The Indianapolis Colts have finally made their final selection of the 2023 NFL draft with the pick of Jake Witt.
The small school tackle out of Northern Michigan would’ve had the best broad jump (10’3′”) among all offensive linemen over the last 10 years if he performed at the combine.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, he is bringing the athletic traits that Chris Ballard loves in draft prospects with him to Indy. He has great to elite testing numbers and his RAS score ranks as the 27th best among offensive tackle prospects since 1987.
Jake Witt was drafted with pick 236 of round 7 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.80 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 27 out of 1294 OT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/OFwfB6DhzD pic.twitter.com/yZYekCkmMI
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023
Witt is a super raw prospect because he has only played the position for one full season after playing tight end before he was pushed into the offensive line due to injuries. His athleticism helped him find success after switching, he can mirror pass rushers, handle pass rushers that like to attack with their arms, and has the agility to work to the second level.
#NorthernMichigan LT Jake Witt has just 14 games playing OT but his upside and natural athleticism are evident.
Technique, snap to snap consistency a work in progress, but has impressive recovery ability in pass pro. Had some nice reps vs highly touted pass rusher Caleb Murphy. pic.twitter.com/rzxaKv9Hd8
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) March 23, 2023
He’ll need some time to get more comfortable playing the position. There is an obvious reason why his technique is inconsistent but he’s a mold of clay for Tony Sparano Jr. to play with. This is a seventh-round dart throw for the Colts who will likely develop on the practice squad and time will only tell if he can at least develop into a backup offensive lineman.