The Indianapolis Colts will have to move forward with their quarterback search after one of their reported top targets, Matthew Stafford, came off the board this past weekend. Of course, the 32-year-old veteran was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder.
The aftermath has seen general manager Chris Ballard take some heat for not pursuing Stafford aggressively enough, though we would argue that he made the right choice not giving up as much as the Rams did for an aging quarterback who has just three playoff appearances in 12 seasons.
Given the lack of star power on the free agent market and Ballard’s apparent reluctance in terms of selecting one of the top prospects in the 2021 draft class, taking to the trade market is probably still in the Colts’ best interest to find their new starter.
Teams that were interested in Matthew Stafford, per @peter_king: Panthers, Broncos, Colts and 49ers. Washington also made a strong offer, according to @JosinaAnderson. But the #Rams ultimately got him.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 31, 2021
Seeing as though the Colts have seemingly already made up their minds about not drafting a quarterback in the first round, fans should get excited about what other playmakers could potentially fall to them at No. 21 overall.
The Colts should try to draft one of these three prospects in the first round.
3. Wake Forest DE Carlos Basham
The Colts need a pass rusher, and Carlos Basham could be the answer.
With Justin Houston and Denico Autry slated to hit free agency this offseason, the Colts could end up having a massive hole to fill in the pass rushing department. If they wanted to, they could simply turn around and use some of their cap space to sign one of the handful fo stars on the open market.
However, it wouldn’t hurt adding another prospect to the mix, especially if Indy passes on the chance to sign a marquee free agent and gives the likes of Tyquan Lewis and Kemoko Turay, both of whom were deployed as rotational pieces in 2020, a bigger role on defense.
Enter Carlos Basham, who really made it known during Senior Bowl week that he’s one of the most physically gifted defensive linemen in his class. The 23-year-old only played in six games this year due to Wake Forest having to pause football activities midseason due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing, so that’s why he didn’t come close to replicating the otherworldly numbers he produced as a sophomore and junior.
In a real testament to his skill set, however, Basham still managed to record 28 tackles, five sacks and four forced fumbles during his truncated senior year. He’s received criticism for being inconsistent, but he as all the physical tools to become a household name in the NFL. He could fall right into the Colts’ lap at No. 21 overall.
2. Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
With a need to address the secondary, the Colts could look to Patrick Surtain II.
The only reason Patrick Surtain didn’t rank higher on this list is because it’s extremely unlikely that he falls to No. 21. However, some of the latest mocks have him going in the late teens, and if that ends up happening, we see no reason why the Colts shouldn’t trade up a few spots to draft him.
Widely regarded as one of the top two or three cornerback prospects in the 2021 class — some scouts have him No. 1 — Surtain would fill a huge need for the Colts, who could end up losing secondary standouts Xavier Rhodes and TJ Carrie to free agency this offseason.
Assuming that Rhodes walks and Carrie is re-signed to maintain his dominance in the slot, Surtain could slot right in as a starter on the perimeter opposite Rock Ya-Sin. That might be a tall ask for a rookie, but the Alabama product played against some of the best receiving talents in the country over his three years in Tuscaloosa.
During that span, Surtain compiled 116 tackles (six for loss), four interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, 24 passes defended, and four forced fumbles. Those are ridiculous numbers for a college cornerback, and they don’t even accentuate the greatest aspect of his game: discipline and poise in coverage.
Over 916 snaps this past season, Surtain didn’t commit a single penalty. That’ll be a welcome sight for fans after Ya-Sin really struggled in that department in 2020. If somebody can point out a downside to the Colts drafting one of the best cornerback prospects in the mid to late first round, please come forward, because we aren’t seeing it.
1. Virginia Tech OL Christian Darrisaw
Here’s an easy way for the Colts to fill the void left by Anthony Castonzo.
Ironically enough, NFL Network’s latest mock draft has the Colts selecting Christian Darrisaw with the No. 21 overall pick. Some fans might scoff at the idea of drafting an offensive lineman when they already have one of the best in the league, but Anthony Castonzo’s unexpected retirement this offseason changed everything.
It would also be different if the Colts had other glaring issues to address, but that simply isn’t the case right now, especially if they make a splash at defensive end in free agency. That’s a testament to the job Ballard has done since he took over the GM reins in 2017, and drafting a lineman would be a perfect callback to how he first started transforming the roster four years ago.
Now, why should the Colts take a look at Darrisaw? Well, for starters, he produced the second-highest graded season (95.6) from a Power 5 tackle this past season. At 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, his body frame will translate perfectly to the NFL, and he also has the requisite nimbleness to hold his own against some of the league’s more agile edge rushers.
Despite facing a bombardment of stout pass rushers in the ACC, Darrisaw didn’t concede a single sack or quarterback hit in 2020, and we truly couldn’t think of a better pick for the Colts in the first round than the Virginia Tech world-beater.
Colts: 3 unexpected quarterbacks Chris Ballard can still bring to Indy
Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts should try to acquire one of these three quarterbacks this offseason, via trade or the draft.