The Colts’ draft from last season keeps receiving accolades. They got another one, being voted the best draft of the season.
Chris Ballard did an excellent job with last season’s draft. He drafted four starters and several other contributors for the team in 2018. The rest of the league took notice, and they voted the Colts’ draft as the best draft class in 2018 according to NFL scouts and administrators.
The Colts received 80% of the vote and won by an extremely wide margin. The Browns came in second with only 13% of the vote. This award is presented by Inside the League because the members who vote on it are league insiders who scout and evaluate talent.
Drafting two first team All-Pro’s is unheard of, but that’s what Ballard did in drafting Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard. He also picked up Braden Smith and Tyquan Lewis in the second round to be starters as well. Having four picks in two rounds become starters in year one is insane.
But it wasn’t just drafting the starters that netted the Colts this award. They also were able to draft two running backs that contributed, as well as two linebackers that got playing time. The only draft picks who didn’t see the field very much were wide receivers.
The only reason Deon Cain didn’t see the field is because he tore his ACL in the first preseason game of the year. Daurice Fountain does qualify as a bit of a disappointment though. He had drop problems when he did see the field, which wasn’t often.
Nevertheless, the Colts’ 2018 draft was a success in everyone’s eyes and hopefully they can recreate that success in 2019.