The Indianapolis Colts are finalizing their big board ahead of the 2021 NFL draft and one position that might finally be addressed via the draft is tight end.
As Jack Doyle, Mo Alie-Cox and Noah Togiai make up the tight end room, there are plenty of opportunities to improve the group. Doyle is a solid in-line blocker and sure-handed short-area target while Alie-Cox continues to develop into more of a pass-catching option for the Colts.
But the Colts could certainly use an infusion of explosiveness in the room, and there are some options in the draft they should consider. But it all comes down to general manager Chris Ballard pulling the trigger on a tight end, something he hasn’t done in his first four drafts with the team.
It even goes further than that. The Colts haven’t used a draft pick on a tight end since 2013 when they selected Justice Cunningham in the seventh round out of South Carolina. The rest have been waiver claims or free-agent signees.
It seems a bit odd that Ballard hasn’t used any of his draft capital at the position given how much Frank Reich believes in tight ends being a favorable mismatch. And yet, the Colts could very well come out of the draft without using a pick on a tight end for the eighth consecutive year.
Colts fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for Florida’s Kyle Pitts, who is being touted as a generational talent at the position. Having priorities at other positions like edge rusher and offensive tackle will push back the chances of the Colts using a Day 2 pick on a tight end.
Maybe, just maybe, if the Colts like Miami’s Brevin Jordan or Penn State’s Pat Friermuth enough, they might use a late Day 2 pick on one of them—assuming they find a way to recoup the third-rounder they gave away to acquire quarterback Carson Wentz.
They could also look at a close product from Notre Dame in Tommy Tremble or take a shot on a Day 3 prospect like Jacob UCF’s Harris (would convert from wide receiver), Kansas State’s Briley Moore, Iowa’s Shaun Beyer or Iowa State’s Dylan Soehner.
The Colts will be needing to add playmakers around Wentz in order to ensure his success and validate their desire to trade for him so it will be interesting if that leads to the organization using a draft pick on a tight end for the first time since 2013.
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