Draft Review: Indianapolis Colts
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Entering the 2015 season, many predicted the Colts would be Super Bowl contenders. However, not too many would have thought that Andrew Luck would have gotten injured and play a hideous game of football. The season started off with two losses and only 21 points scored. Indianapolis would continue that trend against the tougher teams, and after Luck went down for the season in week 11, Indianapolis would finish the year at 8-8. They had one of the worst offenses (24th in total points) and one of the worst defenses (25th in points allowed) to achieve a negative 75 points in net scoring which was the sixth worst in the NFL. A complete downturn compared to 2014, where the Colts finished with a positive 89 points in scoring proficiency.
Just two days after the regular season ended it became obvious that the offensive line would need a serious upgrade to protect Luck, and the office brass went into transaction mode. Owner Jim Irsay bounded both Grigson and Irsay to long-term deals and named Rob Chudzinski the official offensive coordinator after being the interim coach. They also contracted Brian Schottenheimer for their quarterback’s coach and Joe Philbin to coach the offensive line. On defense, Indianapolis terminated defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and hired Ted Monachino in his place.
The Colts did not make any huge signings in the off-season but veterans Robert Turbin, Jordan Todman and Scott Tolzien will provide leadership qualities. They also brought in defensive back and former first-round draft choice Patrick Robinson. Indianapolis also re-signed tight ends Jack Doyle and Dwayne Allen after losing Coby Fleener to the Saints. They then set their eyes toward the 2016 NFL draft.
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First Round (No. 18 overall) – Ryan Kelly, C Alabama.
Colts set target number one on Ryan Kelly. Since Jeff Saturday retired there has been a revolving door at the position. In that time, Andrew Luck has put his hands under five different butts and none were any good. Kelly will change that and give the type of leadership that he showed in college and why he won the Rimington Award as the nation’s best center. Even by NFL draft standards a selection of a center in the first round is not something teams normally do, especially as early as the 18th pick, but the Colts are hoping for solid chemistry between Luck and Kelly for many years. Chuck Pagano stated “That chemistry, that continuity, you can’t replicate that any other way,” Pagano said. “You certainly can’t replicate it by going down the road that we’ve been down for the last four seasons. That’s not fair to anybody, that’s not fair to the football team.” The offensive line now will feature Kelly at center, Anthony Castanzo at left tackle, Jack Mewhort at left guard, Hugh Thornton at right guard, and the winner of the camp competition between Denzelle Goode and Joe Reitz at right tackle.
Second Round No. 26 (No. 57 overall) – T.J. Green, S Clemson.
It will be hard to project where T.J. Green will play for the Colts. Green feels more comfortable playing safety at the NFL level, but Indianapolis has that position covered with Mike Adams and Clayton Geathers. At cornerback they have Vontae Davis, Patrick Robinson, Darius Butler, and D’Joun Smith. As you can see there is a logjam in the secondary. The good news is that T.J. Green has speed (4.34 40-yard dash) can tackle (third in tackles with 130, including 102 that were solo) and stays healthy, as he started every game last season. Green will fit Monachino’s defense perfectly, as he wants an attacking style while showing many different defensive fronts. According to Monachino, “You expect (the defense) to be sound and simple in a way that our guys can play full speed all the time. You expect it to be aggressive in everything that we do, yet smart in everything that we do in the backend,” Monachino says of what he wants fans to see in the Colts defense. “We are never going to coach caution into a great player. We are always going to coach full speed.” Green is a dynasty project for your teams as well as for the Colts. Mike Adams is 35-years old, and more than likely on his last rodeo ride, but you will have to wait two years before it expires.
Third Round No. 19 (No. 82 overall) – Le’Raven Clark, OT Texas Tech.
Le’Raven Clark was drafted to add depth to the offensive line, but will have every opportunity to claim a starting role. After some projected him in the first round, and more in the second, it seems that the Colts stole him at the later part of the third. Clark started his college career as a left guard for Texas Tech, but played his last three seasons at left tackle, which gives him the flexibility to play both positions. He won’t beat out Anthony Costanzo, but could find his way in at right tackle or even right guard. Chuck Pagano had mentioned about Clark: “He’s long, he’s athletic, has all the traits to be an outstanding tackle. If he has to go inside and play some guard, he’s done that in the past. It’s hard to find those guys that can play on the outside, especially play left tackle.”
Fourth Round No. 18 (No. 116 overall) – Hassan Ridgeway, DT Texas.
Hassan Ridgeway is an interesting prospect as he plays the defensive tackle position, but can also get after the quarterback. He does have conditioning issues which forced him to drop down into the fourth round. Another reason was that he only started eight of the 11 games he played, where he finished the season with 36 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss. How well he plays will be up to him and how hard he wants to work, but he adds good value to the defensive line with Henry Anderson, Arthur Jones, Kendall Langford, and David Parry.
Fourth Round No. 27 (No. 125 overall — from Green Bay) – Antonio Morrison, LB Florida.
Since Jerrell Freeman departed to the Chicago Bears it left a hole to fill. The Colts did so with Antonio Morrison out of Florida. Morrison has a never ending motor and will close on the line of scrimmage quickly. He can pursue and has excellent change of direction skills, and will get after the quarterback. With 101 tackles his junior season and 103 his senior year he will fit perfectly with Monachino’s defense. Morrison will need to show he is healthy as he tore multiple ligaments including his ACL his junior season, but fought back and returned quickly, and he doesn’t lose his mind and get arrested again, as he did when he resisted arrest, after punching a bartender and barking at a dog when he was 18.
Fifth Round No. 16 (No. 155 overall) – Joe Haeg, OT North Dakota State.
After blocking for Carson Wentz, Haeg will take his talents to Indianapolis. At this point, it’s hard to say that Joe Haeg isn’t anything more than a depth selection, but that is something the Colts haven’t had in a long time. He is a road grader as he a big reason that North Dakota State averaged 236.7 yards rushing last season. Ryan Grigson stated about Joe Haeg: “He never looked tentative. He had good angles. He put his face on people. He blocked well at the second level.” Grigson continued to state that “He moves pretty darn well and then in one-on-one pass protection situations he has length and movement and did a really good job.”
Seventh Round No. 18 (No. 239 overall) – Trevor Bates, OLB Maine.
Even though Trevor Bates came to Indianapolis in the seventh round, doesn’t mean he won’t be needed. The Colts are getting ancient at the outside linebacker spot as Robert Mathis (35-years old), Trent Cole (33-years old), and Erik Walden (30-years old) are getting long in the tooth. The good news is that Bates can refine his game while he gets up to speed and learn the defense. Bates can get after the quarterback as he registered 19 sacks in his four seasons at Maine. Trevor Bates described himself as “violent and very, very relentless with my effort,” Bates says. Chuck Pagano stated that Bates can “run (and) he’s a physical guy,” Pagano went on to say that “They (Maine) played him along the defensive front. He played some six technique, some seven technique.”
Seventh Round No. 27 (No. 248 overall — from Green Bay) – Austin Blythe, C Iowa.
Austin Blythe is a technically sound blocker as many are coming out of Iowa. He has solid hand position and knows how to work his body, since he was also a wrestler in college. Blythe knows how to work both his hands and feet in unison and will get up to the second-level. His primary downfall is that he is a one position player only, but will give excellent depth behind Ryan Kelly.
UDFA to Watch – Danny Anthrop, WR Purdue
Both Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pagano had Danny Anthrop to go through a private workout. He is a slot receiver so he will be an added benefit and bring depth as a fifth receiver. He has the speed of a track athlete, but is stiff on his breaks and struggles with catch radius. He has a good chance to make the team as he also has the skills to play on special teams.
UDFA to Watch – Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois
The top headliners at the running back position are Frank Gore, Robert Turbin, and Jordan Todman. As you can see Josh Ferguson has a great chance on making the team as a third or fourth running back, and can climb the chart as both Turbin and Gore are big injury risks. He was invited to the combine after he finished out his 2015 season with 2,500 rushing and 1,500 yards receiving. He will most likely backup Turbin as the third down back, while learning the keys to success. Ferguson is only 5’9” so his capabilities are limited to outside running and catches out of the backfield. He will get crushed trying to run through the tackles, something he doesn’t like to do anyway. He should be a focus for deep PPR dynasty leagues.
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