Breaking Down Indianapolis Colts Roster After the 2015 NFL Draft

The Indianapolis Colts are looking to make a Super Bowl run this coming season, and after a busy 2015 NFL draft, they look ready to compete with teams like the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots in the AFC.

Eight players were taken by the Colts over the past weekend, including five on defense. Several of them are expected to make immediate impacts in 2015, while others will likely be developing until they're ready to take on larger roles in the future.

But the rookies are only one small part of the entire Colts roster. Andrew Luck was able to lead the Colts to the AFC Championship Game last season, but with additions via free agency and the draft, expectations are as high as they've been since Peyton Manning left for Denver.

The Colts roster looks a bit different than it did a few months ago, so with that being said, let's break down each position and see if this team is really ready for a Super Bowl run.

Quarterback

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Nothing changed at the quarterback position, but even if Indianapolis had drafted someone to play under center, we all know who is going to be the starter.

Luck has made strides in his first three seasons in the NFL, but now the Colts are expecting the young quarterback to make a run for the MVP trophy. With so many weapons around him, it shouldn't be a surprise that some are picking Luck to win the award.

The only other quarterback on the roster right now is Matt Hasselbeck. At 39 years old, he's just enjoying the ride, helping the team as a veteran leader while backing up Luck. If something happens to Luck, he should be able to come in and hold his own, but Colts fans don't want to think about that.

Running Back

If anything, it's going to be an entertaining training camp watching running backs fight for a spot on the final 53-man roster.

After bringing him in this offseason, it's pretty clear that Frank Gore is going to be the team's starter. He's an established veteran that's known for power running, which is exactly what the Colts have been wanting out of their backfield.

Things get a bit more unclear behind Gore. It would be a safe bet to assume that Daniel Herron will be No. 2 on the depth chart after impressing in the second half of last year's regular season and the playoffs. He looked like a decisive runner who could fit into the role that Ahmad Bradshaw was in before going down.

There will likely only be one more running back on the final roster, creating a battle between Vick Ballard, Zurlon Tipton and rookie Josh Robinson. I don't expect Tipton to impress enough, and there's no guarantee that Ballard is the same player after two season-ending injuries.

Robinson is my pick to win the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. He reminds me a bit of Trent Richardson, but more decisive and faster, which will go a long way in helping him at the next level. Overall, there are more than a few options in the backfield, which is nice to have after last year's issues.

Wide Receiver

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Wide receiver is now by far the deepest position for the Colts after drafting Phillip Dorsett in the first round. He's an explosive playmaker, but as a rookie, he'll have to prove himself before he starts getting significant touches.

The star of the Colts receivers is still T.Y. Hilton. The 25-year-old has caught 214 passes for 3,289 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first three seasons, putting up some incredible performances in big games for the Colts. 

With Reggie Wayne gone, Andre Johnson will take over as the team's No. 2 option. Despite never having a reliable quarterback throughout his career, the 33-year-old has been one of the league's best receivers over the last decade with the Houston Texans. At 6'3'' and 230 pounds, he'll be a physical outside receiver that Luck will love throwing to.

Those two will see the majority of snaps, but the Colts will have a starting-caliber second unit in Dorsett and Donte Moncrief. Moncrief proved himself as a legitimate vertical threat by the end of last season, and Dorsett can embrace the Hilton role.

Even Duron Carter has a chance of making the final roster, although the Colts will likely try to put him on the practice squad. The son of Hall of Famer Cris Carter has generated a lot of buzz in Indianapolis, but he'll have to prove himself before he gets a chance on the field.

There are other names currently on the roster like Griff Whalen and Josh Lenz, but it's unlikely that we'll see them after training camp.

Tight End

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When healthy, the Colts have one of the best tight end duos in the league with Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. However, keeping Allen healthy hasn't been easy, with the 25-year-old missing significant time over the past two seasons.

Allen is arguably one of the best all-around tight ends when on the field, but Fleener has stayed healthy and been a reliable weapon for Luck. Fleener had the best season of his career in 2014, catching 51 passes for 774 yards and eight touchdowns.

Looking toward the future, there's a chance that one of these guys doesn't return in 2016. Both are set to be free agents in 2016, and with players like Hilton and Luck having big paydays coming up, the Colts might not be able to afford both tight ends.

After those two, the Colts have two backup options in Jack Doyle and Erik Swoope. Neither are starting-caliber players, but for now, one of them will likely make the final roster to give the Colts a backup option if someone goes down.

Offensive Line

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Offensive line depth has been one of the biggest concerns for the Colts on offense since Luck took over at quarterback. The team was able to add a key piece in free agency, but they were unable to add any significant players in the draft.

Denzell Goode was the only offensive lineman drafted by the Colts, and as a seventh-round pick coming out of Mars Hill University, the best-case scenario for him is making the practice squad. He may be a suitable backup at offensive tackle one day, but for now, the Colts will have to hope that Ulrick John, Tyler Hoover, Joe Reitz and Demarco Cox can prove themselves.

At least a couple of those guys will need to look like serviceable players due to concerns about the health of Gosder Cherilus. Anthony Castonzo has been a reliable left tackle, but the Colts need some depth with concerns on the other side of the line.

On the interior of the offensive line, the Colts now have some solid depth. Jack Mewhort and Todd Herremans will likely be the starting guards, but guys like Donald Thomas, Hugh Thornton and Lance Louis could all come in if needed and hold their own.

The biggest question for the Colts offensive line is still at center. After they couldn't find a long-term starter last season, Jonotthan Harrison and Khaled Holmes will be fighting for a starting spot once again. If one of them can stand out in training camp and remain the starter in 2015, the offense could be in great shape.

Defensive Line

The New England Patriots embarrassed the Colts in the AFC Championship Game by running the ball down the team's throat time and time again. The defensive line was mostly to blame for that, and there were even more concerns about the state of the unit once Cory Redding left for Arizona.

Kendall Langford was signed this offseason to give them a potential starter to replace Redding at defensive end. He likely won't make the same impact, but the Colts do have more depth at the position after getting an absolute steal in the third round of the draft with Stanford's Henry Anderson. He will need to add some weight to his frame, but Anderson should be the starter in the next year or two.

At nose tackle, Josh Chapman will likely remain the starter, but he has some work to do if he's going to show that he deserves to be the long-term starter. Montori Hughes will back him up, but another Stanford rookie in David Parry could take over the No. 2 spot on the depth chart with a solid showing in training camp.

Finally, Arthur Jones will be trying to show everyone that he can be the impact defensive tackle the Colts brought him in to be. Injuries kept him from playing at his highest level last season, but he's hoping to turn it around in 2015. Behind him, Zach Kerr will be trying to turn his short hot streak from 2014 into an entire productive season as a rotational player.

Linebacker

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The outside linebacker situation in Indianapolis is an interesting one. Robert Mathis missed the entire 2014 season, and there's no guarantee that he'll be ready for the regular-season opener, or that he'll be as effective as he once was. With his status unclear, others will have to step up.

Offseason addition Trent Cole will likely take over the starting role with Erik Walden on the other side. Behind them, Bjoern Werner and Jonathan Newsome will likely be seeing some snaps. Werner has yet to prove himself at the next level, but Newsome led all rookies with 6.5 sacks this past season.

On the inside, Jerrell Freeman and D'Qwell Jackson will remain the starters, but that's not necessarily a good thing. The two struggled mightily against the run and in coverage, proving to be a major liability for the defense. Fortunately, the Colts now have some more depth on the inside with Nate Irving joining in free agency and Amarlo Herrera being selected in the sixth round.

There is more depth at linebacker than there was last year, but the starters will have to step their game up compared to last season, both on the inside and outside.

Secondary

With Landon Collins still on the board in the first round, many Colts fans were hoping that their team would bring the Alabama safety in. Instead, the Colts drafted Dorsett, and with the serious lack of depth at the position, there are still some questions at safety.

The Colts did eventually address their safety concerns, however, selecting Clayton Geathers in the fourth round. He's a big prospect at 6'2'' and 218 pounds, so he should be able to come in and start at strong safety alongside Mike Adams.

However, outside of those two, there is a serious lack of depth in the defensive backfield. Players like Colt Anderson and Dwight Lowery will be looking to grab backup spots, and undrafted free agent Robert Smith might even have a chance to make the final roster.

Things look much better at cornerback for the Colts. Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler are all returning. Meanwhile, the Colts added some much-needed depth behind those three with a solid third-round selection in Florida Atlantic's D'Joun Smith. He's a confident corner that could find a home as a nickel defensive back in pass-heavy situations or come into the starting role if someone goes down.

Special Teams

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Nothing changed with the special teams unit after the draft, and that's a good thing.

The Colts had easily the best special teams in the NFL last season. At 42 years old, Adam Vinatieri is still drilling field goals—and doing so with consistency. He's definitely nearing the end of his NFL career, but the Colts should be set at kicker for at least another year.

At punter, Pat McAfee was able to make his first Pro Bowl last season despite deserving a selection for the past few years. With a long-term contract in place, he'll remain the team's punter for the foreseeable future, possibly for the rest of his career.

Finally, at long snapper, Matt Overton continues to be reliable. The less you hear about long snappers, the better, and Overton is almost never mentioned.

This unit will stay together for at least another season, but the Colts may have to look for a new kicker in next year's draft.