Until we know the decision of Indianapolis Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo, the position will continue to be viewed as a need this offseason and one that should be addressed regardless of the decision that is made.
Adding a young offensive tackle is one of the most underrated needs for the Colts this offseason. Even with Castonzo, the Colts don’t have any viable option behind him. It becomes even more magnified if he does decide to hang up the spikes.
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, they believe the Colts need to address the position in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In their latest mock draft, they did so by taking Houston’s Josh Jones at No. 13 overall.
After Thomas and Wills, Jones is PFF’s third-best offensive tackle and No. 14 overall player in the 2020 NFL Draft. With Anthony Castonzo’s future with the franchise in question, the time to invest in talented offensive tackles is now for Indianapolis. Jones finished the 2019 season ranked second among all FBS offensive linemen with 400-plus offensive snaps in overall grade at 93.2. He also put on a show while playing multiple positions in the practices leading up to the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
In this mock, the Colts are passing up several top options at other positions. Both quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Jordan Love were available on the board as were defensive end A.J. Epenesa and wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
Jones certainly has a high ceiling. He could be the future left tackle for the Colts even if Castonzo returns, but he’s far from a finished product. Jones currently ranks No. 5 on Draft Wire’s offensive tackle rankings for 2020.
The Colts certainly need to address the depth at the position and potentially find their future left tackle, and it will be interesting to see how much of a priority it is for the draft.
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