Colts’ Rock Ya-Sin showed development during rookie year

Rock Ya-Sin showed improvements during his rookie season.

While the Indianapolis Colts didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after trading out on the first night, they did use their first pick of their draft crop on cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Becoming a starter in the secondary after just a few weeks into the season, Ya-Sin had an up and down rookie campaign. It was more good than bad as to be expected, and the Colts are encouraged with the development he showed during the second half.

“He had some really good moments, and he had some ugly moments. Let me tell you what I love about this kid, he’s exactly what we thought he was going to be in terms of grit, toughness,” said GM Chris Ballard at his year-end presser. “Holy crap you line up 16 games and you’re asked to play some great players. All he does is work.”

As a rookie, Ya-Sin led all defensive players in snaps for the Colts during the 2019 season. Because of injuries to the position, the Temple product got his chance to shine early and took advantage of becoming a weekly starter.

The No. 34 overall pick from the draft finished the season with one interception and five passes defended. There is certainly room for improvement, but there were more bright spots than disappointments in his first campaign.

“I thought the Jacksonville game, he gives up the deep shot where he got stacked, shouldn’t have got stacked. Saying that, I thought the last part of the season he played pretty well,” Ballard said. “He was getting better and ascending. It’ll be a big offseason for him. We’re happy for Rock.”

Often with rookies, the most you want to see is development. An increase in positive plays as the season goes on. Ya-Sin showed that during his rookie season and will enter a big offseason where he is likely to be considered a starter atop the cornerback depth chart.

Colts’ secondary ranked No. 13 by PFF

Colts have a young secondary.

When the 2019 season was all said and done, the Indianapolis Colts had a defense that showed flashes of being an above-average unit. But where did they rank in accordance with the rest of the league?

Pro Football Focus took a look at ranking the defensive coverage units across the NFL. The Colts, who run primarily zone concepts, were ranked No. 13 in PFF’s rankings.

13. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

After finishing the 2018 season 16th on this list, the Indianapolis Colts move up to 13th place after their performance in 2019. This past season, the Colts ran Cover-1 more than any other coverage scheme (168 times) but elected to use a variety of zone concepts on 409 of their 665 total coverage snaps. Armed with safety Malik Hooker and third-year cornerback Kenny Moore II, who finished 25th on PFF’s list of top cornerbacks for 2019, the Colts’ defense came away with 15 interceptions, and they led the league in total coverage stops with 114. However, while they may have kept the ball in front of them in zone coverages, they would finish the season with the league’s lowest forced incompletion rate (5.6%) while allowing the second-highest completion percentage (75.4%). In all, the defense allowed 393 receptions, the fourth-most in the NFL. It was a clear case of talent and scheme yielding mixed results.

It has been a theme for the Colts defense to give up a high completion percentage since Matt Eberflus took over as defensive coordinator in 2018. But they have been able to shore up in the red zone, which has allowed their success to take place.

There is an infusion of young talent in the Colts secondary. Rock Ya-Sin just finished his rookie season with valuable experience under his belt while fellow rookie safety Khari Willis also emerged as a starter.

Third-year cornerback Kenny Moore and safety Malik Hooker have also flashed throughout their career—Moore has done so often.

Adding to the cornerback room is likely on the to-do list for the Colts this offseason in hopes they can get into being a top-10 coverage unit.

Colts feel strongly about direction of 2019 rookie class

Colts feel good about their rookie class.

The Indianapolis Colts continued adding depth to their roster with a 10-pick crop from the 2019 NFL Draft and while the group has undergone some changes, the team still feels strongly about the progress made during the campaign.

Especially when it comes to the early-round defensive picks the Colts made, head coach Frank Reich is excited to see how much they can develop with a full season and offseason under their belt.

“Man, the rookie class is a strong class, now,” Reich told Matt Taylor of Colts.com. “Obviously on defense, we picked all those defensive players. They are all really good players; we’re excited about all of them. Bobby (Okereke) had a great year, Khari (Willis) had a great year, Rock (Ya-Sin) — all those guys. Excited about E.J. (Speed)’s development, Gerri Green — I mean, those guys are going to be a big part of the foundation going forward.”

The Colts did see some intriguing development from the three players in Ya-Sin, Okereke and Willis. The defensive backs took over starting roles just a few weeks after the season began, and Okereke had a strong second half that showed why there is optimism surrounding the class.

There were some hiccups with the group, of course. Wide receiver Parris Campbell played in just seven games and battled injuries starting in training camp. Defensive end Ben Banogu never truly made an impact and was used sparingly during the second half.

But there is still optimism with the group heading into 2020. Ya-Sin and Willis will return as starters. Okereke is likely to compete for the starting WILL spot with Anthony Walker, who is in a contract year. And there is a chance Banogu works himself into a bigger role in Year 2.

It wasn’t all daisies for the first-year group, but there was enough to warrant optimism moving forward.

There are still plenty of moves that need to be made along the roster, but Reich is confident in the direction the rookie class took on following their first season in the league.

3 Colts named to PFF’s All-Rookie team in 2019

Three Colts stood out in the eyes of PFF.

As it has become a trend with the new regime, the Indianapolis Colts have had plenty of playing experience for their rookie class. It was no different in 2019.

While the jury is still out on the majority of the class—per usual with rookies—the Colts had a few standouts along the way. Three of those rookies were named to Pro Football Focus’ All-Rookie team for the 2019 season.

The three that made it were cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, linebacker Bobby Okereke and a bit of a surprise in kicker Chase McLaughlin.

Here’s what PFF had to say about all three of them:

Okereke: “Okereke hasn’t seen quite as much playing time as some other rookie linebackers, but when he has been on the field, no player from the class has a higher PFF grade. Okereke has been strongest in the most important area for a modern-day NFL linebacker: coverage. His 79.2 coverage grade ranks 10th among all off-ball linebackers, and though he doesn’t have any official interceptions to this point, he is due for one. Okereke has dropped two interceptions and had a pick-two on a two-point conversion that won’t show up on the stat sheet.”

A third-round pick, Okereke really had a strong second half. His coverage ability truly began to take off and his range as a tackler improved as well. With him, Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker, the Colts truly have a solid linebacker corps.

Ya-Sin: “Looking at the season from start to finish, Ya-Sin hasn’t had a smooth ride to a spot on the All-Rookie Team. A 55.0 coverage grade through the first nine weeks of the season set him back, but we saw improvement from the Temple product as the campaign wore on. From Week 10 through the end of the season, Ya-Sin picked up a 76.1 coverage grade while allowing just a 67.7 passer rating into his coverage. That’s the kind of performance the Colts expected when drafting him in the second round, and it’s what they’ll look for next season.”

There were some rocky games along the way, but Ya-Sin’s gained some valuable experience during the 2019 season. He steadily improved during the second half, which is exactly what the team wants to see with young players.

McLaughlin: PFF didn’t have any snippet for the undrafted rookie. But he was very solid when he arrived to Indy following the news that Adam Vinatieri had to undergo season-ending knee surgery. In four games with the Colts, McLaughlin converted five of six field-goal attempts (83.3%) and all 11 of his extra-point attempts. After signing him to a one-year extension, it seems McLaughlin will get the first chance at succeeding Vinatieri.

Eagles’ RB Miles Sanders not included in PFF all-rookie team

Miles Sanders not included in PFF all-rookie team

Miles Sanders has had an outstanding rookie season for the Philadelphia Eagles and his dynamic play has been a driving force behind the team’s four-game winning streak and playoff run.

Sanders’s play has been electric during the second half of the season, but it means nothing to Pro Football Focus, who left Sanders off the All-Rookie team, after omitting him from their list of top-50 rookies.

The analytics site used its grading system to determine the top rookies, and Josh Jacobs landed the running back spot ahead of Sanders.

The Jaguars Gardner Minshew got the nod at quarterback, while AJ Brown, Terry McLaurin, and Deebo Samuel made the team at wide receiver.

Sanders finished the regular season with 818 rushing yards on 179 carries and three touchdowns. As a pass-catcher, the dynamic Sanders racked up 50 catches for 509 yards and three touchdowns.

4 Colts to watch vs. Panthers in Week 16

Keep an eye on these Colts in Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-8) play host to the Carolina Panthers (5-9) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium as both teams look to get back on track and into the win column.

Both teams have combined for 10 consecutive losses and are out of the playoff picture in their respective conferences. But there is still football to be played, which means there are players to watch.

Here are four Colts to keep an eye on in Week 16:

DT Tyquan Lewis

Remember him? The highly-touted second-round pick from 2018 hasn’t done much since entering the league. Most of his struggles have been because of injury. But he’s been healthy lately and still hasn’t been making the type of impact expected of him from the interior.

In the last three games, Lewis has hovered around 35–40% of snaps played. That number should increase on Sunday with Denico Autry already being ruled out due to a concussion. Lewis hasn’t done much to prove he should hold a significant role in the future, but he will have a chance on Sunday.

Whether he will take advantage of his opportunities will be something to watch in this Week 16 matchup

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Colts vs. Panthers: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 16

Key matchups to watch in Week 16.

With their playoff hopes officially dashed, the Indianapolis Colts will have to find another source of motivation as they play in their second to last game of the season. Coming to town on Sunday are the Carolina Panthers, who are looking for a strong end to their struggling season.

On Monday night, the Colts were greatly embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints in a 34-7 defeat and there was little to no positives from that game. But as they say, “today is a new day.”

Here are three key matchups to watch in Colts’ Week 16 bout:

RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Colts’ defensive front seven

In what is easily this game’s biggest matchup, the Colts are facing one of the most dynamic and versatile offensive players this league has seen in a long time. Third-year running back Christian McCaffrey is literally having an all-time season and at one point, he was even considered a front runner for this year’s MVP award.

Between his incredible efforts as a runner (1,307 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns) and receiver (94 catches and 814 receiving yards), McCaffrey forces defenses to always keep their eyes on him, which allows other Panthers offensive targets to play in favorable situations.

The Colts’ defense, especially linebacker Darius Leonard, has to play with an extra burst and anticipation while defending McCaffrey. This has to be done because one mistake could literally turn into a game-changing play for the Stanford product.

In fact, McCaffrey is actually 388 total yards (2,121) away from tying the record of most scrimmage yards gained in a season (2,509), set by former Tennessee Titan Chris Johnson in 2009.

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Stock up, stock down in Colts’ loss to Bucs

Stock report from the Week 14 loss.

Losers in five of their last six games, the Indianapolis Colts (6-7) have seen their season go from being a potential division winner to out of the playoffs in the matter of a month and a half.

Sunday’s 38-35 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) all but closed the casket on the Colts’ season—if they lose in Week 15 to the New Orleans Saints, it is officially over.

Here is the stock up, stock down from Sunday’s loss:

Stock Up: WR Marcus Johnson

The Colts have been seriously plagued with injuries at the wide receiver position this season. That said, there have been some intriguing instances when it comes to players stepping up when needed most. The latest player to do so was Johnson.

Leading the team with 105 receiving yards, Johnson got his day started on Jacoby Brissett’s first pass, beating broken coverage for a 46-yard touchdown bomb early in the first quarter.

The Colts have always liked Johnson and he’s proving to be a quality depth piece in the wide receiver room.

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Colts vs. Titans: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 13

Key matchups in Week 13.

After having an extended break following last Thursday’s game against the Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts return to action as they’ll host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. They approach the end of this three-week stretch, which consisted of all divisional matchups.

Even with their loss in Week 12 and suffering additional injuries, the Colts are still very much alive in the AFC playoff picture. It’s just a matter of relying on their strengths at this point, and hopefully getting back a key contributor or two in the coming weeks.

Here are three, key matchups to watch in the Colts’ Week 13 bout against the Titans:

QB Jacoby Brissett vs. Titans’ Top 10 scoring defense

Even as someone who has defended Jacoby Brissett on various occasions, I must admit now is the time for him to step up his game. Regardless if it was before his knee injury in Week 9 or right after, the Colts’ QB1 has begun to struggle and is in need of a huge game on Sunday.

While the Titans rank fairly low in defensive categories such as passing yards allowed (24th with 255) and red-zone scoring percentages (30th with 64.5%), they’ve been a stingy group in other areas. Entering Week 13, the Titans have been giving up the ninth and eighth fewest points per game and third-down conversions, respectively. This is huge to think about in relation to Brissett’s struggles.

For a quarterback that has averaged 138 passing yards in his last two games along with being sacked four times, the odds seem to be against Brissett having a breakout game. Especially when he’ll be missing his three best offensive targets in RB Marlon Mack, WR T.Y. Hilton, and TE Eric Ebron.

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5 takeaways from Colts’ 33-13 win vs. Jaguars

While football will always remain a team sport, it doesn’t stop certain individuals from being more important than others; especially when their presence alone separates you from the pack. On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts (6-4) witnessed that kind …

In his first full game back since Week 8, quarterback Jacoby Brissett produced two touchdowns and led the Colts to a much-needed 33-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6). With the JB7 under center, the first place AFC South leader played their best game in recent weeks and seems to be back on track as six games remain in their season.

Here are five takeaways from the Colts’ 33-13 win over the Jaguars.

JB7 literally makes a huge difference

Even during Brissett’s good start to this season, there were still various Colts fans and media who weren’t on the bandwagon. After every game, including JB7’s standout performances against the Falcons and Texans, those same people continued to wonder if he was actually capable of being this team’s quarterback.

But after not having the NC State product available for action over the last two weeks, there were little to no complaints from JB7’s doubters as he once again displayed his obvious talent and leadership. Although his final numbers weren’t the best (15/24, 148 passing yards, one passing touchdown to one INT), the Colts’ QB1 impact was still felt throughout Sunday’s game.

Against the Jaguars, we saw the same Brissett who took care of the ball, made the right adjustments pre-snap, and had a couple of sensational plays to either extend or conclude Colts’ offensive drives.

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