Horseshoe Heroes
FanSided

Colts Select Iowa Center Austin Blythe in 7th Round

By Luke Schultheis

Nov 27, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Austin Blythe (63) is double teamed by Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Byerson Cockrell (28) and Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Greg McMullen (90) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Iowa beat Nebraska 28-20. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Austin Blythe (63) is double teamed by Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Byerson Cockrell (28) and Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Greg McMullen (90) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. Iowa beat Nebraska 28-20. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Indianapolis Colts selected Iowa center Austin Blythe with the 248th overall pick in the 7th round of the NFL Draft.

As the 4th offensive lineman drafted by the Colts in this year’s class and 2nd center overall, Blythe figures to help add additional depth and competition to the interior of the team’s offensive line.

The 6’2″, 291 pound senior captain started in 13 games for the Hawkeyes this past season, earning 2nd-team All-Big Ten honors. During his collegiate career, Blythe started the final 45 games and had 49 career starts in 50 games played.

He was recently named as a Rimington Trophy finalist, which is given annually to the nation’s top center, but the award was given to his new Colts teammate Ryan Kelly instead. Still, it speaks volumes to his high level of play at the position to be in such serious consideration.

Blythe may not be the best athlete at center, but he’s smart, gritty, and plays tough in the trenches (via his NFL.com Draft Profile):

"NFL COMPARISONMatt Paradis"

"BOTTOM LINEPlayed with consistency throughout his stint as a four-year starter at Iowa and his 2015 tape is solid from start to finish. While his lack of physical traits could hurt where he is taken in the draft, his functional strength, technical savvy, athleticism and body control should not be ignored as he has all the makings of an eventual NFL starter."

He apparently was among one of college football’s best run blocking centers:

While Kelly as the team’s 1st round pick assuredly has the center position locked up, Blythe could provide competition to the starting right guard spot, as well as interior offensive line depth for the team as a whole.

As former Colts center great Jeff Saturday showed, who went undrafted in 1998 out of North Carolina, it’s not always about how you start, as much as it is about how you finish.

Home/Colts Draft