With the 2024 NFL Draft almost here, we will be reviewing and breaking down the first-round predictions for the Indianapolis Colts in final 2024 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
Mock draft: Bucky Brooks – NFL.com
Pick at 15th overall: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
What Brooks had to say: “General manager Chris Ballard is all about drafting talented prospects with prototypical traits and athleticism. Mitchell is the freakiest cover corner in the draft, with a dynamic game that matches his supreme gifts.”
Colts Wire’s breakdown: Mitchell has been a very popular pick for the Colts at 15th overall, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a tremendous athlete, which GM Chris Ballard has emphasized heavily in the last two drafts. Mitchell has the ability to play both man and zone, along with bringing a level of physicality in the run game from the cornerback position. He’s also had excellent ball production, with six interceptions and 27 pass breakups in the last two seasons.
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Positional need: Addressing cornerback is either 1A or 1B on the Colts’ to-do list in this draft. This was a young position group last season that, as should have been expected, battled consistency issues. Overall, explosive pass plays happened far too often, along with the Colts ranking 22nd in both pass breakups and yards per pass attempt allowed. Ballard recently said that getting Dallis Flowers back will be important, and young players like Jaylon Jones are no longer rookies, so improvement is expected. However, there are obvious risks that come with banking on that happening.
Player Info
Height: 6-01
Weight: 195
Age: 22
Bench: 20
40-yard dash: 4.33
Vertical: 38″
Broad: 10-0
RAS: 9.80
Pre-Draft visit: No
Senior Bowl invitee: Yes
Consensus big board ranking: 11th
What Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say: “Mitchell possesses a gumbo of traits, with size, strength and speed filling up the pot. He’s built like a running back, tackles like a safety and has the ball skills of a cornerback. Mitchell can play in a variety of coverages and was the clear-cut top cornerback at the Senior Bowl when working against the top receivers in practice. While he needs to trace a more efficient path when hounding the route, his burst to close and physicality at the catch point could create tougher throwing windows for quarterbacks. Mitchell’s traits, play demeanor and special-teams potential should make him attractive to teams in the market for CB help.”