ESPN’s 2021 Re-draft sees Colts go a different direction

The Indianapolis Colts drafted two pass rushers with their first picks in 2021, experts predict a different approach in a re-draft.

The 2021 NFL season is almost officially over. With its conclusion comes an opportunity to reflect on various decisions and the impact they had.

That reflection can start with the 2021 NFL Draft. Drafting the right player makes all the difference for immediate and long-term success. If the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t select Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth-overall pick, they wouldn’t be playing in the Super Bowl.

All teams aren’t as satisfied as the Bengals and if those teams could re-draft, they would. However, they can’t, but writers can imagine what they would do if they could.

ESPN recently published a two-round 2021 re-draft and predicted the direction teams would go if they had a do-over. While some teams made the same selection, others took a completely different approach.

ESPN predicted the Indianapolis Colts doing both. They felt Kwity Paye would still be available at 21 and Indy would still draft him. However, with the Colts’ second-round pick, ESPN has Indianapolis drafting receiver Kadarius Toney at No. 54.

Colts take a wide receiver in 2021 re-draft

The Paye pick in the first round is pretty hard to debate. Indy needed help on the defensive line and Paye was able to provide that in his first season.

Paye was a day-one starter and contributed 32 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, and made the PFWA All-rookie team. He finished his first season giving much hope that he could continue developing into a dominant defender.

The Colts’ original second selection was defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. Odeyingbo was recovering from an Achilles injury he sustained during draft prep, so he missed the first half of the season.

When he finally arrived to the field he showed promise, recording six tackles and a sack strip in his 10 appearances. He didn’t have an explosive first year but the franchise is still high on his potential.

Even with Odeyingbo’s upside, it’s hard to argue with ESPN’s assessment that the Colts would draft a wide receiver in the second round if they did the draft over.

Indianapolis struggled in the passing game, partly due to their understaffed unit. Michael Pittman Jr had a breakout season with 88 receptions and 1,082 yards. After Pittman, Indy didn’t have another receiver over 400 yards.

As ESPN notes, Kadarius Toney’s production with the New York Giants would’ve been the second-best receiver on the Colts.

However, Indianapolis can’t really be faulted, because Toney was selected by New York No. 20th overall. In the actual draft, he was selected before the Colts even got on the clock once, so they didn’t have a chance to select him.

Obviously, with the re-draft, ESPN sees Toney dropping, but in real-time, Indianapolis never had the opportunity.

Based on first-year production, it’s only one receiver that was available for the Colts’ second pick that they should’ve drafted. That is Amon-Ra St. Brown.

St. Brown dropped to the Detroit Lions in the fourth round and he was the 17th receiver taken. However, he finished with 90 receptions, 912 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

His receptions were second amongst all rookies and his receiving yardage was fifth.

If Indianapolis could do it over, the team would probably give St. Brown a better look. But, they can’t, so they just have to be prepared to execute in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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