Where do the Colts sit in the AFC South power rankings after the draft?

After the NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts have improved their positioning in the AFC South Power Rankings. 

In fact, the Colts improved after Day 1 of the draft based solely on what the Tennessee Titans did by trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles.

Now that the dust is settling and teams are really starting to take shape, where do they rank amongst each other? The Jaguars and Texans still remain on the bottom, but did the Colts overcome the deficit and leap over the Titans based on what happened in the NFL Draft?

They sure did! Over the last few years, the Titans have drafted and signed free agents to win now, but their 2022 draft was more about the future and not the now. The Colts decided that they were going to continue to build off what they have and brought in talent both in the draft and free agency.

So where does this land the division as a whole? How close are the four teams to each other heading into rookie minicamp?

The Texans did well for themselves in the draft, getting a lot more young talent on a roster full of little-known players. The offense is starting to take shape, but has anyone heard of anyone on the defense not named Derek Stingley Jr.?

Where is the direction the Texans are going, though? Is Davis Mills the future of that position in Houston? Can Marlon Mack actually be a true RB1 now that he is out of Indy?

There are more question marks on this roster than positive notes. This roster is going to be great for young talent to get in and get some experience. Then, the team will either improve, or the players will move on for new roles on different teams.

The Jaguars get a small pass into the third position since they have a more complete roster. The organization knows who its starting quarterback is. They have a pair of running backs and brought in receivers during the offseason to help Trevor Lawrence.

In addition, they built up their defense more with the picks of Travon Walker, Devon Lloyd, and Chad Muma. Plus, their offensive line was shored up with the contract extension of Cam Robinson.

The Jaguars are sitting in a better spot than the Texans, but only by a little. There is a good chance the Texans do end up finishing third in the AFC South.

What are we doing here? The Titans did not draft to compete this year because their prime picks were positions that were already filled, or came after they traded a player in that position away to draft his replacement.

The Titans drafted a new quarterback in the third round, a running back that will likely be used as a backup but could take first-string reps, and three new pass catchers. This would make sense if the Titans didn’t have one of the better trios in the AFC last season.

Their selection of Malik Willis in the draft puts a time limit on Ryan Tannehill. If he doesn’t perform this year, Willis will take over in the upcoming years.

Are the Titans just planning for the future right now so they have better success down the road? That’s what it sure looks like from an outside perspective.

The Colts were drafting to win now. During the offseason, Chris Ballard was slow to move, but still was able to flip Carson Wentz for two picks and then brought in Matt Ryan for a third-round pick. He then followed up by signing Stephon Gilmore to a two-year deal as well. Let’s not forget the trade that sent Rock Ya-Sin to the Raiders for Yannick Ngakoue.

The Colts made strong moves in free agency, even they happened much later than most of the activity. At least they didn’t overpay a wide receiver and reset the entire market, though.

The Colts entered Day 2 of the draft with only two picks, but drafted four players. They were already in a better position since the Titans traded away Brown.

The Colts added depth on defense and playmaking stars on offense. This might end up being one of Ballard’s best drafts since 2018 when he brought in Quenton Nelson, Darius Leonard, and the rest.

The Colts are ready to compete not just for the division, but the AFC. This puts them at the top spot in the AFC South Rankings.

Would Colts have won Super Bowl if they’d won Matthew Stafford trade sweepstakes?

Would Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts have won another Super Bowl if they acquired Matthew Stafford and not Carson Wentz?