The Indianapolis Colts' Round 1 Big Board Before Combine

As the draft approaches, Indianapolis Colts fans will be increasingly interested in potential targets in the first round.

While the entire draft is important and a wealth of mid-draft picks may be more valuable in the long run, the first round is where splashes are made. It's where the best potential for blue-chip, high-quality players lies. It's where the Colts have failed to get impact players for years, excluding Andrew Luck.

In 2015, when the Colts desperately need blue-chip talent, the team is under pressure to hit on its first-round pick. Most of the attention regarding this pick is on the defensive side of the ball.

Since Ryan Grigson took over as general manager in 2012, the Colts have only used one pick in the first four rounds on a defensive player: Bjoern Werner at 24th overall in 2013. The team desperately needs a defensive playmaker, so expect the Colts' board to be heavy on the defensive side of the ball.

With that in mind, here are the top five players on my Colts board as we hit the combine. This board will fluctuate as the draft approaches and the familiarity with players rises, but for now, here are five somewhat* realistic possibilities for the Colts in the first round.

*Nobody has any idea what will happen in the draft, so this is all made up, really.

5. Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

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With Josh Chapman failing to develop as hoped, the Colts have been weak up the middle of the defense, both in pass rush and in run defense. While signing quality, but not standout defenders on the outsides of the defensive line has led to some positive results, the defense still desperately needs a defensive anchor.

If the Colts are looking for a nose tackle with All-Pro potential, they don't need to look any further than Jordan Phillips, a 6'6", 334-pound mountain of a man from Oklahoma.

Phillips has an incredibly high ceiling with his ability to be violently aggressive at the point of attack. He possesses strong awareness along with his stout frame that allows him to control the middle despite being double-teamed, and his high motor means he's never out of a play.

But the thing that sells me on Phillips is his ability to disrupt the offense with penetration. When Phillips wants to penetrate rather than hold his position at the line of scrimmage, he gets into the backfield with incredible quickness.

With a well-timed jump and a lightning-fast swim move, he can split double-teams and make life difficult on quarterbacks. He's well-balanced and rarely gets knocked off his feet, even when hit from varying angles by multiple blockers.

The downside on Phillips is his consistency. He would appear too conservative for long stretches last season, seemingly disappearing from games. Then, out of the blue, he would start jumping off the ball and getting into the backfield on multiple plays in a row. Part of this could be a conditioning and/or effort concern, but that would be mitigated with him playing a proper snap count in the NFL.

Scout's Take

"

I think if you're looking for a Poe/Dareus athlete at NT, we should be talking about Phillips and not Shelton.

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 16, 2015"

4. Paul Dawson, ILB, TCU

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My top inside linebacker, Paul Dawson is a heat-seeking missile from the middle of the field.

Dawson attacks the ball like he was shot out of a cannon on nearly every play. At his heart, he's a playmaker, which is exactly what the Colts need in the front seven. The quickness that Dawson plays with makes him a nightmare for offensive linemen, whether it's blitzing (which the Colts do frequently with their inside linebackers) or blocking him at the second level.

There is certainly a question of whether or not he'd fit in a 3-4 on the inside given his relative lack of size (230 pounds), but at 6'2", he has some room for additional bulk. Even if he doesn't add more than a few pounds in the NFL, Dawson has the speed and smarts to get to running lanes and make things difficult for linemen and running backs to adjust.

In pass coverage, Dawson's speed gives him range that's approached by only Eric Kendricks in this draft. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Dawson only allowed 35.7 percent of passes his way to be completed in 2014, which is a phenomenal number.

The question that Dawson will have to answer at the combine are the literal questions during his interviews with teams. He had a few run-ins with coaches at Texas Christian, and there are some potential commitment concerns. If Dawson convinces NFL personnel that he is all-in, he could be the first linebacker off the board.

Scout's Take

"

9. Paul Dawson, TCU – If character unwarranted, could be top 5. Disengages well, big hitter, but rarely gets a tackle broken. Tough.

— Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) February 12, 2015"

3. Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

John Raoux/Associated Press

If there's one potential nose tackle that could pass Jordan Phillips, for me, it's Malcom Brown of Texas.* The good and bad thing about Brown is that he's not just a nose tackle, he can play other positions on the Colts' 3-4 line.

Both good and bad apply here because on one hand, flexibility is good, especially in Indianapolis. The Colts love to switch three and four-man fronts from play to play, and have routinely acquired flexible linemen on both sides of the ball.

On the other hand, that flexibility can also mean that players are developed in positions that don't take full advantage of their skill sets, which is certainly a possibility with Brown.

Brown is incredibly quick and light on his feet, carrying his 320-pound body extremely well. He moves well going down the line of scrimmage and can disrupt backfields by shooting gaps extremely quickly. He has good hand usage which helps him disengage from single blocks and make tackles.

While he could play the role of nose tackle in Indianapolis, he may be better suited to play a defensive end (or DT in the Colts' hybrid sets), where he can take on single blocks and penetrate the line of scrimmage more naturally. Either way, the important thing about Brown is that he's a playmaker.

*Note: Eddie Goldman of Florida State is close to Phillips on my board, but I need more research on him. Washington's Danny Shelton is projected to potentially go in the top 10, so I'm not considering him for Indianapolis at this point.

Scout's Take

"

Malcom Brown is hoping to test monstrously - like 30+ reps, sub-4.9 stuff. If he does, no way you rate (or take) Shelton over him.

— Alex Dunlap (@AlexDunlapNFL) February 17, 2015"

2. Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

John Raoux/Associated Press

While Vic Beasley of Clemson isn't necessarily the highest-rated edge-rusher on my board, he's an extremely talented player that I could still see dropping down to No. 29.

Beasley has the burst and speed around the edge that the Colts lacked in 2014 with Robert Mathis being injured. Even if Jonathan Newsome continues to rise, the Colts will need more than one edge-rusher after Robert Mathis' eventual departure, and Beasley has a higher ceiling than Newsome.

With Beasley's athleticism, he could slide right in as a 3-4 outside linebacker and take on occasional coverage responsibilities that the Colts like to throw at their linebackers from time to time. He would also work very well on stunts, as his acceleration through creases in the line is incredibly sudden and difficult for linemen to adjust to.

The other nice thing about Beasley is his ability to combine moves. He has a solid dip around the edge, but can counter it back with a quick spin move as well. He could stand to improve his hand usage and isn't as stout at the point of attack as some of the higher-rated players, but his potential as a pass-rusher and impact player is extremely high.

I'm of the opinion that the Colts need to draft players who can eventually be All-Pros, and unless Dante Fowler or Alvin Dupree drop further than expected, Beasley may have the highest potential on the edge. Some will be worried about his discipline and power against the run, but those same concerns were there for Dwight Freeney (or Robert Mathis) when he came to Indianapolis. Pass rush is king.

Scout's Take

"

In terms of traits that *might* translate more obviously than others, Vic Beasley's edge angles & spd should be listed. And perhaps coveted.

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 13, 2015"

1. Landon Collins, S, Alabama

USA TODAY Sports

This is the pipe dream, and a rather unlikely one for Indianapolis.

But unlike some of the other positions, safety doesn't have depth in the 2015 draft, so I'm cheating on my "realistic" goal. With the release of LaRon Landry last week, the Colts' desperate need for a safety was made even clearer.

If you want an impact safety right away in this year's draft, there is really only one option: Landon Collins. The rest of the field is divisive and full of question marks, but Collins is a near-unanimous first-round talent.

He's at his best coming downhill toward the line of scrimmage, but he's no slouch in coverage either (see his one-handed interception against Florida, for example). The popular comparison right now is Kam Chancellor from Seattle, which would fit what the Colts want to do with their secondary, to some degree.

Collins is a physical, tough hitter in the middle of the field, which may give some Colts fans LaRon Landry flashbacks, but Collins takes better angles and reads plays better than Landry ever did in Indianapolis. Collins played a deep safety role occasionally in Alabama, but is best suited at strong safety.

If he somehow lasts until the late first, the Colts need to pull the trigger. The rest of the Colts' needs can really be addressed later in the draft, but safety will be tough in 2015.

Scout's Take

"

Mayock on Alabama S Landon Collins: Can play strong safety in base and also good enough vs. run to be a sub-package LB.

— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) February 16, 2015"