Colts Mock Draft: 5 potential first-round targets for Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Colts likely won’t have a first-round pick in the 2022 Draft, as they traded a conditional second-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Carson Wentz blockbuster this past offseason.

In order for that pick to convey into a first-rounder, Wentz would have to play 76% of the offensive snaps this season. Seeing that he’s played through two ankle sprains and has logged a 99% snap share thus far, you’d be hard-pressed to imagine that number dipping below 76% by the end of the year.

In all likelihood, the Colts won’t have a first-rounder in next year’s draft. However, it still wouldn’t hurt general manager Chris Ballard and the rest of the front office to do their due diligence on some prospects.

After all, Wentz could get injured and miss a few games, or the Colts could strike a blockbuster trade at the start of the offseason (or before the draft) and recoup a first-rounder.

If either of those scenarios comes to fruition, look for one of these five prospects to call Indianapolis their new home.

5 first-round targets for the Indianapolis Colts

5. Lewis Cine, safety, Georgia

In regard to the safety position, Kyle Hamilton is clearly the class of the 2022 pool. The Notre Dame star is positioning himself to be a potential top-five pick amid his dominant junior season in South Bend.

Behind Hamilton, there’s a little bit of a drop-off, but Colts fans should throw a parade if the team drafts Lewis Cine. Georgia could have five members of its defense taken in the first round in April, and Cine should be one of them.

The young safety has excellent range and the necessary physical attributes (size, speed physicality, etc.) to be a Day 1 starter. We all know modern-day defensive backs need versatility in their lockers, and Cine was deployed in a variety of roles as a sophomore in Kirby Smart’s defense last year.

The Colts could use a safety like Lewis Cine.

You might be wondering why the Colts would draft a safety when they already have Julian Blackmon and Khari Willis on the roster. Well, Blackmon’s proneness to injury is becoming a major concern. Willis, meanwhile, looks lost in coverage most of the time and whiffs on an open field tackle at least one per game.

The Colts need to add a fresh face to the backend of their secondary and Cine should be that guy if he’s available in Round 1.