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Colts Reportedly Interview Boise State Pass Rusher Kamalei Correa at NFL Combine

By Luke Schultheis

Feb 28, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boise State defensive lineman Kamalei Correa participates in workout drills during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boise State defensive lineman Kamalei Correa participates in workout drills during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder, the Indianapolis Colts had a formal interview with Boise State pass rusher Kamalei Correa at the NFL Combine:

Screen Shot 2016-02-29 at 2.23.19 PM
Screen Shot 2016-02-29 at 2.23.19 PM /

The 6’3″, 248 pound pass rusher had a strong showing at the NFL Combine, where he posted a forty time of 4.69 seconds–which was the 3rd best among all defensive ends and tied for ninth among linebackers:


Last season with the Broncos, Correa recorded 7 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in all 13 of the team’s games, as he earned All-Mountain West Second-Team Honors.

Dec 31, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos defensive lineman Kamalei Correa (8) celebrates a play in the closing seconds of the game the game against the Arizona Wildcats in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl at Phoenix Stadium. The Broncos defeated the Wildcats 38-30. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos defensive lineman Kamalei Correa (8) celebrates a play in the closing seconds of the game the game against the Arizona Wildcats in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl at Phoenix Stadium. The Broncos defeated the Wildcats 38-30. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Correa has the type of “quick titch” athleticism that scouts and general managers typically like to see out of pass rushers, but he hasn’t quite been able to put it all together on a consistent basis (via his NFL.com Draft Profile):

"SOURCES TELL US “I wanted to see more this year. It’s frustrating watching him because you can see the potential, but he just doesn’t unlock it as much as he should. Against that schedule he should have been more productive.” — NFC North scoutNFL COMPARISON Frank ZomboBOTTOM LINE Correa will likely transition into a full-time 3­-4 outside linebacker as a pro. While he doesn’t have as much play strength as expected and is still raw as a pass rusher, NFL teams will be attracted by his quick-twitch athleticism and moldable traits as a pass rusher. The tape says Day 3 of the draft, but the upside could get him called earlier. He might require patience as there is still work to be done for Correa."

That being said, his NFL Combine performance figures to place him in the early rounds of the draft, where a pass rush needy team like the Colts could pull the trigger.

Feb 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boise State defensive lineman Kamalei Correa speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boise State defensive lineman Kamalei Correa speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

At 35 years old, franchise great Robert Mathis remains the team’s best pass rusher, but there’s little help outside of him where veteran Trent Cole disappointed last season and the team just released once promising pass rusher Jonathan Newsome due to marijuana charges.

The defense tied for the 22nd least amount of sacks with 35.0 sacks this past season and failed to get consistent pressure off the edge.

That being said, the team can neither afford to reach and overdraft a pass rusher just to fill a need and end up with Bjoern Werner Part II, nor can the Colts draft a pass rusher with too many “warts” such as Newsome again.

It’s really a slippery slope for the Colts in a pass rushing draft class that general manager Ryan Grigson believes “isn’t as thick” as in prior seasons.

However, a pass rushing prospect such as Correa could make quite a deal of sense in the early rounds of the draft, as the team could desperately use a young pass rusher with some much needed “juice” coming off the edge.

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