NFL Draft 2024 Rumors: Colts Would 'Run the Card in' If Brock Bowers Available at 15

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was one of the most dominant playmakers in college football and may not be available by the time the Indianapolis Colts make their pick at No. 15 in this year's NFL draft.

But the AFC South team reportedly won't hesitate to make the selection if he is still on the board.

"One source with a rival team believed the Colts would 'run the card in' if Bowers was available," ESPN's Matt Miller reported Thursday. Miller also noted Indianapolis will likely focus on cornerback if Bowers is gone, while ESPN's Stephen Holder suggested the team may look to trade down and land more picks for depth purposes.

The Colts were a middling 16th in the league in passing yards allowed per game, so focusing on the cornerback position makes sense. Still, Bowers is the type of difference-maker who can elevate an offense around young quarterback Anthony Richardson to the next level.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the second-best player in the entire draft behind Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in its latest big board. It also projected Bowers to go No. 10 overall to the New York Jets in its latest mock draft, which would end the Colts' hopes of selecting him.

The back-to-back John Mackey Award winner as the nation's best tight end is athletic enough to line up in the slot or even out wide and will give whichever team drafts him an elite pass-catching weapon.

Opposing defenses will have to account for Jonathan Taylor and Richardson's running ability when facing the Colts, so there should be openings up the middle for a tight end to exploit.

It wouldn't be surprising at all, then, if the AFC South team showed no hesitation to select Bowers.