Colts Should Draft a Linebacker in the First Round
With the draft fast approaching, the Indianapolis Colts need to figure out who to pick up with their first round draft pick. Over the past few years, the NFL has been clouded with underdog stories such as Russell Wilson being drafted in the 3rd round, or even the Colts’ own T.Y. Hilton who was told he was too fragile and couldn’t last with the big NFL cornerbacks.
But people forget about the first round, these are the guys who are supposed to have an immediate impact on their team, and most of the time they do have an immediate impact. But these impacts may not all be good impacts, take the Colts’ first round pick, Johnny Manziel. Johnny was drafted by the Browns with the 22nd pick, the pick given to them by the Colts in the Trent Richardson trade the year before. Did Johnny have an impact on his team? He most defiantly did, but most people would agree it wasn’t the best impact. So hopefully the Colts can pick up a first round stud and not a first round dud.
The Colts have several positions that needed to be addressed when this offseason began. Running back was one of those needs but the immediate future looks to be in good hands with Frank Gore finishing his career in Indy. After the release of Reggie Wayne, the Colts needed another veteran receiver that could take Reggie’s place; they found that in Andre Johnson. But the Colts still have needs, and a majority of the needy positions is on defense.
Ryan Grigson tried to address the linebacking core by signing Trent Cole but Cole is getting up there in age and is only a short-term answer. The Colts are also expecting Robert Mathis back after his season ending Achilles tendon injury he suffered last season while working out during his suspension for PED use. Cole and Mathis together are a good force but they both are at the ends of their careers and the Colts need to draft for the future of this defense, and a good place to start would be linebacker.
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The line backing core of a team can make or break a defense, look at the two super bowl teams last year, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots had Dont’a Hightower a player who has been dominant as linebacker since he arrived in New England. The Seahawks had a plethora of players who would easily be the top linebackers on other teams, but their main linebacker was Bobby Wagner. Both of these linebackers solidify the middle of the defense and are great leaders, which is what you need at linebacker.
No matter what the Colts decide to do, the Colts nation will be happy. We will hopefully get to see the benefit of having your first round pick and being able to prosper because of it. The Colts have had a successful offseason so far and they hope to keep it going through the 2015 NFL Draft.