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Colts tried trading up for OL Danny Pinter before drafting him

Chris Ballard gives immense praise for OL Danny Pinter.

When Day 3 of the 2020 NFL draft came around, the Indianapolis Colts were expected to be a busy team. Wheeling and dealing their way through the final day of the weekend event, the Colts had eyes for one player in particular: Ball State offensive lineman Danny Pinter.

After making the selection of quarterback Jacob Eason with their fourth-round pick, general manager Chris Ballard tried moving up in the order to grab Pinter for roughly 30 minutes to no avail.

But when the 149th pick came around, Pinter was still on the board. Ballard was elated.

“I love Danny (Pinter), I’m not going to lie to y’all. Actually, we were trying move up to get him,” Ballard told reporters after the draft. “I probably won’t ever give y’all this much insight, but for like 30 minutes we were trying to move up and just couldn’t get up to get him.”

Pinter comes from the local Ball State where he began his career as a tight end. Before the 2018 season, he added 50 pounds to his frame in order to make the move to right tackle, where he spent his final two collegiate seasons as a starter.

Despite adding all that weight, Pinter kept his strong skill movements from his days as a tight end. He’s one of the most athletic offensive linemen to come out of the draft and even though his arm length is a bit of a concern, he’s a fantastic Day 3 pick for the Colts.

“(The) first exposure for me was at the NFLPA game. That’s where I got sick and then coming back he has an unbelievable workout at the combine,” Ballard said. “Then we continued to study him. Now answering your question, I mean do I think he can play some tackle? Yes, but center/guard is where I think he’s going to make his hay in the league.”

Then there comes the character of Pinter, which is a big deal in the eyes of Ballard when it comes to any player they consider.

“And you want to talk about character? Believe me, this guy’s got blue character and he fits our culture,” Ballard said. “He has the traits we look for in offensive linemen.”

Pinter will likely add depth to the interior while he develops potentially into a starter down the road.

Regardless, the Colts were enamored by the Ball State product and feel he has a chance to make a real impact on the roster.

3 things to know about Colts new OL Danny Pinter

Some things to know about the Colts new OL.

The Indianapolis Colts continue to add depth to their young roster by grabbing offensive lineman Danny Pinter out of Ball State with the 149th pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman is a great addition to one of the best offensive lines in the league and will be able to fill in at multiple positions.

The selection of Pinter shows that Chris Ballard is not done building a strong, deep roster in the trenches. Here are three things to know about Pinter:

1. The Indiana native comes home

Pinter returns home to the Hoosier state after being selected by the Colts in the fifth round. The South Bend native attended John Adams High School, but his hometown program Notre Dame did not recruit him. He ended up committing to Ball State in 2015 as a redshirt freshman.

Being an Indiana native isn’t something new for draft picks with the Colts. They keep plenty of tabs on the local prospects and the up-and-coming scene.

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Grading the Colts’ selection of G Danny Pinter

Grading the pick of OL Danny Pinter.

Again, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard drafts an offensive player in the 2020 NFL draft. In the fifth round at pick 149 overall the Indianapolis Colts took offensive guard Danny Pinter out of local Ball State University.

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At John Adam’s High School in South Bend, Pinter was a two-time All-State selection as a tight end and edge defender. 2015 was a redshirt year, and in his 2016-2017 season, he actually played tight end for the Cardinals before suffering an injury against Central Michigan.

Ball State moved him to right tackle for his last two seasons and in 2019 Pinter was awarded first-team All-MAC pick and the team’s Most Outstanding Player. Pinter was also voted on the Academic All-Mid-American Conference team from 2016-2019.

From Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: “His understanding of angles improved rapidly in-season, allowing his athleticism and agility to do their things as a move blocker. He sustains with grip strength and balance, but needs to be on the move and working away from stack-and-shed defenders. His short arms and substandard core strength got him bullied into the pocket by average MAC rushers and there is no guarantee that additional strength and technique work will fix it against pro rushers. He faces an uphill battle, but has developmental potential that could interest zone-scheme teams at either guard or center.”

Pinter has the size, 6’4″ 306 to play both tackle and guard. With a pick in the fifth like this, Pinter should come right in and compete for the backup offensive lineman job and maybe eventually take over at LT when Anthony Castonzo retires.

Grade: B-

Instant analysis of Colts drafting OL Danny Pinter

Analyzing the pick of OL Danny Pinter.

After taking a quarterback with their fourth-round pick, the Indianapolis Colts continued to add to the offensive by drafting Ball State guard Danny Pinter with the 140th pick.

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Quick Hits

Started out as a tight end during first two collegiate seasons. Added 50 pounds before 2018 season where he switched to right tackle.
Was named first-team All-MAC in 2019.
Pinter was Draft Wire’s No. 28 ranked offensive tackle in the class.

Fit with the Colts

A native of South Bend, Pinter comes from a small school in Ball State. He’s a bit undersized for interior play, but he likely won’t be able to stay on the edge given his arm length (31.88″). Pinter is a solid fit for an offensive line that utilizes zone-blocking scheme and concepts that get their blockers in space. The Colts run a blend of power and zone concepts.

The Colts have their starters on the interior in Quenton Nelson and Mark Glowinski, but Pinter brings plenty of athleticism and intelligence to the room and should be able to provide strong depth behind Glowinski on the right side.

Value of the pick

Pinter was projected to go somewhere in the middle of Day 3. The Colts used a fifth-round pick to add Pinter to the offensive line room. Given the athleticism and upside that Pinter has as a prospect, there is plenty of value in this selection.

Conclusion

Pinter probably needs to add some weight if he’s going to work on the interior but with a need to add depth up front, this is a solid pick for the Colts on Day 3 to add an extremely athletic and developmental player on the offensive line.

2020 NFL draft: Colts select G Danny Pinter with 149th pick

Colts add to the interior OL with Pinter.

The Indianapolis Colts selected Ball State guard with the 149th pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

After grabbing Washington quarterback Jacob Eason in the fourth round, the Colts added some much-needed depth to the interior offensive line by taking Pinter. This pick was a part of the trade the Colts made with the Detriot Lions in the third round of the draft.

Pinter started out his collegiate career as a tight end but made the transition to right tackle before the 2018 season. He started 24 games over the last two seasons as right tackle for Ball State and was named a first-team All-MAC selection in 2019.

Pinter will be joining an interior offensive line room that includes Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Mark Glowinski and Jake Eldrenkamp.

Barring any trades, the Colts are scheduled to make two more selections on Day 3 at Nos. 183 and 192, both of which coming in the sixth round.

Prospect for the Pack: Ball State IOL Danny Pinter

Breaking down the draft profile of Ball State OL Danny Pinter, a potential pick for the Packers in the 2020 draft.

The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.

Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.

Up next is Ball State interior offensive lineman Danny Pinter:

What he can do

– Former tight end who is still adding mass to frame. Stands 6-4, weighs 306. Needs to add more weight and overall strength

– Highly athletic. Added a bunch of weight but still moves really well. Tested like one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the class. Ran under 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash, with a fast 10-yard split (1.73) and strong agility numbers

– Has offensive tackle experience. Played 24 games at right tackle after transitioning from tight end. Packers like moving college offensive tackles inside

– Doesn’t have long arms but wingspan (almost 78″) should be good enough to play inside

– Lacks the play strength to hold up at any position right now. Will need time to adjust and develop, especially if he’s moving inside

– Athleticism and blocking ability in space should translate well to playing guard in the zone run scheme at the next level

– Has the feet and toughness to transition inside

– Lacks ideal pass-blocking technique on the edge but gave up only three total sacks and three total hits on about 1,000 pass-blocking snaps over the last two seasons, per PFF

– Earned high overall grade and run-blocking grade at PFF in 2019. Was a dominant player for Ball State

– Big improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 at right tackle. Encouraging for his future development along the offensive line

– Older prospect. Will turn 24 in June

How he fits

Pinter should check many of the boxes the Packers look for in an offensive lineman, especially one transitioning inside. He’s measurably athletic, with collegiate experience at offensive tackle and room to grow physically. His movement ability should also fit the zone scheme. If the Packers want a developmental guard prospect from this class, Pinter might be one of the best in the middle rounds. He’ll need a year or so to get bigger and stronger, but he has attractive traits for the Packers scheme and the potential to develop into a future starter at guard or center. The Packers have a long-term need at both positions.

NFL comp

His ceiling as a prospect might be Joe Thuney. Like Thuney, Pinter was an undersized college tackle who will move inside to guard. The Patriots took him in the third round and developed him into a high-level starter. Pinter might need longer to develop, and there’s no guarantee he’ll take to the transition as seamlessly, but he has similar potential.

Where Packers could get him

In the middle rounds, likely on Day 3. Pinter is a project player facing a position change, but his athletic traits and upside should ensure he’s picked in the first five or six rounds. The Packers could snag him with one of their seven Day 3 picks.

Previous Prospects for the Pack

WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss
WR Michael Pittman
WR K.J. Hamler
WR John Hightower
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Troy Dye
LB Willie Gay Jr.
OT Jack Driscoll
WR Devin Duvernay
OT Ezra Cleveland
WR Van Jefferson
OT Andrew Thomas
S Grant Delpit
TE Cole Kmet
OT Tristan Wirfs
QB Jordan Love
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DB Jeremy Chinn
RB/WR Antonio Gibson
DL Jordan Elliott
DB K’Von Wallace
WR Bryan Edwards
DL Ross Blacklock
LB Logan Wilson
DL Justin Madubuike
RB Cam Akers
LB Malik Harrison
RB Darrynton Evans
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
WR Gabriel Davis
LB Josh Uche
CB Trevon Diggs
DB Terrell Burgess
OLB Terrell Lewis
CB A.J. Terrell
WR Quintez Cephus
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
QB Jalen Hurts
WR Tyler Johnson
IOL Cesar Ruiz
DB Ashtyn Davis
WR Quez Watkins
OT Ben Bartch
IOL Matt Hennessy
WR Isaiah Coulter
RB J.K. Dobbins
OT Lucas Niang
RB A.J. Dillon
TE Dalton Keene
DL Jason Strowbridge
TE Adam Trautman
WR Joe Reed
CB Michael Ojemudia
RB D’Andre Swift
DL Leki Fotu
CB Jeff Gladney

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2020 NFL draft: The Panthers Wire dueling mock drafts edition

Then vote at the end for which mock you like best.

Self-quarantining may be a bummer, but some of the online content that’s emerged as a result has been pure gold. Perhaps the most notable comes courtesy of the music industry’s biggest names, who have taken to Instagram Live to go head-to-head in some heated beat battles. We’ve seen Timbaland vs. Swizz Beatz, Lil’ Jon vs. T-Pain and Scott Storch vs. Mannie Fresh, to name a few.

For our latest 2020 mock draft, we decided to follow their example and put out a mock draft battle between two of our Panthers Wire contributors: five-year veteran Anthony Rizzuti and the up-and-coming rookie Erik Williams.

Read on to take a look at their mock picks, conducted via the PFF Draft Simulator, to see how they ran their respective drafts for the Panthers. Then vote at the end for which mock you like best.

Round 1: pick No. 7 overall

Rizzuti: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

Carolina’s new head coach Matt Rhule places a premium on athleticism and versatility and there’s no player in this draft on either side of the ball who has a better combination of both.

Simmons’ blend of tools – particularly his physical abilities and natural feel for the game – have earned him a variety of reps as a linebacker, edge, both safety spots, outsite corner and even some slot corner. He’d make for an ideal fit for the positionless prototype being brought in by Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow.

Whether you see him as Luke Kuechly’s heir apparent or as a Derwin James-like playmaker, it doesn’t really matter seeing as the team has needs at practically every single position on defense. Simmons offers depth at most of them.

Williams: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

This has been a popular mock pick this year, but Brown is simply too good to pass on, here. The Panthers get the best player available in one of their greatest areas of need: the interior of the defensive line.

Brown’s draft stock has taken a bit of a hit following his sub-par combine performance, but he is still considered by most to be the best defensive tackle in this class, if not a close No. 2 behind South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw.

Brown plays with unbelievable strength and explosiveness, tremendous gap penetration ability, and a motor that never stops. He is exactly the kind of prototype player Rhule wants to work with, and he can start right away.

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Small-school OL prospect Danny Pinter named best fit for Rams

Pinter is a prospect for the Rams to keep an eye on later in the draft.

Based on the way the offensive line played last season, it seems highly likely the Rams will address that unit this offseason. Whether that’s by re-signing Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe, adding an outside free agent or drafting a player or two in April, reinforcements should be coming the Rams’ way.

With no first-round pick, the Rams will have to wait a bit longer to add a rookie lineman. However, Pro Football Focus has a name for Los Angeles to watch in the later rounds as a good fit up front.

PFF named the best prospect fit for each team coming out of the combine and for the Rams, it was Ball State lineman Danny Pinter. The small-school lineman ran a 4.91 in the 40-yard dash and posted an impressive 91.2 overall grade from PFF last season. His combination of athleticism and strong play in college make him an intriguing prospect.

With how much outside zone the Rams run, Pinter’s athleticism seems to play naturally into what they like to do. The offensive line is a pretty clear area of concern after what was a solid group in 2018 fell apart last year, exposing some of Jared Goff’s limitations. They don’t have a first-round pick to go after one of the higher-ranked offensive linemen in the class, but Pinter could be an interesting target later in the draft. The only Rams offensive lineman to record an overall grade above 65.0 last season was 38-year-old Andrew Whitworth. They can use all the help they can get.

This is a top-heavy offensive tackle class with a lot of quality prospects set to go in the first 15 picks. After that, the pickings become a bit slimmer, but there are still developmental prospects to be had later on.

Prince Tega-Wanogho, Matt Peart and Ben Bartch are among those players, with PFF suggesting Pinter should be included in that group, too.

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