Now that the draft has subsided, it’s time to reflect on the Colts’ draft picks. How well did they do addressing critical roster needs?
The Colts had a ton of draft picks. They had four in the second round alone. We will go through each round and grade how the Colts did, but we start with the first and second round picks that Indianapolis made.
First Round Grades:
Indianapolis made their first pick count. They had the sixth overall pick and got the best offensive lineman in the draft with that pick. Drafting Nelson gives Andrew Luck some protection up front, and he is the most important player on the team. Nelson could be an All-Pro caliber lineman.
Second Round Grades:
Leonard was taken with the Colts’ first second round pick. He is a great tackler, and was a tackling machine at South Carolina State. Indy lacks linebacker depth, and Leonard certainly helps with that. He is going to see major playing time this year, and expect him to have a big impact in his rookie year.
This grade isn’t an indictment on Smith. He is a great player and is a big, strong guy who can be very physical in the trenches. But the Colts had already taken Nelson in the first round, and had other needs they could have addressed with this pick. But Smith is a good player who could start in the next couple of years.
Turay is an athletic specimen who has a lot of potential. He only played one year of high school football, so he is still learning the intricacies of the game. If he is coached up right, he could be a really good player. Chris Ballard drafted him on potential, and with four second round picks, you can afford to draft one player on potential.
For some reason, the + sign isn’t working, but I had to give that grade to Lewis here. To get Lewis with the 64th overall pick is great value. He probably won’t start early on, but he will be a contributor for years to come.