A Colts Position of Need: Defensive Back

The Indianapolis Colts have had their fair share of struggles in the secondary this season.

For example, Vontae Davis and the rest of the DB corp getting absolutely torched by Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger on Thanksgiving night.

Granted, both players are very good players, but the Colts had a horrible time containing the Steelers in general.

In my last article, I took a look at a few prospects that would fit the Colts needs at the linebacker position. In case you did not see the article, you can find it here. Once again, here are my favorite draft prospects at the defensive back position.

Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC

Adoree’ Jackson is a freak athlete. With his elite speed and strength, he has picked up back-to-back Pac-12 titles in long jump and has finished second in the Pac-12 100 meter dash. Jackson’s athleticism is used everywhere on the Trojans. Being a return man, Jackson has incredible vision and can run top speed in a matter of a few foot steps. When playing cornerback, his quick feet and phenomenal speed gives him have the ability to recover very well if beat by a receiver. On the downside, Jackson is relatively small for a cornerback standing at only 5’11”.

Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

An NFL executive recently called Quincy Wilson “the best corner in the country”. There is a lot of love for the junior from Florida.

Wilson’s skill set is tremendous but lacks deep ball speed. To many, he is one of the most underrated corners in the nation. With fellow Gator cornerback, Jalen Taber, most likely being drafted in the top half of the first round, Wilson could be a possible draft pick for the Colts in the second round. That would be a risk to take since Wilson’s draft stock is rising and he could go late in the first round.

Marcus Maye, S, Florida

Another Florida Gator has made this list. Marcus Maye is an intriguing option in the draft due to his ability to play free and strong safety. Maye likes to be a playmaker but also gets burnt on some plays that has hurt his team. Some sources say that Maye is a likable player, even though it is frustrating when he gives up unnecessary plays that shouldn’t happen. Teams are visioning Maye as a second round pick, although he might slip into the back half of the first round. One of the downsides of Marcus Maye is that his off-man coverage against tight ends is not that good. Maye is a very talented player, but also has lots of areas to improve on.

Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M

Justin Evans is possibly a top-20 pick in the minds of many. He is being compared to last year’s Oakland Raiders first round draft pick, Karl Joseph. Evans has decent size with the ability to drop back in coverage and make big plays in the ground game. Being overshadowed by fellow Aggie, Myles Garret, Evans could be another player out of College Station to be drafted early in the draft. Many NFL executives believe that Justin Evans is a promising NFL safety.

Conclusion

There are many talented defensive backs in this upcoming draft. My personal favorite from the list above is Quincy Wilson. He is a solid option at the cornerback position.

If I were a part of the draft process in the Colts organization, I would not take him or any corner in general in the first round because of the other needs on the team, such as a pass rusher, linebacker, or offensive lineman.