5 2015 NFL Draft Picks Who Could Be Opening-Game Starters for Indianapolis Colts

The NFL draft is not about what rookies can do.

The NFL draft, at its core, is about long-term production. What will these players be in two, three years, not who are they right now.

Still, much of our focus on the 2015 draft class will center around what they can do for the Indianapolis Colts in 2015. All of the mock drafts, team analysis and post-draft grading in the world will center around this 2015 focus.

So while this shouldn't be our basis for getting the best value out of the 2015 draft, there is a certain value to projecting which draft picks can provide early value. The Colts, after all, are shooting for a deep playoff run and a potential Super Bowl. The team, with a young quarterback and core pieces, certainly needs long-term players, but there is a certain appeal to immediate contributors.

That's what we look at today. Who can come into Indianapolis and start right away, providing the ultimate impact as a rookie in 2015?

S Landon Collins, Alabama

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Honestly, the Colts have plenty of starting talent currently. There are very few players that will be available at No. 29 that will certainly, or almost certainly, start right away.

Landon Collins is one of a select few of those players.

Not only does Collins have first-round talent, unlike the rest of the safeties in this draft, but he plays a position that the Colts could use new starting talent. While Mike Adams had a strong year last season, he's 34 and will decay sooner rather than later. Newly signed Dwight Lowery can start but is as replaceable as the next guy. 

Collins is the physical, well-rounded safety that could be that replacement. Not only is he a strong tackler with stellar instincts in the box, but his instincts in coverage are notable as well, as NFL.com's Chase Goodbread explained:

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The Alabama safety wouldn't be the top player in the draft at his position if he couldn't locate and anticipate the ball. There are questions about whether Collins is athletic enough to handle man coverage in the NFL, but there is nothing wrong with his ability to read the quarterback and track passes. He tends to use his instincts to set up big hits and pass breakups rather than interceptions, but the instincts are undeniable.

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If Collins is on the board at No. 29, the Colts will certainly consider him, in large part because of his potential to contribute as a rookie.

C Cameron Erving, Florida State

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Along with Collins, there are just one or two other potential prospects late in the first round that could definitively start. Center Cameron Erving of Florida State is one that jumps out on the page, and for good reason. 

Erving was the Seminoles' left tackle in 2013 and the beginning of 2014, but as the season went on, Erving transitioned to center. The move proved effective both for the Florida State offense and Erving as an individual, leading to his shooting to the top of draft boards as a center.

As a tackle, Erving was a decent prospect, but as a center his athleticism and versatility really shines. He is raw but has plus athletic traits with plus strength to go along with his stellar explosion and change of direction ability.

He just transitioned to center this season and was a former defensive lineman, so he's not the most pro-ready prospect we've seen. Still, the Colts don't exactly have an incumbent center that would intimidate a high-profile rookie. While one of the concerning parts of Erving's evaluation is his raw nature, neither Jonotthan Harrison or Khaled Holmes have proven to be trusted options at this point.

DT Malcom Brown, Texas

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Outside of safety and the offensive line, the only other plausible position that could be taken over by a rookie is the interior defensive line.

Since Malcom Brown is the best defensive lineman that could be available at No. 29, he naturally falls on this list.

At 6'2", 319 pounds, Brown has the size and frame to hold up at the point of attack as a nose tackle in the NFL. The Colts would like to improve at the position if possible, as Josh Chapman isn't the cornerstone of the run defense that the Colts had hoped, although he's flashed against the run.

The thing about Brown is that he's more than just a run-stuffer. Brown has the quickness and athletic potential to be a playmaker from the interior, whether it's collapsing the pocket in pass rush or clogging holes in the run game. He has the instincts and vision to match his athleticism and strength.

The biggest detraction from Chapman's game, along with the other Colts interior linemen, is the lack of pass-rush production. Brown could help there, with his athleticism and versatility to play multiple positions on the line.

OL Brandon Scherff, Iowa

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It would be a minor miracle if Iowa's Brandon Scherff dropped into the bottom half of the first round but crazier things have happened.

The other offensive lineman in the first round that would immediately start on the interior, Scherff was a tackle at Iowa but projects better as a guard, where he can use his aggression and strength in a more focused manner.

Fortunately, the Colts' biggest need on the line is on the interior, with Gosder Cherilus and Anthony Castonzo holding down the starting tackle spots. Scherff can be an elite guard prospect, and he could bring long-term stability to the Colts' offensive line, helping boost the team's run-blocking power immediately.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein said it best:

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More powerful than explosive, Scherff is not a scheme-specific talent and can maul or move in run game. Road-grader with pancake-man potential, but has holes in his pass protection that will be exposed on the next level -- especially at tackle.

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If he does drop into the late first round, he's one of a select few offensive linemen that might provide value for Indianapolis with their first pick.

DT Eddie Goldman, Florida State

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

A hair below Malcom Brown in my defensive tackle evaluations, Eddie Goldman of Florida State is another interior defensive lineman that could start for Indianapolis early.

Goldman isn't quite the pass-rusher that Brown is, which may give the Colts a reason to keep somebody like him from starting over Chapman right away. But Goldman is incredibly powerful, powerful enough to discard blockers while taking on double teams.

At 6'4", 336 pounds, Goldman has a strong frame that can handle the weight of NFL-caliber blockers at the point of attack. His leverage and hand usage give him powerful advantages that he knows how to use. As Rob Rang of CBS Sports said, Goldman is just scratching the surface of his potential.

But while his potential is sky-high, his current level is strong enough that he could immediately contribute on a defensive line that needs players to disrupt opposing offenses. Goldman can blow up run plays right now, and with some work, he may be a Vince Wilfork-type of player for some lucky team.