As it has become a trend with the new regime, the Indianapolis Colts have had plenty of playing experience for their rookie class. It was no different in 2019.
While the jury is still out on the majority of the class—per usual with rookies—the Colts had a few standouts along the way. Three of those rookies were named to Pro Football Focus’ All-Rookie team for the 2019 season.
The three that made it were cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, linebacker Bobby Okereke and a bit of a surprise in kicker Chase McLaughlin.
Here’s what PFF had to say about all three of them:
Okereke: “Okereke hasn’t seen quite as much playing time as some other rookie linebackers, but when he has been on the field, no player from the class has a higher PFF grade. Okereke has been strongest in the most important area for a modern-day NFL linebacker: coverage. His 79.2 coverage grade ranks 10th among all off-ball linebackers, and though he doesn’t have any official interceptions to this point, he is due for one. Okereke has dropped two interceptions and had a pick-two on a two-point conversion that won’t show up on the stat sheet.”
A third-round pick, Okereke really had a strong second half. His coverage ability truly began to take off and his range as a tackler improved as well. With him, Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker, the Colts truly have a solid linebacker corps.
Ya-Sin: “Looking at the season from start to finish, Ya-Sin hasn’t had a smooth ride to a spot on the All-Rookie Team. A 55.0 coverage grade through the first nine weeks of the season set him back, but we saw improvement from the Temple product as the campaign wore on. From Week 10 through the end of the season, Ya-Sin picked up a 76.1 coverage grade while allowing just a 67.7 passer rating into his coverage. That’s the kind of performance the Colts expected when drafting him in the second round, and it’s what they’ll look for next season.”
There were some rocky games along the way, but Ya-Sin’s gained some valuable experience during the 2019 season. He steadily improved during the second half, which is exactly what the team wants to see with young players.
McLaughlin: PFF didn’t have any snippet for the undrafted rookie. But he was very solid when he arrived to Indy following the news that Adam Vinatieri had to undergo season-ending knee surgery. In four games with the Colts, McLaughlin converted five of six field-goal attempts (83.3%) and all 11 of his extra-point attempts. After signing him to a one-year extension, it seems McLaughlin will get the first chance at succeeding Vinatieri.