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Just days away from the 2021 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts are making their final changes to the big board before they are on the clock Thursday night with the No. 21 overall pick.
The biggest part of the process is finding which prospects fit the mold that the Colts are looking for when building their roster. ESPN listed the obvious needs for the Colts as edge rusher and offensive tackle with some prospects they believe are natural fits.
Biggest need: Edge rusher
With the price paid to get Carson Wentz probably too prohibitive for the Colts to trade up for a young quarterback of the future, eyes shift to the defense. Though the team has maintained contact with Justin Houston, losing Denico Autry to the Titans means that the only player from last year’s roster with more than four sacks is DeForest Buckner. The Colts could use another true disruptor, and the 21st overall pick could get them in the conversation for most of the draft’s big names there, with perhaps a couple being off the board at that point. Al-Quadin Muhammad led the team in pressures per SIS charting at 22 — as good as the defense was last year, a real force on the edge working with Buckner would amp up the coverage even more.
Prospect who might fit: Jaelan Phillips, Miami
Edge is easily the biggest need for the Colts but in a relatively weak class, there is chance Chris Ballard tries to avoid reaching at No. 21. Phillips is interesting given his pass-rush repertoire but his medicals are a massive concern.
If the Colts have cleared him and feel comfortable that his history of concussions won’t be an issue, then he’s likely in consideration for the No. 21 pick. But that’s a big if given what we’ve seen from Ballard and his staff.
Though it is listed as a quiet need, offensive tackle is the most likely pick in the first round for the Colts.
Quiet need: Offensive tackle
The retirement of Anthony Castonzo puts the Colts into a bit of a bind on the line, with recently signed Julien Davenport and Sam Tevi as the obvious in-house solutions. To call this a quiet need might be putting it too mildly, as Tevi’s play last year led to 27 blown blocks in just 14 starts, and Davenport hasn’t played a real role since starting with the 2018 Texans. Tackle is a strength of this draft, and there are a few possible answers that could be around even at Indy’s second-round pick.
Prospect who might fit: Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State; James Hudson, Cincinnati
Replacing Anthony Castonzo won’t be easy, but the Colts are in a prime spot to find his successor. They can use the No. 21 pick, trade back or wait until the second round to pick a tackle. Radunz is an easy fit given his movement ability and aggressiveness in the run game.
The Colts already have an idea of who the fits are in their system, and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds on draft night.
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