Entering the second-round of the 2021 Draft, the Indianapolis Colts seemed like a guarantee to select an offensive tackle with the No. 54 overall pick.
After all, they managed to net Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye after he shockingly fell to them in the first round at No. 21 overall. The Colts also have a bevy of young pass rushers they’ve been waiting to unleash, so they couldn’t possibly draft another DE, right?
Wrong. So wrong, in fact, that they drafted a huge question mark in Vanderbilt standout Dayo Odeyingbo — who’s coming off a torn Achilles — with that pick.
For as many questions as that pick raised, however, Indianapolis’ front office has been waxing consistently poetic about Odeyingbo’s potential and the team’s latest praise for the former Commodore is surely going to excite fans.
During the pre-draft process, Colts director of scouting Morocco Brown compared Odeyingbo’s skillset and athleticism to that of Justin Tuck, a former third-round pick of the New York Giants back in 2005 who enjoyed a fine NFL career.
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— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) May 17, 2021
Colts fans will love the team’s reported comp for Dayo Odeyingbo.
If the Colts managed to land a Tuck-like force in Odeyingbo, this might go down as one of general manager Chris Ballard’s best picks, which says a lot given the sheer randomness of the pick and how many great selections he’s made over the last four years.
A defensive end by trade, Tuck had the versatility to shift inside when his number was called, and Odeyingbo seemingly has the requisite athleticism to do just that.
Across 11 years in the league, Tuck tallied 508 tackles (102 of which went for a loss), 66.5 sacks, 140 quarterback hits, 20 forced fumbles, 29 passes defended. That included four seasons with double-digit sacks and three seasons with at least 20 QB hits.
In the simplest of terms, Tuck was an influential piece on two Super Bowl-winning Giants teams (2007 and 2011), and if Odeyingbo can replicate a semblance of the impact Tuck had off the edge for New York, well, the Colts have an absolute gem on their hands.
#Colts see some Justin Tuck in Dayo Odeyingbo's game https://t.co/yCVFbxDVQa
— TheColtsWire (@TheColtsWire) May 16, 2021
At this point of his career, we just don’t know enough about Odeyingo (including his ability to recover from injury) to know what his ceiling is. However, the fact he’s 6-foot-5, weighs 285 pounds and has a ridiculous 86 3/8-inch wingspan bodes incredible well for Indy.
Not to mention Odeyingbo reportedly ran a sub 4.8 40-yard dash before going down with his Achilles injury a few months back in January.
Nobody knows if Odeyingbo will end up panning out, but the fact that the Colts’ scouting department, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the NFL, sees a little (or a lot) of Tuck in him suggests fans should put their reservations on hold for the time being.
Colts’ nickname for Dayo Odeyingbo proves they’re high on his potential
The Indianapolis Colts' scouting department's nickname for Dayo Odeyingbo proves the organization is high on his potential.