Tag: Indianapolis Colts

Colts host South Carolina WR Xavier Legette on top-30 pre-draft visit

The Colts hosted South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette on an official pre-draft visit. Here is what you need to know.

In an interview with Justin Melo of The Draft Network, South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette mentioned that the Colts were one of 14 teams that he visited as part of the pre-draft process.

Other teams that he met with include Green Bay, Denver, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore, and Jacksonville.

Legette brings excellent size and athleticism to the receiver position, measuring in at 6-1, weighing 221 pounds, with a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.92, which includes a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, along with elite vertical and broad jump numbers.

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Legette is a bit of a late bloomer from a production standpoint. He played five seasons at South Carolina but didn’t have his breakout year until 2023.

This past season, Legette caught 73 percent of his 97 targets at an impressive 17.7 yards per catch with 17 touchdowns. He was quite good after the catch picking up YAC. Legette has experience lining up in the slot and playing on the boundary.

For more on Legette, here is what Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com had to say in his pre-draft report:

“Legette is a thick, muscled-up receiver with impressive top speed and toughness. He relies on physicality more than quickness to power through press coverage. He isn’t a polished route runner, but he can build speed and win 50/50 balls. He has reliable hands, and he has a nice blend of speed and toughness after the catch. He plays much faster with the ball in his hands. Overall, Legette doesn’t offer a full complement of routes, but he can do damage with his select few.”

The Colts need more juice on offense, and Legette could provide that with his straight-line speed and YAC ability.

However, as Jeremiah notes, he needs refinement as a route-runner. So early on in his career, Legette benefit heavily from designed touches that get him the ball quickly and in space where his playmaking can take over–something Shane Steichen’s offense does very well.

Legette is the 49th-ranked player on Jeremiah’s big board and is the 11th-ranked wide receiver in a loaded draft class. Legette is projected to be a Day 2 pick.

Colts host Marshall OL Dalton Tucker on top 30 pre-draft visit

The Colts have reportedly hosted Marshall offensive lineman Dalton Tucker on an official pre-draft visit. Here is what you need to know.

The Colts have hosted Marshall offensive lineman Dalton Tucker on an official pre-draft visit, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network.

Melo also notes that, in addition to the top-30 visit, the Colts met virtually with Tucker as well.

Tucker measures in at 6-6 and weighs 207 pounds. He recorded a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 7.94, which includes a 5.19-second 40-yard dash, along with elite vertical and broad jump numbers.

Tucker says that interest from teams has increased since his Pro Day when he posted those numbers.

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Tucker has played almost 2,300 snaps during his six-year collegiate career at Marshall. The majority of those snaps have come at right guard, but he’s also played 388 snaps at right tackle and 220 at left tackle.

Over the last two seasons, Tucker surrendered three sacks and 19 pressures. In 2023 specifically, Tucker ranked 51st out of 200 eligible guards in pass-blocking efficiency. By PFF’s run-blocking grade, he ranked 97th.

“I’m definitely a player that always wants to get better,” said Tucker via The Draft Network. “I’m striving to improve every single day. I can’t wait to learn from the veterans in our room. That’s how I’m going to better myself for our offensive line. I’m going to do everything I can to help the team get better.”

Tucker will be best suited as an interior lineman at the NFL level and will likely be either a late Day 3 pick or signed as an undrafted rookie and will join a team as a developmental player.

The Colts’ offensive line is positioned well for the 2024 season. They return their five starters from 2023, where they ranked ninth in pressure rate and 10th in yards per carry.

Looking ahead to the 2025 offseason, however, both center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries are set to become free agents. Adding to the interior offensive line is a move we could see from GM Chris Ballard, and not just through undrafted free agency.

With ’19 to 21′ first round grades, could Colts look to trade down in NFL draft?

With 19 to 21 first round grades in the upcoming NFL draft, could the Colts look to trade down from the 15th overall pick?

The Colts very well could end up being a prime candidate to trade down during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

When GM Chris Ballard was speaking with reporters on Friday as part of his pre-draft press conference, he was asked how many first-round grades the Colts had on prospects. Ballard mentioned that there were “19 to 21,” which in many draft classes can be considered a high number.

Recently, Matt Miller of ESPN pointed out that 15 prospects with first-round grades is a typical number.

So the fact that the Colts could be picking with four to six players still on the board that they deem first round caliber, could be a big factor in whether or not they trade down, with of course, there being other variables in play, such as which positions those remaining prospects play.

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But also contributing to the liklihood that we could see the Colts move down is that in Ballard’s tenure as GM, when making moves around the draft board, he has been much more willing to trade down to acculumate additional draft capital.

With only seven picks in this year’s draft – only four teams have fewer – it’s not as if the Colts are swimming in draft capital either, and currently rank 21st in total draft capital value.

“I just go off history,” said Ballard about trading down. “The more picks you have the better chance you have to hit. Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you a better chance to hit.”

Two of the biggest positional needs that the Colts have to tackle in this draft -and preferably early on – are cornerback and wide receiver, which also happen to be two of the deeper position groups in this year’s class.

At pick 15, we already know the Colts won’t land one of the top three wide receivers and it’s possible that both Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell are off the board. This is a realistic scenario that could lead to the Colts trading down, with the depth of the draft at these positions still allowing them to address either position, with players like Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Brian Thomas Jr., Adonai Mitchell, or Xavier Worthy.

I recently ran through five different trade down scenarios for the Colts, trying to get an idea of what they could accumulate using the trade value chart. Beginning with pick 18 from Cincinnati, the Colts could potentially add a top-100 pick to what they already have.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently went through all 32 NFL teams, deciding whether they should trade up, stay put, or trade down. For what it’s worth, he thought the Colts best course of action in the first round was to trade down.

Colts trade up for playmaking TE in NFL.com mock draft

In a recent mock draft from Eric Edholm, the Colts trade up in the first round to land playmaking tight end Brock Bowers from Georgia.

In the second edition of Eric Edholm’s one-round mock draft, he has the Indianapolis Colts trading up with the Chicago Bears from pick 15 to pick 9 to take playmaking Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

With the Bears only having four draft picks in total, the fewest in the NFL, they do feel like a prime trade-down candidate. Here is what Edholm had to say:

“If the Bears could get more Day 2 ammunition, I think they’d strongly consider moving down here. For the Colts, it would be a rare move up, but if GM Chris Ballard wants Bowers, he might have to get aggressive to move in front of the Jets. Bowers would be an excellent security blanket for Anthony Richardson and could become Dallas Clark 2.0.”

Edholm didn’t specify what the Colts would have to give up to make this move, but if we use the Rich Hill trade value chart, it could look something like the Colts acquiring pick 9 and the Bears third-round pick in exchange for picks 15, 46, and 117 in the fourth-round.

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During Chris Ballard’s tenure as GM, he has been much more willing to trade down in order to accumulate draft capital. Although, during his pre-draft press conference, he did speak to what it would take for him to move up:

“I think it would depend,” said Ballard. “There would have to be someone within striking distance we felt was really unique and a difference-maker for us.”

Also, a part of this equation is that the Colts only have seven picks – with only four teams having fewer – and if the trade above were to take place, they’d be left with only six. However, Bowers certainly fits the mold of being a ‘difference-maker,’ as Ballard put it.

At Georgia, Bowers was a very reliable target and would bring that presence to the Colts’ offense immediately. He’s also extremely versatile, able to move around the formation, and was very good with the ball in his hands, picking up yards after the catch.

Having a move-tight end like Bowers can do wonders for an offense. His ability to impact the game in a variety of ways opens up the playbook for Shane Steichen and creates mismatches that not only he can exploit but also his teammates will feel his gravity.

Bowers’ willingness as a blocker can add a layer of unpredictability to the Colts’ offense as well.

This is a Colts offense that needs more playmaking, specifically through the passing game after ranking 24th in explosive plays last season, and Bowers would bring that element and do so in a unique way as a tight end.

Colts among several teams to workout OL draft prospect Bayron Matos

The Colts were one of several teams to reportedly workout offensive line prospect Bayron Matos ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

University of South Florida offensive lineman Bayron Matos has had private workouts with the offensive line coaches of several teams, including the Indianapolis Colts, according to Aaron Wilson.

Along with the Colts, other teams who have shown interest in Matos include Dallas, Jacksonville, Denver, Arizona, and the New York Jets.

Matos has actually played very little football. He is from the Dominican Republic and came to the United States to pursue basketball. In spring of 2022, he walked on at South Florida and saw 11 snaps as an interior defender, according to PFF, and 11 snaps on special teams. He was eventually moved to the offensive side of the ball to be a lineman.

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Matos would be part of the NFL’s International Pathway program, which provides elite international athletes with the opportunity to develop and compete at the NFL level. Whichever team Matos ends up on, can apply for a roster exemption, allowing them to carry 91 players – instead of 90 – during training camp and the preseason.

Matos measures in at 6-7 and weighs 313 pounds. He is a terrific athlete, posting an excellent Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.33, which featured a 4.9-second 40-yard dash and a 7.64-second 3-cone.

With Matos, teams would be betting on his elite athletic traits, with the hope that with time and the proper development, his full potential could be unlocked.

Although not quite the same, we’ve seen GM Chris Ballard take swings in the past with raw, high upside athletes late in the draft, with the most recent example being offensive tackle Jake Witt, who played at DII Northern Michigan.

Do-it-all Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott named a ‘best draft fit’ for Colts

Do-it-all Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott was named a ‘best draft fit’ for the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts were named as a ‘best draft fit’ for do-it-all Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott by Justin Melo of The Draft Network.

Here is what Melo had to say about the fit:

“The Colts have been connected to potentially drafting Bowers in the first round, but I ultimately foresee Ballard drafting a prospect at a more pressing premium position like wide receiver or cornerback. Ballard could then turn around at No. 46 or No. 82 and target a tight end like Sinnott, which sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson would appreciate. There’s a need at the position with the aging Mo Alie-Cox entering a contract year and Kylen Granson being better suited as a role player.”

Sinnott is an excellent athlete. He measures in at 6-3 – 250 pounds and posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.72. Jim Nagy, the Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, would point out that Sinnott had the highest vertical, the longest broad jump, and the fastest three-cone of any tight and the NFL combine.

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For the Wildcats, Sinnott wore many hats and impacted the game as both a receiver and a run-blocker. Just in 2023, Sinnott lined up in the backfield, in-line as a traditional tight end, in the slot, and on the boundary.

As a pass-catcher, with most of his playing time coming in the last two seasons, Sinnott caught 66 percent of the 119 targets that came his way during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, averaging 14.2 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns.

This past year, he would rank ninth out of all tight ends in yards per route run and 32nd in average YAC. Sinnott was also one of PFF’s higher grade run and pass-blocking tight ends.

For more on Sinnott and his potential impact at the NFL level, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft report:

“Athletic F tight end with an ability to add value in the passing game and handle some blocking duties in space. The former walk-on has added 40 pounds to his frame without losing his speed or agility. He’s an adequate route runner with the quickness to compete against man coverage on all three levels and get additional yards after the catch. He lacks NFL physicality to hold up on blocking duties near the line, and he needs to prove he can play with quicker, stronger hands as a pass catcher. Sinnott is a Day 3 talent but his NFL journey could be determined by whether he can get just a little bit better in all phases.”

Immediately, Sinnott could establish himself as the best blocker on the team at tight end along with providing Anthony Richardson with a reliable target in the passing game with athletic upside.

Having a move-tight end who brings the playmaking ability that Sinnott does while also being able to hold his own as a blocker can do wonders for an offense, specifically creating mismatches and adding a level of unpredictability to it.

Sinnott’s ability to move around the formation will not only create opportunities for himself to exploit but for his teammates as well.

With Sinnott able to take on a variety of responsibilities and fill a number of roles, it further opens up the playbook for Shane Steichen and allows him to better disguise what is coming because defenses can’t get a beat on what is coming pre-snap.

Sinnott could end up being the second tight end off the board behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers, and for the reasons mentioned, would be a very good addition to the Colts’ offense on Day 2 of the draft.

NFL Draft: Boston College CB Elijah Jones named ‘Day 3 fit’ for Colts

PFF named Boston College cornerback Elijah Jones as a ‘Day 3 fit’ for the Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Gordon McGuinness of PFF named Boston College cornerback Elijah Jones as a ‘Day 3 fit’ for the Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Here is what McGuinness had to say about the pick:

“Jones had the best season of his college career in 2023, earning an 89.8 PFF coverage grade that ranked fifth among cornerbacks in this draft class. He surrendered only 13 catches and racked up 11 combined interceptions and pass breakups from 257 coverage snaps.”

Jones measures in at over 6-1 and weighs 185 pounds–a bit on the lighter side. He would record an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.63, which inlcuded a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, along with elite vertical and broad jump numbers.

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A bit of a late-bloomer in terms of production goes, Jones is a very experienced player, with over 2,700 career defensive snaps during his six-year playing career. Jones has also played 457 special teams snaps primarily across three different units as well.

Just about all of his playing time has come on the boundary, although he does have some brief slot experience. Jones allowed a career completion rate of 49.3 percent at 13.0 yards per catch with 30 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

In 2023 specifically, Jones was one of PFF’s highest-graded cover corners, surrendering a completion rate of only 32.5 percent with five interceptions and six pass breakups. He’s also been a mostly reliable tackler during his career.

For more on Jones, here is what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft report:

“Scheme-dependent cornerback with excellent length and above-average ball skills to harass and overtake lesser receivers when it’s time to make the catch. Jones is a slender press-man corner with Cover 3 potential. His press is more irritating than disruptive, but he does a solid job of tracing routes and attacking throws for forced incompletions and interceptions. He can be beaten by route runners in off-man and can be late to open and chase vertical routes, creating long-ball opportunities. His long arms should help him compete against more muscular receivers when it’s time to stop the catch, but he won’t offer much in run support. Teams valuing ball production and length will move him up the board as a Day 2 prospect with CB3 upside.”

With ‘Cover-3 potential,’ as Zierlein put it, Jones can be a good fit for Gus Bradley’s defense, with his experience playing in a single-high heavy defensive system at Boston College. Jones will, however, have to continue to get more comfortable playing zone, in a league where that increasingly has become the norm.

Cornerback is one of the bigger needs that the Colts have. They have young, talented depht on the roster, as GM Chris Ballard discussed in his pre-draft press conference – so I’m not sure how likely it is that they double-dip at the position in the draft – but added competition for that starting spot across from JuJu Brents could be valuable.

Given Jones’ fit, along with his size and athletic testing, he could be a good option for Ballard if he goes in a different direction during the early portion of the draft.

Jones is PFF’s 225th rated prospect overall and the 29th ranked cornerback in what is considered a fairly deep draft class.

GM Chris Ballard: Colts need to see better play out of young DBs in 2024

The Colts relied heavily on several young DBs last season, but as Chris Ballard said, they are no longer rookies and better play is needed.

During his season-ending press conference back in January, Colts GM Chris Ballard acknowledged that he put defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in a difficult spot having to rely heavily on so many young players in the secondary.

However, even with that being the case, and the performance from that group often reflecting that, Ballard didn’t make any outside additions to improve his safety or cornerback rooms during free agency.

In part, doing that is dependent upon who is available, what other teams are interested, the contract, and other factors. But, as Ballard acknowledged when meeting with reporters on Friday, those young players in the secondary are no longer rookies, and a jump in 2024 is the expectation from this group.

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“I think getting Dallis Flowers back will help,” said Ballard. “I think, looking back on it, when I made that statement, the injury part of it played into it, and then we gave him a bunch of rookies. Well now, they’re no longer rookies anymore. Jaylon Jones is no longer a rookie. JuJu (Brents) is no longer a rookie. Dallis Flowers we’re hoping to get back healthy. We got back Kenny (Moore) back in the mix. I think anybody within in the grand scheme of things would tell you that he’s one of the top nickels in the league.

“It’s not like these guys don’t have enough talent. Do we want to add some more? Of course. We always want to add competition. What we did was we gave him a bunch of young players without a vet presence back there other than Kenny and Julian (Blackmon).”

Last season in the secondary, the Colts relied heavily on Brents, a 2023 second-round pick who also dealt with injuries, along with Jones, a seventh-round pick last April. Darrell Baker, a 2022 undrafted rookie, would end up playing 469 defensive snaps, while at safety Nick Cross, who played only 122 snaps as a rookie in 2022, took on a larger role.

The results, as we all saw and Ballard has referred to, were up and down — at best. Explosive pass plays were an issue in 2023, with the Colts ranking in the bottom half of the NFL in big pass plays surrendered.

As a unit, the Colts ranked 22nd in yards per pass attempt allowed and 22nd in pass breakups. During the final four games of the season, with the Colts battling for a playoff spot, the 68 percent completion rate given up ranked 30th during that span.

In other key metrics, like interceptions forced, completion rate allowed for the season and passer rating, the Colts were around the middle of the pack. So it’s not as if it was all bad by any means, but overall, they remained wildly inconsistent, which is to be expected when relying heavily on young players.

“No. Not anymore,” said Ballard when asked if the secondary was too young. ”I think they’ve grown up. It’s been fun to watch them. Once you play 16-17 games in this league, you’ve grown up to the fact where you’re no longer a rookie. So I think we’ll see better play out of them.”

It’s for these reasons that every draft analyst out there has cornerback as a top priority for the Colts to address next week. While Ballard’s hope and expectations are that things improve in 2024, that’s not a given either, and relying solely on that to happen comes with obvious risks.

The good news is that this draft is considered to be fairly strong at the cornerback position. A strong draft class on the offensive side of the ball could push top cornerback options Quinyon Mitchell or Terrion Arnold down to the Colts at No. 15.

Other first-round options — perhaps not at 15th overall — include Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Cooper DeJean.

With that said, if Ballard does feel strongly about the young defensive backs already on the roster making a leap, then perhaps he doesn’t feel the same urgency as some on the outside to address cornerback right away, which would then free him up to prioritize adding a playmaking presence on offense instead — another big need.

Competition is an important factor when it comes to seeing improved play, and as Ballard mentioned, it is something they are always looking to add. So it’s not a matter of whether the Colts add a defensive back, but more so a question of when.

Regardless of how it happens — a jump by young players on the roster or an infusion of talent through the draft — the play on the back end of the Colts’ defense has to improve.

“It’s kind of like the (expletive)-whipping y’all gave the O-line two years ago,” Ballard said, comparing the criticism to his cornerback room. “Y’all just (said), ‘The O-line sucks. They can’t play.’ I kept going, ‘Man, the second half of the season, I didn’t think it was that bad.’ There were some individual moments, of course, but I thought they got better as they played.”

UCLA RB Carson Steele attended Colts local Pro Day

NFL draft prospect and UCLA running back Carson Steele attended the Colts’ local Pro Day. Here is what you need to know.

Among a number of invitees to the Colts’ local Pro Day that was held a few weeks back was UCLA running back Carson Steele, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network.

As part of the pre-draft process, each NFL team is able to hold a local Pro Day, where teams invite players who have a “local” tie to the area, whether that be attending college or from a nearby hometown that is within the league-defined parameters that meet the distance criteria.

Steele has good size, measuring in at just over 6-0, and weighs 228 pounds. He recorded a Relative Athletic Score of 7.59, which included a 4.75-second 40-yard dash and a 37.5-inch vertical.

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Steele, who played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, spent his first two seasons playing at Ball State before transferring to UCLA for the 2023 season.

After an impressive 1,500-yard, 14-touchdown season in 2022 with Ball State, Steele rushed for 845 yards with UCLA at 5.1 yards per attempt and six scores. He would rank 10th among all running backs in average yards after contact and tied for 37th in rushes of 10-plus yards.

Steele has some experience as a pass-catcher as well, totaling 69 targets during his three-year playing career, 20 of which came with the Bruins. He scored four total touchdowns and averaged an impressive 8.4 yards per catch during that span. Steele has some experience lining up outside of the backfield, but not a ton.

For a closer look at what Steele can offer, Ian Valentino of Pro Football Network said this about him last fall:

“We don’t often see running backs like Steele. He’s crafty, strong, can take a hit, and keep moving. He has some short-area burst and agility, but he’s also mastered the nuance of being a running back.

“The question is how athletic he is compared to starting NFL backs. He’ll have an NFL role because he continues chugging ahead, and his large frame bodes well for his ability to play all three downs. But will his contact balance and subtle cuts be enough to overcome otherwise middling explosiveness?”

Running back certainly isn’t a position that the Colts have to add to–they have options on the roster behind Jonathan Taylor. But with that backup running back role somewhat up for grabs this summer, there are some unknowns with Tyler Goodson, Trey Sermon, and Evan Hull – largely their overall inexperience – that perhaps results in GM Chris Ballard trying to add a bit more competition to that unit on Day 3 of  the draft.

That isn’t to say Steele would come in and win the RB2 role–development is needed. However, generally speaking, this is a position that potentially could be on the Colts’ radar later in the draft.

On Jordan Reid’s big board, he has Steele ranked as his 271st prospect with a seventh-round grade. Steele could end up signing as an undrafted rookie somewhere as well.

“My first goal is to develop into a starting running back,” Steele told The Draft Network. “Having availability at multiple positions, being able to play at all, and having an impact—that’s my goal for my rookie season. Whether that’s a versatile role in the backfield, at running back, or through special teams, it doesn’t matter to me. I can play on kickoffs as well.

“Those are my main goals. I’m going to acclimate as a rookie. I want to come in and learn.”

Colts GM Chris Ballard: OL, WR groups ‘stand out’ in 2024 NFL draft

At his pre-draft press conference, Colts GM Chris Ballard mentioned offensive line and wide receiver as being two standout positions in the draft.

In the upcoming NFL draft, there are two position groups that stand out above the rest, according to Colts GM Chris Ballard, and one of them in particular is a big need for Indianapolis.

“I think there’s a few positions that’s got some real depth,” said Ballard Friday at his pre-draft press conference. “Like the O-line in this draft is excellent and there’s depth throughout. I truly believe you’re going to get a really good player in those mid-rounds and even some later because of the depth of the group.

“Wideout is very similar. Those two position groups stand out. They’re really good.”

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Of the top 100 prospects on PFF’s big board, 40 are either receivers or offensive linemen, with 20 players representing each position group.

Early in the draft, the offensive line may not be a huge need for the Colts. The unit tied for sixth in pass-blocking efficiency last season and ranked 11th in run-block win rate. It is returning its starting five, which should include a healthy Braden Smith.

However, as we all know, the draft is about planning ahead. As we look ahead to the 2025 offseason, center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries are both set to be free agents.

Smith, meanwhile, will be in the final year of his contract at that time and comes with a nearly $20 million cap hit. While the Colts have invested in the offensive line regularly in the last few drafts, this is one of the most important positions in football. And as Ballard mentioned, there’s a ton of talent, even in the middle to later portions of the draft, which could be a sweet spot for the Colts to add to this unit.

Receiver is a much more pressing need, with the Colts wanting to infuse more playmaking into the offense. The overall depth of this unit could be elevated as well.

With so much talent in this year’s draft class, Ballard has options. Although receiver is one of the bigger perceived needs that the Colts have, potentially knowing that Ballard can find more immediate impact help on Day 2 or even later could allow him to address other needs early on, such as cornerback, safety or edge rusher.

The top three wide receivers in this class — Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze — will all be off the board by the time the Colts are on the clock.

At least based on the outside perception of how this draft might shake out, the only receiver option for the Colts at No. 15 overall could be LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. Other potential first-round receivers, like Texas’ Adonai Mitchell or Xavier Worthy, are projected to go later.

It’s a scenario like this that could lead to the Colts tackling a different need in the first round or even trading back to still land one of those top pass-catchers but accumulating an additional top-100 pick in the process.

During his time as GM, Ballard has shown a willingness to make trades, which has often resulted in him moving down rather than up.

“I just go off history,” said Ballard. “The more picks you have, the better chance you have to hit. Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you a better chance to hit.”

With there being so much talent on the offensive side of the ball in this year’s draft, the benefit for the Colts is that a run on offensive players early on will push down some of those top defenders.

That could mean that cornerbacks Terrion Arnold or Quinyon Mitchell, or edge rusher Jared Verse, could be available when the Colts are picking.

“I will say this,” added Ballard, “I do think you’re going to see a lot of offensive players taken early in the first round. I’m not saying it’s a weak defensive class, but it is a really strong offensive draft, especially at the top of it.”