The Indianapolis Colts have a solid mix of experience and youthful talent in their cornerback room, but there is still an opportunity to add to the room during the 2020 NFL draft.
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Starters: Rock Ya-Sin, Xavier Rhodes, Kenny Moore II
Backups: Marvell Tell III, Quincy Wilson, T.J. Carrie
Level of need: Moderate
Cap investment: $15.9 million (19th in NFL)
Quick review
The Colts made some moves this offseason to the cornerback room. They released Pierre Desir and then signed Rhodes and Carrie to one-year deals. With Ya-Sin and Moore firmly entrenched as starters on the boundary and in the slot, respectively, to go with Rhodes, the Colts don’t have a major need to add to the room early.
That said, you can never have enough cornerbacks and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chris Ballard add to the room.
Draft preview
Class overview: There is some intriguing talent for the Colts to consider. With picks on Days 2 and 3, the Colts can find some value in prospects who fit their scheme. The best value is likely found in the second and third rounds of the draft.
Best fit: Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
Ojemudia checks a lot of boxes that the Colts like in their cornerbacks. He meets the arm length threshold (32.25″), he’s solid in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. He has shown the ability to make plays on the ball and is a strong athlete to work on the boundary. There is some development needed for his instincts, but he’s a strong fit for the Colts defense and one that is likely high on the board for Indy.
Early-round target: Damon Arnette, Ohio State
Despite his lack of arm length, Arnette is a near-perfect fit for the Colts at the cornerback position. He has the size to work on the boundary and has shown a knack for making plays in the run game. He is best suited for zone coverage while possessing the ability to disrupt timing in press. Arnette has to clean up his technique in terms of being grabby at times, but he’s a target on Day 2.
Late-round target: Stanford Samuels III, Florida State
Samuels is an interesting developmental project for Ballard. He has the body type and length needed for the NFL. He is an aggressive corner with success in press coverage. He worked mostly in man coverage in college but he has the mentality that would translate to a zone-heavy scheme like the Colts.
Other prospects: Bryce Hall, Virginia | Jeff Gladney, TCU | Kristian Fulton, LSU | Trevon Diggs, Alabama | A.J. Green, Oklahoma State
Picks most likely used on a CB: Nos. 44, 75, 122, 160
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