There will be a raging debate surrounding the Indianapolis Colts and how they will go about using the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft when it arrives in a few months.
There are camps that are hoping and expecting general manager Chris Ballard to use that high-valued pick on a new quarterback such as Jordan Love or Justin Herbert. There are also camps that might realize Jacoby Brissett is going to stick around, and the Colts might give him another shot by adding some weapons around him.
In Mel Kiper’s first mock draft of the offseason, the Colts went with the latter—selecting Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy with the No. 13 overall pick.
The Colts didn’t have much injury luck at receiver this season. T.Y Hilton missed six games. Free-agent signing Devin Funchess made it only one game, catching three passes. Second-round pick Parris Campbell caught just 18 passes in seven games. They could use a talent boost here, particularly with Hilton signed for only one more season. My comp for Jeudy for the past few months has been former Colts star Marvin Harrison, based mostly around his route running; Jeudy is already advanced as a route runner and is smooth out of his breaks. He should test well at the combine too. He’d help Jacoby Brissett on Day 1.
There is no denying the Colts have a massive need at the wide receiver position. Hilton is productive, but he’s been battling injuries over the last two seasons. He’ll be 31 in November.
Beyond Hilton, there isn’t much confidence in the room. Parris Campbell dealt with various injuries during his rookie career and while Zach Pascal was great in a complementary role, he’s not viewed as a player that can carry the room.
Jeudy would give the Colts an immediate contributor. He recorded 77 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 15.1 yards per catch in 2019.
It isn’t clear if Ballard wants to use a first-round pick on a wide receiver. He hasn’t shown any inclination to do so since taking over the front office, and it’s hard to see him diverging from his philosophy.
We will have to wait and see what the next months have in store for the Colts, but Jeudy should at least be on the team’s radar.