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: Peter Schrager – NFL.com
Pick 15th overall: Byron Murphy, IDL, Texas
What Schrager had to say: “The Colts could trade down or up on Thursday night. In this scenario, I have them staying put and picking Murphy, a fast-rising DT, who could end up being selected even earlier than this.”
Colts Wire’s breakdown: A position of strength for the Colts gets even stronger with the addition of Murphy. From Day 1, Murphy is a three-down defender who can impact both the run and the passing games. He’s an excellent athlete and played out of both the A and B-gaps at Texas. Murphy led all interior defenders last season in pass-rush win rate and ranked 41st in run-stop rate.
Positional need: Well, there isn’t much of one. If the Colts were to take Murphy it’s all about taking the best avialble player on their board. This offseason, the Colts re-signed Grover Stewart to a three-year deal. They extended DeForest Buckner through 2026 and signed Raekwon Davis to a two-year deal. With that said, success for any defense starts with a quick push up the middle, and the Colts would have a top-end rotation.
Player Info
Height: 6-0
Weight: 297
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 4.87 seconds
Vertical leap: 33″
Broad jump: 9-03
Three-cone: 7.5 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.5 seconds
Bench press: 28
RAS: 9.20
Pre-draft visit: No
Senior Bowl: Yes
Consensus big board ranking: 13th
Daniel Jeremiah’s draft profile: “Murphy is a very explosive, nimble and instinctive defensive tackle. He is a dynamic disruptor against the pass game. He explodes out of his stance and can roll his hips on contact, creating instant push. He consistently gets underneath blockers and prevails in the leverage battle. He has quick hands to win with swipe moves, a push/pull maneuver or a violent club. Once he feels a blocker leaning left or right, he has elite change-of-direction quickness. Against the run, he can utilize his quickness to penetrate and create negative plays. He also has incredible balance to take on blocks while going to one knee before uncoiling and making plays. (I haven’t seen anyone else use this technique before, but it’s very effective.) He has plenty of range to make plays laterally. Overall, Murphy might lack ideal size, but he’s a leverage machine who makes an impact on all three downs.”