Indianapolis Colts a Fit for Stanley Jean-Baptiste

Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

The Indianapolis Colts have a lot of decisions to make as they approach the 2014 NFL Draft. Many Colts fans are overlooking this years draft because the team has no first round pick. the Colts first pick will be 59th overall. That means that the top 58 players will probably be gone before Ryan Grigson gets one pick.

I can guarantee you that Grigson is not taking this draft lightly. No draft pick should be taken lightly. Every pick could potentially be a franchise superstar of the future. In 2001 the Cincinnati Bengals drafted T. J. Houshmandzadeh in the seventh round. In 2007 the New Orleans Saints found another seventh round gem in Marques Colston. The Colts found found their own late round jewel in 2003 with Robert Mathis in the fifth round.

Don’t assume that the Colts won’t find a great player in this years draft. The Colts still have positions that need more depth. One of the greatest of those needs is at cornerback. Luckily for the Colts, this draft is deep in several positions including cornerback. There are several players who will go in the late rounds that have potential to make an impact in the NFL.

I’ve looked over several mock drafts and most have the Colts taking a CB for their first pick. None of the projections that I’ve looked at have the player who I believe the Colts should pick. If he’s available, the Indianapolis Colts should seriously consider Stanley Jean-Baptiste from Nebraska.

Grigson has shown that he is gearing up the Indianapolis Colts to have a bigger and more physical defense. Chuck Pagano coaches a more aggressive style of defense than what Colts fans were used to in the Tony Dungy days. Jean-Baptiste fits the bill for this new Colts regime.

Jean-Baptiste is the largest CB coming out this draft. Out of the top 15 rated CB’s he has the highest vertical jump and at the combine he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds. If you don’t know, that’s fast.

Last season he caught four interceptions for 134 yards. He also got 41 tackles. He is an aggressive and physical player with the size to match. His size and ability would help the Colts defense neutralize the threat of bigger wide receivers. If you’d like to know more, there are plenty of highlight reels you can and should search for.

Jean-Baptiste is projected to go in the third round. According to most analysts he should be available. I believe at the second round he will be a steal. He may even be the best corner in the draft. Not that he has the best stats, but he is a better fit for what the Colts are trying to build.

There are several more players available and several different options. In the upcoming weeks expect to see more analysis and breakdown about the draft. Expect to see more about what the Colts need and who fits that need. This is just the beginning, but Stanley Jean-Baptiste may be the best beginning to this draft that the Indianapolis Colts could hope for.