6 best late-round Draft steals for Colts in the last 20 years
1. Robert Mathis, DE, Round 5, Pick 138, 2003 Draft
This is a no-brainer right. Robert Mathis is not just the best late-round steal for the Colts over the last 20 years, but he’s one of the best Draft picks in franchise history.
That’s because the fifth-rounder from Alabama A&M is one of the greatest Colts of all time. It didn’t take Mathis long for him to establish himself with the franchise.
Joining Dwight Freeny, who was selected in the first round a year before Mathis, the two quickly became a dominant pass-rushing duo.
Mathis had just 3.5 sacks in his rookie season and that number significantly jumped to 10.5 in year two. In his 14 seasons with Indy, Mathis had greater than nine sacks eight times.
The peak of his run was when he led the league in sacks in 2013 with 19.5.
His dominance merited him five Pro Bowls, a spot in the Colts Ring of Honor, and likely, an eventual spot in Canton.
Mathis embodies all that can go right with a day three selection of the NFL Draft. He had a long and productive career in Indianapolis and the Colts would love to have a similar pick in this year’s Draft.
