The Indianapolis Colts were able to find a few more draft picks by trading down, one move turned into T.J. Green, a blazing fast safety that could be the future of the team’s secondary.
When the Colts traded down to the 57th pick in the second round of the NFL Draft and selected hard hitting safety T.J. Green, it raised a few eyebrows.
Safety wasn’t exactly a glaring need, and some felt like the Colts reached for Green in the second round. PFF didn’t like the selection by Indianapolis, calling it the one of the worst selections in the draft.
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Pro Football Focus had this to say about Green: “Another selection based on size and speed, Green did not play well last season, finishing 90th overall among draftable safeties. His -10.8 coverage grade ranked dead last as he often looked lost in space. There were pre-draft rumors that he might transition to cornerback, and while the size and speed are intriguing, he has to make immense improvements to be worth a second-round pick no matter which position he plays.”
Another knock on Green is the fact that he has only been playing safety for two years. A converted wide receiver in 2013, Green has the speed to stay even with the league’s speediest receivers. His 4.34 second 40-yard dash was the fastest among safeties in this draft.
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On the other side of the coin, some analysts really liked the pick by the Colts.
Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star had this to say about Green: “One thing they are banking on: Green was a WR until sophomore yr. Has only been on defense three years. See him as having huge upside.”
Green is also a tackling machine. Last year with Clemson, Green recorded 130 total tackles (102 solo).
He also is a very durable player. With the Tigers, Green started every game last season.
Whatever the case, when they drafted him, the Colts viewed Green as a steal. They also believe that they got tremendous value by drafting him in the second round. They also view him as the future starter beside Clayton Geathers and eventual replacement for the ageless Mike Adams.
While he most likely won’t start this year, it will be interesting to see how Green makes the transition to the NFL and also from offense to defense.