Indianapolis Colts: 3 draft mistakes Chris Ballard made over the last few years
By Mike Luciano
2. EDGE Ben Banogu, 2019
The second round was not as kind to Ballard in 2019, as he used his picks on Banogu, who very few had graded as a second-rounder, and Parris Campbell, who has been hampered with injuries over the last few years. While there’s still hope left for Campbell, Banogu appears trending toward bust territory.
Banogu has been scratched from the lineup several times when the Colts were thin on the defensive line, which shows what the coaching staff thinks of him. Not only have they failed to develop the raw Banogu into a quality pass rusher, but they let plenty of standout players on the board to grab him.
Who did the Colts pass on for Ben Banogu?
DK Metcalf could’ve been Indy’s No. 1 wide receiver, but Seattle managed to snag him late. AJ Brown has been destroying the Colts with Tennessee, but the Indy thought Banogu was a better use of draft capital. Miles Sanders would’ve made for a fine running back, but the Colts let Philadelphia snag him.
With Indy likely to make another pass-rushing addition, Banogu could be on his way out the door after two poor seasons. Sometimes, raw, athletic piles of clay never get molded into something worthwhile, and it seems that’s what’s happening with Banogu.