The Indianapolis Colts made a selection in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft on linebacker Jordan Glasgow with the expectation that he won’t be a major part of the defensive side of the ball.
While the roster and depth chart will show that Glasgow is a part of the linebacker corps, the Colts aren’t planning to use him in that phase of the game.
Instead, they envision the Michigan product having a massive impact on special teams. And they believe that impact could be immediate.
“He’s earned everything he’s gotten every step of the way. He walks on at Michigan, carves out a captain roll on special teams, and then earned a starting job as a senior. I mean, he’s earned everything, every step of the way in his career,” said director of pro personnel Kevin Rogers, via Colts.com. “I mean, he’s a guy that doesn’t even need football. He’s a 3.6 GPA guy. He could make money elsewhere, but he’s a tough, gritty guy. You put on the tape, he’s blocking kicks, he makes almost every tackle on every unit. I mean, he’s a guy that’s going to be exciting to watch in the third phase this year.”
The Colts have a deep linebacker corps entering the 2020 season. Some would argue that it’s the deepest position on the entire roster. With an All-Pro talent in Darius Leonard, high-quality starters in Anthony Walker and Bobby Okereke and the upside of E.J. Speed, this group has very little question marks.
They even get strong special teams production from Zaire Franklin and Matthew Adams—the two players likely competing with Glasgow for the final spot in the linebacker room.
But the potential for Glasgow on special teams is extremely high. The Colts mentioned he has Pro Bowl potential in that area, but general manager Chris Ballard also made note of what Glasgow brings to the locker room.
“So I have a good friend’s son that I had seen this kid before, when I was going into Michigan about four years ago, as a freshman. The son said, ‘Man, this guy’s an unbelievable special teams player.’ Then I really started watching him. And over the years you see this kid who’s a walk-on, he earns a scholarship and he’s doing it by playing on teams, and then he works himself up to be a starter on defense,” said Ballard. “You know, Glasgow’s the exact kind of make-up that we want in a player, and at one point I said, ‘You know what? Our special teams coaches loved him, I loved him,’ and I said, ‘We’re taking him.’ And this guy stands for what we want. Now he’s gotta prove it at our level, but I think he will.”
There are going to be several position battles to watch during this unique training camp, and Glasgow has a chance to carve out an immediate role on special teams—an area he’s shown to thrive during his days at Michigan.