Here’s what the Colts are getting in second-round pick Julius Brents.
The Indianapolis Colts played the waiting game to kick off Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft despite having the fourth selection (No. 35 overall) of the night.
But in typical fashion, Chris Ballard did Chris Ballard things and made his annual trade back, not only once but twice. To his credit, he pulled off these moves and no cornerback prospects came off the board so the front office was able to land the top player at the position despite falling back nine selections to do so.
Julius Brents will be coming to a city he is familiar with. He played locally at Warren Central High School so he is comfortable with the organization that he is headed to. He brings great size for the position with him sitting at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds with 34-inch arms.
According to his RAS score, he’s ranked as the fourth-best cornerback prospect to come into the league since 2008.
His three-cone and short shuttle times were the second-best among all players at the combine. It should be no surprise that his athletic traits are what had him high on Ballard’s board heading into the evening.
Brents does a very solid job at using his length to his advantage. He can disrupt a receiver’s route with his long arms and uses them to create contested catch situations.
His short-area quickness combined with his instincts is shown when he read and reacts when he has his eyes on the quarterback to see where he is going with the ball.
He also fits the culture of the Indy defense in terms of run support from the corners. Brents is a willing tackler and does a great job at bringing ball carriers to the ground.
As far as things he will need to work on to reach his ceiling include tracking the ball down the field and not panicking which can lead to penalties. He also can struggle at the top of routes with shifty receivers that can shake him to create separation.
He is bringing experience with him after starting 27 games as the left cornerback for Kansas State over the last two seasons. He also has safety experience so his versatility can help give him a long career in the league.
Brents has the talent to come in and compete to be an opening-day starter at one of the outside cornerback spots.
Overall, the Colts are getting a potential day-one starter with their second-round corner who has the size and athleticism to develop into a Pro Bowl-level player at the next level.
