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Besides Andrew Luck, which Colts player would you draft first?

By Ryan Stano

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 23: Darius Leonard #53 of the Indianapolis Colts in action during the game against the New York Giants in the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 23: Darius Leonard #53 of the Indianapolis Colts in action during the game against the New York Giants in the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Thinking about the Colts’ offseason and the work they need to do during training camp got me thinking; which player besides Andrew Luck would be best to start a franchise with?

Building a team is not an easy thing to do. There are many players that need to be drafted to construct a good team that plays well together. The whole franchise is the sum of its parts, not one player. That is true, except in the case of a franchise quarterback.

The Colts have one of those in Andrew Luck. He is obviously someone you would take number one overall in a draft to build a team around. But excluding him, which player would you take on this current roster number one overall to build around?

That isn’t an easy question to answer considering the talent the Colts have right now. It may come down to positional value. Which position means the most besides quarterback? That is also up for debate. Many people think it could be a pass rusher, while others think a receiver or corner.

Based on who the Colts have now, I would start my franchise with Darius Leonard. This is for several reasons. First, he is still incredibly young, having only just been a rookie last season. Secondly, he is already an All-Pro talent at an important position.

Linebacker might not be a position many people think is super important, but Leonard set the tone for the defense last year. He led the league in tackles and helped the defense elevate itself to the middle of the pack from the bottom in 2017. He was that good.

His outside linebacker position allows him to traverse the field as needed too. He can rush the passer, stop the run, or drop back into coverage. He is always around the ball and makes plays. A player like that is extremely valuable on defense in today’s pass-happy game.

Starting with Leonard would give a franchise a cornerstone to build around on defense. Building the rest of the roster around him would make the most sense. Even though he can’t score points because he’s not on offense, he can stop the other team from scoring.

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Leonard would be a valuable piece on any team. Thankfully, he is on the Colts’ roster so they can build around him.

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