Khari Willis gives Colts safety depth they need

The Colts have a bunch of defensive talent coming in from the draft. One of those players gives the Colts much needed depth on the back end of their secondary.

Khari Willis was a 4th round pick last week. The Colts actually traded up to get him. Willis gives them much needed depth at the safety position, and particularly the strong safety position. That is huge for this team moving forward. Plus Willis is a really good player.

Willis isn’t just looking to be an added source of depth though. He is looking to be a player who will end up having a starting job. He wants to come in and compete right away. Based on his tape, he has the right to think all of those things and more.

While his stats don’t completely overwhelm, his tape tells a different story. He is typically in the right position when the ball is thrown his way. He also helps very well in the box to stop the run. His ball skills should improve as his days getting coached by NFL coaches increase.

If he competes really hard, he has a chance to supplant Clayton Geathers as the starting strong safety. Geathers has struggled with injuries his whole career, and Willis could swoop in and steal his job if he gets hurt agin. There’s a small chance it happens even if he doesn’t get hurt. Willis is that good.

Chris Ballard did an excellent job of getting Willis this late in the draft. To get a player like Willis in the fourth round is a steal. He should be a great special teams player too.