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Colts should take Justin Fields if he slides in 2021 NFL Draft

By Ryan Stano

Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2021 CFP National Championship Game. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2021 CFP National Championship Game. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Indianapolis Colts have a need at quarterback and could capitalize if Justin Fields slides in the NFL Draft.

The Indianapolis Colts have a franchise quarterback problem. This is not news to anyone around the league. While Philip Rivers was much better than I expected him to be in 2020 (I was very wrong on Rivers and would’ve welcomed him back next year had he not retired), they need a long-term solution.

Justin Fields could offer that long-term solution. The former Buckeyes quarterback just had back-to-back outstanding years for Ohio State and would be an excellent choice should he slide in the draft. Some scouts and talent evaluators didn’t like his overall performance across his eight games in 2020, which could mean he’ll drop come draft day.

ESPN’s Todd McShay has Fields as the ninth overall prospect while Mel Kiper Jr. has Fields as the third overall prospect and being taken in the top five.

Fields certainly has some things to work on. He holds onto the ball too long while in the pocket because he has faith in his superior athleticism to get him out of trouble. He won’t have as much time to do that in the NFL. Nonetheless, he has great mobility, a rocket arm, and assuming he can continue to improve his footwork, he’s very accurate.

However, the Colts do have another gaping need on offense. With the retirement of Anthony Castonzo, they need a new left tackle. While there have been discussions of moving Quenton Nelson to protect the quarterback’s blindside, that would be a bad idea. Indy needs a true tackle to take Castonzo’s spot.

With where the Colts are drafting, there probably isn’t going to be any surefire tackle prospects available except Christan Darrisaw out of Virginia Tech. They should take him if a QB that they like isn’t available.

Are we expecting Fields to be available at 21? Absolutely not. It’s be surprising if he fell out of the top five or top 10, and pretty stunning if he dropped past 15. But if he gets to 21, or somewhat close, the Colts need to make the move to draft him or trade up to get him should the opportunity arise.

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