With the No. 49 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected defensive end Ben Banogu out of TCU.
When Banogu was drafted, there was a lot of excitement as to what he could bring to the Colts defense. An uber-athletic prospect with some bend around the edge and the ability to play in space was intriguing for a defense that needed more athleticism in the middle.
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At first, the Colts were going to have Banogu work at the SAM linebacker position next to Anthony Walker (MIKE) and Darius Leonard (WILL). But they were intrigued during the spring practices to the point where they made him a full-time defensive end.
While there was excitement, we didn’t get to see much of Banogu during the season. He played just 26.2% of the defensive snaps in 2019 and was used solely as a third-down pass rusher. The upside is certainly still there, but Banogu didn’t get many chances in his rookie season.
The TCU product finished with 3.0 sacks on the season, which isn’t bad given the playing time he had. But with Kemoko Turay missing the majority of the season, many were hoping Banogu would climb the depth chart to grab the No. 3 defensive end role behind Jabaal Sheard and Justin Houston.
It didn’t happen, but Banogu showed plenty of flashes to show there is optimism about his development.
He won’t be the best run defender for the Colts but that’s not really his main objective. He, like Turay, is hoping to develop into a player that will consistently apply pressure on the quarterback.
There is a lot to look forward to for Banogu as he enters a big Year 2 with the Colts.
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