3 mid-round receivers Colts need to focus on drafting

The Indianapolis Colts will need to land talented receivers in the NFL Draft to quickly build up the receiving room.

Last season, the Indianapolis Colts had one of the worst receiving rooms in the entire league. Now, well into the offseason, that reviving unit is weaker than it was last season.

TY Hilton is currently a free agent and Zach Pascal left the Colts to join the Philadelphia Eagles. All that Indy has returning is Michael Pittman Jr. and a bunch of unproven younger guys.

Head coach Frank Reich expressed that Indianapolis has a belief that the younger guys can develop into starting receivers and for that reason, the Colts aren’t desperate to acquire a receiver.

Even if Indianapolis decides not to pursue any veterans, it would be foolish if the team doesn’t use any draft picks on the wide receiver position.

The Colts don’t have a first-round pick but this is a deep receiver class, so there should be plenty of talented wideouts available in the mid-rounds.

If Indy is lucky, it will be successful in the draft and land a receiver that can make an immediate impact on the field. Let’s take a look at 3 receivers Indianapolis needs to have its eyes on during Draft weekend.

John Metchie should be available for Colts

Alabama has been producing talent at every position but the receivers in recent years have been really special. This year’s draft is no different.

Both of Alabama’s top receivers are entering the league this year and should be ready to immediately contribute. Jameson Williams is projected to go in the first round, so Indy will be unable to draft him.

John Metchie, however, is expected to be available as late as the third round, so the Colts will have at least one chance to select him, maybe two.

In three years at Alabama, Metchie caught 155 passes for 2,081 yards and 14 touchdowns. He went from a young freshman that occasionally contributed to a go-to target for Heisman-winning quarterback, Bryce Young.

Metchie has everything a quarterback can want in a go-to receiver. He was tough and physical, often making big third-down catches or delivering great blocks, but also has the route running and speed to make big plays.

Unfortunately, Metchie tore his ACL in December playing in the SEC Championship game. The injury sidelined Metchie for on-field draft evaluations and may hurt his stock some.

That means he will likely be on the board when the Colts make their first or second selection. If he is, this is a player that Indy should seriously consider.

He should be able to return to the field near the beginning of the season and he would give Indianapolis another threat at receiver. Additionally, his willingness to run-block would be welcomed in an offense that centers Jonathan Taylor.

George Pickens might be available for Colts

George Pickens is another receiver from an SEC powerhouse. After three years at Georgia, Pickens turns his attention to the NFL after winning a National Championship.

Similar to Metchie, Pickens’ draft stock has also been impacted by an ACL injury. Pickens sustained his injury in a spring practice in 2021. This forced him to miss most of his Junior year at UGA before returning for the championship push.

When Pickens did return, he was able to make a huge impact in his limited snaps, catching five passes for 107 yards. One of those receptions was a 52-yard catch in the National Championship game.

In 24 total collegiate games, Pickens caught 90 passes for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns. Despite the limited action in his final year, many still believe that Pickens could go in the second round and maybe even late in the first.

He demonstrated an impressive skill set when he was on the field and he performed nicely at the NFL Combine. Pickens ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds.

He is physical and fast and will be able to offer the Colts big plays as well as aggressive blocking. George Pickens may be the direction Indy decides to go when they are first on the clock at No. 42.

David Bell should be available for Colts

The kid from Indianapolis that played college football at Purdue may be available for the Colts to draft. That’s a great story, but it’s more than that. David Bell being selected by Indianapolis also makes a ton of football sense.

Bell was one of the most talented receivers in college football the last few seasons. His freshman year for the Boilermakers, Bell immediately became an impact player, catching 86 passes for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns.

He finished his three-year college career by catching 93 passes for 1,286 yards, six touchdowns, and finishing as a Biletnikoff finalist—the award given to the top receiver in college football.

Despite this dominance, Bell is expected to fall into the second or third round. This is in part because the receiver class is just so stacked with talent and part because Bell didn’t have the Combine performance that many experts say he needed.

His 4.65 40-yard dash left many feeling that Bell was more likely to be taken in the third round as opposed to the second. That may work out just fine for the Colts.

Bell has more than enough plays on tape for a team to worry about a time on a stopwatch. If his speed or any other metrics are a concern for teams, they should just turn on his tape and watch the plays he made.

Or, those teams could pass on Bell and allow him to fall to Indianapolis in the second or third round. He has a skill set that can be greatly utilized on the Colts.

He can make plays at every level, possessing the ability to catch short passes and make something happen with the ball in his hands or go downfield to make spectacular receptions.

Indianapolis must make sure that it’s watching Bell and is ready to draft him should he be available when the Colts are on the clock.

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