Indianapolis Colts' Top Needs, Fits for 2015 NFL Draft to Build for the Future
The Indianapolis Colts have added quite a bit of talent in the 2015 free-agency period, and while we won't have any true feedback until the 2015 season starts in September, right now it looks to be the best free-agency haul of general manager Ryan Grigson's career.
From Andre Johnson and Frank Gore to Nate Irving and Vincent Brown, the Colts have added both depth and starting talent with little long-term commitment, a winning combination for free agency.
But free agency isn't the place to add long-term core pieces, and the Colts still lack those pieces in many areas, especially on the defensive side of the ball. This is where the draft will be critical. The Colts' free-agent additions will play a big part in 2015, and potentially in 2016, but any contributions after those two years would be gravy.
The offense, fortunately, has some key cornerstones with Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton and Anthony Castonzo in place, but the defense has little outside of Vontae Davis. The most important "need" for the Colts in this draft isn't a position, but simply more playmakers. Nevertheless, today we'll identify some of the Colts' biggest needs and a few potential fits in the draft.
Safety
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The Colts dipped heavily into free agency for the safety position this year, re-signing veteran Mike Adams and signing former Atlanta safety Dwight Lowery this past Friday, per Tyler Dragon of NFL.com. Adams made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season, and Lowery has started for three different clubs in his seven-year career.
But Adams is still 34 years old, and he's more of a stable patch job than a core starter. Lowery has never particularly impressed in his starting stints, which is why he's bounced around different teams, never lasting more than three years with a single club.
Indianapolis still needs a safety for the future, ideally a playmaker that could take advantage of the team's pesky man-coverage cornerbacks. The 2015 draft isn't particularly loaded with safeties, but there are still a few options that may work at various points in the draft.
Landon Collins, Alabama
The near-unanimous top safety in this year's class, Collins is a box-safety, best used as a run-stuffer from the defensive backfield. That's not to say that Collins couldn't excel in coverage, but the team that drafts him will need to put him in the right role. The former Alabama safety has a quick burst to the ball and is disciplined against the run, but he can wander in coverage and doesn't have top-end recovery speed.
Collins would fit best in a two-deep scheme or in a Kam Chancellor-type strong safety role, both roles the Colts employ regularly with their ever-changing coverages. With Adams playing more of a free safety role, Collins could make a good partner. If he's there at No. 29, he's on the short list of preferred draft picks for Indianapolis.
Derron Smith, Fresno State
In keeping with the Seattle comparisons, if Collins is destined to play the Kam Chancellor role, Smith is the fit for Earl Thomas' place. Smith has fantastic range on the back end, being extremely comfortable in a single-high look with high turnover potential.
The downside is that Smith isn't a sound tackler, and while he's nowhere near Gerod Holliman's levels of ineptitude, it still presents a problem, especially in what the Colts generally ask from their safeties. Still, with his range on the back end, he would be an enticing piece in the middle rounds to be a long-term free safety starter.
Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
Another physical defensive back, Tartt is a plus athlete with the aggression to attack the line of scrimmage as well as the ball in the air. Tartt can get caught staring in the backfield in deep coverage, but with one of the position's top five 40-yard dash times at the combine, he has the speed to get to all areas of the field.
Tartt was named one of the draft's most physical defensive backs by Chase Goodbread of NFL.com, and was even linked to Indianapolis as a potential fit.
Inside Linebacker
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Though the Colts have D'Qwell Jackson returning next year and Jerrell Freeman will likely sign his tender in the coming weeks, per Kevin Bowen of Colts.com, inside linebacker remains one of the Colts' top needs.
Freeman has likely reached his ceiling as an average starter, and Jackson's age and lack of man coverage skills will keep him from being an ideal starter going forward. The team signed Nate Irving in free agency as well, but his recovery from an ACL tear and a lack of coverage skills also make him more of a rotational guy at this point.
The Colts need depth, and they need a potential long-term, high-profile starter. The latter is what we'll focus on here, with Irving and Henoc Muamba providing decent depth already. This draft isn't the most loaded class, but there are more than a few options, especially early.
Eric Kendricks, UCLA
The best option for Indianapolis in this draft, Kendricks may not make it to No. 29. But if he does, the Colts should pull the trigger. Kendricks plays with fantastic instincts in both run and pass defense, and combining that with his athleticism gives him the best range in coverage of any linebacker in this draft.
The Colts linebackers have struggled dearly in coverage in recent years, with the Colts ranking 30th in the league against short passes in 2014, per Football Outsiders. Kendricks could help solve that, and he won't give up ground in run defense as a result.
Stephone Anthony, Clemson
Another Clemson linebacker with freakish traits, Anthony won't go nearly as high as Vic Beasley because he hasn't quite figured out how to use all of his ability to his advantage just yet. Anthony was among the positional leaders in both the 40-yard dash and 20-yard shuttle run, but he also has good size at 6'3", 243 pounds (with a frame to add weight).
He might have the highest ceiling of any of the linebackers in this draft, and the Colts don't need a linebacker to start right away. Anthony could be the steal in the draft.
Paul Dawson, TCU
My favorite linebacker to watch on film, Dawson is explosive and has a nose for the ball. He sifts through traffic well because of his quickness and anticipation, and he can play all three downs. But much of Dawson's film looks so good because of his perceived athletic ability—ability that was not displayed at the combine.
Dawson's pro day was a better performance, but it may not be enough to make him a first or even second-round pick. Still, if Dawson is there at the end of the second round, his potential to be a tackle machine is hard to ignore.
Running Back
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Running back might be the easiest position for somebody to come in as a rookie and contribute heavily right away.
With Frank Gore signed through 2017, the Colts don't need a running back that can start right away. Instead, said running back can watch and learn during his rookie year. Let Gore do much of the heavy lifting while the rookie back dominates as a third-down option.
Jay Ajayi, Boise State
With the potential to outperform any player in this draft at running back, the former Boise State product has an enticing combination of power and agility. Ajayi's power and explosive running style should get him through lulls in 2014, but the NFL will want him to develop a more natural feel between the tackles, as he tries to bounce outside early and often.
Considering Frank Gore's potential as a mentor in the Colts offense, Ajayi could develop into a star in this league with some work.
Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
Though he doesn't have the hype of Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon or even Ajayi, Abdullah is one of the hands down best athletes in the draft this year. Abdullah would make an immediate impact through the air, as he excels in space.
Abdullah's size isn't ideal, at 5'9", 205 pounds, but with his explosion and adequate vision, Abdullah should see plenty of work between the tackles to make up for his lack of power.
Jeremy Langford, Michigan State
Apparently it was the year of the running back in the Big Ten. Langford surprised people when he put up the position's fastest 40 time at the combine, running a 4.42-second effort He doesn't have the same stop-and-go ability as some of the other top backs, but Langford has good foot speed and sees the field well.
One area that is a big plus for Langford: Pass protecting. The former Spartan picks up the blitz as well as any back in this class.
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Defensive Line
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The defensive line is a bit of a microcosm for the entire defense. The starters are all but set with Josh Chapman, Arthur Jones and Kendall Langford lined up to start on Sundays.
But while the Colts have had decent individual players on the defensive line, the lack of any signature talent there has been extremely limiting. The Colts need somebody who can truly play nose tackle to upgrade over Chapman, or they just need a playmaker in general.
Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
One of the most athletic nose tackle prospects in the draft, Phillips is massive at 6'5", 329 pounds, but carries it extremely well on the field. It's difficult to find a player big enough to anchor a 3-4 defense that can also move well enough to hold up over long stints, but Phillips did it well in his senior season.
There is some concern in drafting a prospect in the first round who won't be more than a two-down player, but Phillips has a few nifty moves in his repertoire, and his lightened snap load in an NFL rotation could do wonders for his play-to-play effort levels.
Malcom Brown, Texas
A versatile body that could play a nose or a 3-tech in the Colts scheme, Brown isn't quite as big as Phillips at 6'2", 319 pounds, but he has more than enough talent to go around. Brown is a nightmare for single blocks and possesses excellent hand usage and functional strength to shed blocks with ease.
Brown will command double-teams, no matter what position he takes. But while his effort levels are high, he must show better consistency to truly be worthy of his likely first-round price.
Arik Armstead, Oregon
If the Colts have a chance to take Armstead, a rare athletic specimen with potential to be an annual Pro Bowler, they have to consider it. It takes risks to draft All-Pros at the end of the first round, and Armstead would be a calculated risk.
At 6'7", Armstead has incredible length that would be a great asset for the Colts as they try to fill Cory Redding's spot as a 5-tech.
Offensive Line
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This is a tricky one for me.
On one hand, the Colts could desperately use another piece to build around on the offensive line, with both center and right guard yet to be decided. With those two turnstiles and Gosder Cherilus' injury questions at right tackle, the entire right side of the line could use some help.
But with so many more immediate needs elsewhere, a different pick makes more sense to me in the first round. Still, if the Colts do want to boost the offensive line early, you can't totally blame them.
Cameron Erving, Florida State
The sexy pick to the Colts among plenty of analysts right now, Erving was a tackle at Florida State at one point, but played center during 2014, with outstanding results. I've heard a few drawbacks on Erving as a tackle, but as a guard or a center, he looks to be a home run prospect.
Is a center a great pick in the first round? Not especially. But if he turns out to be as good as people think, they won't care about where he was drafted. For the Colts, he might compete at guard early as Jonotthan Harrison and Khaled Holmes fight for the center job.
D.J. Humphries, Florida
An uber-athletic tackle prospect, there were some concerns over Humphries' weight being too light going into the combine, but he measured in at 307 pounds, per NFL.com. With a stellar workout after the weigh-in and a solid performance throughout, Humphries has shot up draft boards.
I'm still not on board with drafting a tackle who is not named La'el Collins or Brandon Scherff in the first round, but if Humphries is still on the board in the second, the Colts might just pull the trigger. Humphries can take a year to learn from Cherilus before taking on a full role in 2016.
Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah
While Poutasi isn't as strong a prospect as these other two, he drew the attention of Colts scouts at the Utah pro day, per Josh Furlong of KSL.com. His strength and power in the run game could be enticing for Indianapolis as a guard prospect.
Cornerback
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The Colts aren't lacking starters at cornerback, with Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler returning as the top three corners in Indianapolis for the third consecutive season, and that group has been very successful over the last two years.
However, depth is nonexistent behind the trio, and the Colts need to plan for Toler's replacement (and hopefully upgrade) after this season.
Marcus Peters, Washington
The premier press-man cornerback in this year's draft, the Colts could be blessed by Peters' off-field issues. If Peters slides to No. 29 because of his maturity questions, he's almost certain to be the best on-field talent left on the board.
Peters has great hips and balance, and his 6'0", 197-pound frame is ideally built to handle receivers of any size. With great ball-tracking skills and notable burst to the ball at the last minute, Peters has plenty to work with if he can get his head on straight.
Quentin Rollins, Miami (OH)
A more raw prospect, Rollins has the agility, burst and instincts you want from an NFL corner, with a potential move to safety an option as well. Rollins needs some technique work at cornerback, and he could get it from the Colts coaching staff while he serves as a dime corner in 2015.
The Colts coaching staff has done a good job developing promising corners in this regime, polishing Vontae Davis into a Pro Bowler and helping turn Darius Butler into one of the league's best slot corners.
Byron Jones, Connecticut
In a scheme with as many different coverages as the Colts play, athleticism is coveted. If athleticism is coveted, then Byron Jones is in pretty good shape. Jones tore up the combine, and then followed it up with a stellar pro day.
At times, it's like Jones doesn't quite know how to use his athleticism yet, as his legs get caught up under him. But he's a smart player with everything you want physically. If he's there at the end of the second round, the cornerback position is very interesting.
Edge-Rusher
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This is one of the most difficult positions to project, especially for Indianapolis.
With Robert Mathis returning, Trent Cole added to the fold and the continued rotation of Erik Walden, Jonathan Newsome and Bjoern Werner, the Colts already have plenty of bodies at edge-rusher.
The problem is that they don't have any edge-rushers that will be studs in the long-term future, besides maybe Newsome. But most of the top rushers will be gone by the time the Colts' pick comes along.
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
Another physical freak, Odighizuwa has one of the most intriguing profiles for the Colts. He's a touch big to be playing outside linebacker, although he's just 10 pounds heavier than Werner.
But even if he was too big, he can join the line in nickel formations and wreak havoc with strong hand usage. Most likely, though, he's a strong-side linebacker with edge-setting skills to replace Erik Walden and improve upon what Bjoern Werner was supposed to be.
Bud Dupree, Kentucky
It would be something of a dream if Dupree dropped this far, as the raw but stellar athlete would be a perfect molding piece for the Colts to groom behind their veteran pass-rushers. In addition to pass-rushing potential and ability, Dupree should be a plus against the run, which would be welcomed with open arms in Indianapolis.
Dupree could fall depending on team needs come draft time, and if he does, the Colts must take a chance on him.
Danielle Hunter, LSU
Are you catching wind of the theme yet? Hunter is another fantastic athlete, but lacks the instincts that would put him in the first round. He should be available in the second or third round, and if he's groomed correctly, could be a terror as a pass-rusher.
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