The Colts need to find the future replacement for Anthony Castonzo in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Left tackle Anthony Castonzo made it clear during the 2020 offseason that he contemplated retirement or sitting out the 2020 season, but GM Chris Ballard worked out a deal to keep him in Indianapolis through the 2021 season. That said, Castonzo suffered a season-ending injury late in the year, which means there’s more wear and tear on him.
Perhaps it’s time they look for his replacement in the 2021 NFL Draft.
As it stands right now, the Colts will be drafting in the bottom 16, and more than likely around the 20th-25th spot after making the playoffs. The first two rounds will have plenty of offensive tackle talent that could make an immediate impact for the Colts, which would help them cope with moving on from their veteran stalwart.
Given how layered the Colts’ offense is — and it will be even more dynamic once they get a franchise QB — they’ll need someone big, lengthy and agile.
So lets take a look at three offensive tackles the Colts can target this coming April.
3. Texas’ Samuel Cosmi
Mel Kiper Jr. has Samuel Cosmi high on his draft board.
Samuel Cosmi is an extremely versatile player. Texas chose to put the 6-foot-7, 310-pound body at left tackle, and he excelled.
In 2019, Cosmi was one of the best in the nation. Across 594 passing plays, he only allowed 14 pressures and one sack, and averaged 42 passing plays before a pressure. This year, Cosmi has played just as consistently, allowing one pressure on every 46 passing attempts.
Kiper noted that Cosmi has “great feet and bend as a pass protector,” which will certainly translate well against NFL defenses, and has the ability to be a Day 1 starter, which says a lot since he’s not projected to go until the latter half of the first round. Texas had one of the most explosive offenses in the country the last two years, and Sam Ehlinger getting the proper protection had a lot to do with it.
Look for Ballard to target Cosmi if he manages to fall to Indy in the early-to-mid 20s.
2. Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg
Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg was a stud for the Fighting Irish.
If there’s one player I want the Colts to draft more than Julian Blackmon, it’s Liam Eichenberg of Notre Dame. Eichenberg is the definition of consistency. He has a consistent track record of being the quarterback’s best friend covering the blindside.
The 6-foot-6, 305-pound left tackle hasn’t allowed a sack in two seasons spanning 1,124 passing snaps. Across those snaps, he’s allowed a total of 22 pressures with an average of 52 passing snaps per pressure. What Eichenberg lacks in pure athletic talent, he makes up for with his wits and consistency.
However, that lack of athleticism does limit his abilities.
In 2019 he only faced one elite pass-rushing team in Michigan, who made him pay. The three hits he allowed for all of 2019 came in that game. It’s safe to say that his consistency may be more attributed to the lack of talent he’s faced rather than his skill set. Whatever the case, Ballard and the Colts seem to know how to develop young players, and Eichenberg’s size and resume should go a long way in making that a success.
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.
Colts: 3 players who won’t be on Indy’s roster in 2021
The Indianapolis Colts are losing several free agents following their attempted 2020 playoff run -- these three will not be back.