The Indianapolis Colts used their fifth-round pick to bring in offensive lineman Danny Pinter out of Ball State in the 2020 NFL draft.
Needing to add some depth to the offensive line, the Colts are excited to bring in Pinter as some help on the interior. General manager Chris Ballard sang his praises after selecting him with the No. 149 overall pick in the draft.
What did draft analysts and pundits have to say about Pinter entering the biggest weekend of the offseason?
Dane Brugler, The Athletic (draft guide): “A two-year starter at Ball State, Pinter lined up at right tackle in head coach Mike Neu’s offense. He made the transition from tight end to tackle look relatively easy over the past two seasons, adding the pounds and performing at a high level as a senior, which put him on the NFL radar. Pinter doesn’t have ideal girth or length, but he is quick out of the chute with the efficient movement patterns to be a productive on-the-move blocker. While he plays with a clear dedication to the details, the consistency of his pad level and hand technique must improve to mask several of his shortcomings. Overall, Pinter is light-framed and doesn’t display the consistent power or mechanics to face NFL defenders right now, but he moves well with zone-blocking upside for a team willing to be patient.”
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Converted from tight end to tackle two years ago and will need to keep sliding inside as a zone-scheme blocker. 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.”
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: “Pinter has to make coaches imagine what his future might look like. After all, he’s only played offensive line for two years. He’s done well to create a reasonable skill set during that limited time, but there’s no denying he’s still raw. He might be two or three years away from carving out a role as a swing interior player. Pinter has excellent athleticism and could stick around on a practice squad while he continues building his body to play in the trenches.”
Mike Renner, Pro Football Focus (draft guide): “If you’re looking for a Day 1 starter later in the draft, you’d be better served to look elsewhere. Pinter would be planted firmly in his quarterback’s lap on every pass play if he were to step on an NFL field tomorrow. He only switched to tackle a couple years ago, and it still shows in his play strength. With how far he’s come in a short period of time, though, I’d bet on him eventually getting up to an adequate level of power. At that point, he’s got more than enough quicks and hand-eye coordination to be a plus pass-protecting guard in the league.”