3 offensive tackles Colts can target in 2021 NFL Draft
By Daniel Davis
1. Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood
The Colts can really hit it big by drafting Alabama star Alex Leatherwood.
Leatherwood is a great player with natural talent. He has long arms, big hands, and tree-trunk legs that could rival the California Redwoods. He’s 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, so he can easily stand up NFL edge defenders.
Playing at Alabama, Leatherwood faced a host of great pass rushers, allowing three sacks and 14 pressures on the year, but that bodes well for his draft position. Unlike the other two tackles on this list, Leatherwood has plenty of tape and has consistently faced elite defenses in the SEC.
Leatherwood’s strength comes from his natural size and his ability to move his feet very well. At 310 pounds, it’s hard for a man that size to be able to control his body the way he does. However, he does it well and makes defenders pay.
One potential “weakness” he may possess is keeping edge rushers in check that manage to get far outside of him. Other than that, he’s started for Alabama since 2018. Across the last two seasons, Leatherwood has been featured in 700 passing snaps, allowing just one pressure per 53 plays.
The Colts need to address the tackle position in the offseason, and the 2021 draft will see plenty of tackle talent. There’s no reason the Colts can’t solve this issue fans were concerned about heading into 2020. They have just about everything else solved on the roster with the exception of the QB position. They can use their first-round pick on one of these guys without making much of a sacrifice.
