs, WR – North Carolina

How he fits in…

He isn’t the largest receiver at 5’9” and 171 pounds, but he’s a quick and explosive athlete with excellent acceleration. He’ll be a slot receiver in Indianapolis where he has the potential to be a major YAC (Yards After Catch) guy due to Shane Steichen’s RPO offense going to create plenty of one on one opportunities for him. Even against zone coverage, Downs does a good job varying the tempo of his routes to fool defenders and create space. Lastly, Downs has shown a surprising ability to catch through contact which will be pivotal for his success given that windows in the NFL will be tighter than what they were in the ACC. 

Where he falls short…

Until he has repeatedly proven himself, people will continue to look down on him because of his size. As light a player as Downs is, he can easily be taken out of plays by bigger corners and is more susceptible to being rerouted. Also, although he’ll be a misdirection threat on run plays when he’s not in motion, he’s almost useless on the field with how he’s unable to latch on to defenders and drive them downfield with a good block. 

Round 4 (106): Blake Freeland, OT – BYU

How he fits in…

A riser in the later stages of this year’s draft cycle, many had Blake Freeland projected as a late round two or round 3 selection. With the Colts taking him in the fourth round, this makes Freeland a tremendous value pick. At 6’8”, Freeland has great size and good length for the position and, although massive, has great movement abilities as he’s smooth when mirroring rushers and can easily work his way around an offensive line when pulling. Additionally, at only 303 pounds, Freeland has plenty of room to add to his frame. He isn’t poised to be a starter currently. However, with there being a potential out of Braden Smith’s contract after this season, and second-year man Bernhard Raimann allowing seven sacks last season, Freeland could see the field sooner than expected. 

On a side note, Raimann is still relatively new to the tackle position. Despite his struggles, he’s still shown potential thanks to his athleticism and willingness to learn. A possibility for Indianapolis could be moving Raimann to the right side, opting out of Smith’s contract, and plugging Freeland into the LT spot. 

Where he falls short…

An impressive offensive lineman largely thanks to his athleticism, one of Freeland’s biggest inefficiencies is the timing and accuracy of his first punch. Too often he punches too early resulting in his hands being swatted and him fighting to regain control. Even if he is timely, he can be very inaccurate which often ends up producing the same results. This is a very solvable problem, but, with Anthony Richardson’s inefficiencies, it’s likely that Shane Steichen will call more play-action and RPOs than he did with the Eagles last season. If Freeland continues to whiff against NFL competition, he offers a straight line to the quarterback in these situations. 

Round 4 (110): Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE – Northwestern

How he fits in…

A great value pick in the fourth round, many evaluators gave Adebawore round 2-3 grades. Listed as a defensive end, Adebawore will likely play all along the defensive line in Gus Bradley’s 4-3 base defense. He’s both fast and strong, respectively posting a 4.49 40-yard dash and 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. On the outside, he has the arm length, speed, and upfield explosiveness to beat offensive tackles consistently. Along the interior, he plays with the strength, lateral explosiveness, proper technique, and leverage to win his pass rush in a myriad of ways. Paired alongside linemen DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Samson Ebukam, Adebawore will be able to learn from experienced veterans and should have the opportunity to display his talents as offensive lines will already be occupied by these vets. 

Where he falls short…

In order for Adebawore to excel, Gus Bradley will have to use him wisely. He has inside/outside versatility but needs to be used so carefully. On the edge, Adebawore’s flexibility is subpar whereas on the inside, he lacks to prototypical size for an NFL interior defensive lineman. Furthermore, Adebawore’s play awareness is below average as he often gets too caught up in the intensity of play. When engaging with linemen, Adebawore often becomes so attentive to the blocker in front of him that he takes too much time to shed blocks and get past an opponent’s front five. 

Round 5 (141): Darius Rush, CB – South Carolina

How he fits in…

Rush is a perfect fit within Gus Bradley’s defense. He’s long, fast, and physical with 33-inch arms, a 4.36 40-yard dash, and a 6’2” 198-pound frame. He mirrors routes well and he’s patient but quick to attack when the ball is in the air. Rush will play best in zone coverage playing over the top allowing him to read the quarterback and play in front of him. However, this doesn’t mean he isn’t good down the field as his physicality is often too much for receivers to handle. Thanks to his speed and physicality, Rush is a dangerous player on the boundary making him very disruptive when blitzing. Brents will have the upper hand on the depth chart going into summer camp, but it isn’t far-fetched to think that Rush could win a starting CB spot on the outside when it’s all said and done. 

Where he falls short…

He’s capable of matching releases from the line of scrimmage but shouldn’t be relied upon to do so regularly. The former Gamecock’s hips are tight which will create problems if he has to mirror multi-breaking routes. Along with this, Rush sometimes gets too preoccupied with what’s in front of him allowing receivers to run past him. Whether it be him trying to read the quarterback’s eyes or trying to bait a route, Rush will need to be more disciplined if he wishes to see the field as a starter come fall. 

Round 5 (158): Daniel Scott, S – Cal 

How he fits in…

A team captain at Cal, Daniel Scott is a good character with a very high football IQ. He’ll play best playing center field in a single high coverage allowing him to read QBs and the play in front of him. From this Scott uses his speed, range, and length to make a play on the football. When he’s on the field, expect to see him close to the football often. Scott’s quick recognition and good break out of his backpedal allows him to get in on the action before it ends. Overall, Scott is a productive player who has a knack for being near the football. 

Where he falls short…

With Julian Blackmon the primary FS on the depth chart, it will be difficult for Scott to get a notable amount of snaps. However, don’t expect to see him filling in at the SS or nickel positions since that is where he struggles most. He’s too flatfooted when playing man coverage, allowing receivers to run past him and time for receivers to get the ball and turn upfield on short-breaking routes. Along with this, although he has good size for the safety position, he isn’t one to hit stick ball carriers as seen by how much he loses momentum from breaking down too much before going into tackles. He’s an explosive and fast athlete, but it doesn’t look like he’ll get much faster or stronger in the NFL.

Round 5 (162): Will Mallory, TE – Miami

How he fits in…

Coming with Shane Steichen to Indianapolis will also be a new offense. Because of this, Indy has been focused on bringing in the right players that can run the offense smoothly to highlight Anthony Richardson’s strengths. A smooth and speedy tight end, Mallory can be used a multitude of ways in the passing game the way his long strides allow him to quickly get downfield and with how he snaps at the top of his routes. Along with this, he does offer some potential after the catch thanks to his speed. He won’t be used much in the run game due to Mo Alie-Cox and Jelani Woods being on the roster but he’s capable of holding his own in the run game thanks to his good footwork and hand positioning when blocking. 

Where he falls short… 

Despite being nearly 6’5”, Mallory is light for a tight end at 239 pounds. Against ACC competition, Mallory was consistently knocked off his routes by linebackers. Along with this, he’s also not physical enough to hold up against defensive ends in the NFL. He has the technique, but he doesn’t have the strength or the passion for blocking as other tight ends do. Lastly, Mallory is also coming to an unfortunate situation where there are currently three tight ends ahead of him on the depth chart. Woods and Alie-Cox will be featured tight ends in run support while Mallory will likely have to fight his way into getting snaps alongside Kylen Granson on pass plays. 

Round 5 (176): Evan Hull, RB – Northwestern

How he fits in…

Compact and explosive would be the best two words to use when describing Northwestern’s Evan Hull. He isn’t the largest back, but he knows how to take a hit and stay upright to fall forward for extra yardage. In the Colt’s offense, he’ll primarily be a passing option out of the backfield. But where fans should expect to see him is on special teams. With Jonathan Taylor and Zach Moss being one and two on the depth chart ahead of him, Steichen will be looking to optimize Hull’s talents elsewhere. Even on special teams, he’ll potentially have Isaiah McKenzie and Josh Downs as returners ahead of him, but with these two receivers expected to have larger roles in the offense, this could allow for Hull to snag a play or few as these players will need to be saved for the entirety of the game. 

Where he falls short…

As exciting as it will be seeing Hull returning kicks and punts, the same can’t be said for him offensively. Hull doesn’t offer much to an NFL offense besides his pass-catching abilities. Carrying the ball out of the backfield, his short-area footwork isn’t clean enough to make defenders miss in holes and he doesn’t have the acceleration needed to quickly fire through tight gaps. Moreso, Hull shouldn’t be relied upon much in pass protection as he lacks the technique to efficiently block for his quarterback. He’ll be used in situations other than long third downs, but it’ll be sparingly to keep defenses on their toes. 

Round 6 (211): Titus Leo, DE – Wagner

How he fits in…

It’s going to be an uphill battle for Leo to make the final 53-man roster this fall. He has the size and he has the length, but what really draws people to his game is the tenacity he plays with. In his pass rush, Leo is violent throwing his first punch. This is also the same when defending the run as the violence he plays with does more to shed blockers than his play strength. Leo isn’t projected to make the roster right now with the other edge rushers that are on the roster, but with a good summer and preseason, Leo could make the roster as a special teams contributor.

Where he falls short…

He had a very productive collegiate career but look at the level of competition he played against at Wagner. Along with this, Leo’s tight hips and inflexibility don’t make him the ideal pass rusher to go against premier offensive tackles nor does it give the Colts the range to move him back to linebacker. Playing against the run, he gives up too much ground, especially when offensive linemen are swinging around, and when rushing the passer, his hand usage is not dynamic enough to make up for where he lacks. Because of this, it’s most likely that Leo ends up on the practice squad to begin the regular season. 

Round 7 (221): Jaylon Jones, CB – Texas A&M

How he fits in…

If the Colt’s plan was to beef up their secondary with big, physical outside cornerbacks, they executed it down to every crossed “t” and dotted “i.” Jones is another outside CB that is physical and excels in zone coverage. His speed may not be top-notch for an NFL CB, but he does a good job at staying on top of routes until he needs to quickly break on routes where he comes downhill looking to do damage. Prior to breaking on a ball, Jones does a good job separating himself quickly from routes allowing him to get in the catching space of receivers. Lastly, Jones is very reliable in the run game. He breaks down well going into tackles, but not enough to where he loses momentum. Additionally, because of his length, Jones creates a web around ball carriers as he wraps them up and brings them to the ground. 

Where he falls short…

The biggest place where Jones can improve is in press coverage. He moves well, but he gives up to much ground while he gets his initial reads of receivers. From this, Jones allows himself to be routed up as he quickly loses leverage on his assignment. Speed could make up for this until his technique is improved but, as I mentioned earlier, Jones isn’t the type of corner to go step for step with receivers. What he needs to do is use his size and physical nature to get his hands on receivers closer to the line of scrimmage instead of grabbing them down the field or at the top of routes. 

Round 7 (236): Jake Witt, OT – Northern Michigan

How he fits in…

Adding OL depth by selecting Blake Freeland, why not use their last selection to draft an OT to develop? That’s what this selection is. Jake Witt is a recent TE converted to OT who plays with great athleticism. Because of this, Witt has shown the footwork and fluidity in his movements needed to be a reliable OT. For as little as he’s played the position, he also has good length, speed, and explosion. There won’t be high expectations on him initially, but it’s exciting to think of the player he can become with his size, athleticism, and progress he’s shown in a short time span. 

Where he falls short…

There are two things Witt will need to do to get even the backup RT spot: add weight/strength and experience. Incorrectly, people often associate strength with weight. Witt will need to bulk up, especially in his lower body, if he wishes to play a brand of football that will gain him favor. Along with this, Witt will need to be selfish in training camp; selfish at getting every rep he can whether it be against other fringe players or against the Colt’s All-Pro names. He has the athleticism and talent, but it can’t be stressed enough how much more muscle and experience Witt needs to add. 

Bringing things to a close…

When looking at where the Colts needed to most improve, it was at the QB, DB, OL, DE, and WR positions. Going down the list, the Colts drafted a potential franchise QB, added a S and a few CBs who will play great in Gus Bradley’s defense, provided depth at the OL and DE positions, and drafted a starting slot receiver in Josh Downs. On top of this, they even added depth at the RB and TE positions. Although in a tough division, there’s plenty of reason for hope thanks to this year’s draft class.