The Indianapolis Colts had one of the thinnest linebacker rooms in the league. They lost a true star in Zaire Franklin, so doubling down on the position after taking CJ Allen in the second round made perfect sense.
That said, watching general manager Chris Ballard pass over Pittsburgh star Kyle Louis to get Oregon's Bryce Boettcher was certainly a bit of a head-scratcher. Louis was Dane Brugler's No. 75 player and was the consensus No. 69 guy on NFL Mock Draft Database.
The Colts went for someone with a lower ceiling and some questions about his future as a professional football player. That's a decision that could come back to haunt them sooner rather than later.
The Colts should've taken Kyle Louis instead of Bryce Boettcher
Boettcher committed to Oregon on a baseball scholarship before trying his luck as a walk-on linebacker. He's got small hands and short arms, is undersized, and while the raw numbers look solid, the tape shows a player who might not be ready to make an impact in the pros for a year or two. On top of that, he also played as a MIKE linebacker, thus making him a bit redundant with CJ Allen's addition.
Perhaps Ballard and the Colts loved his feel for the game and determination, given that he bypassed a career in MLB with the Houston Astros to pursue his NFL dreams. That said, the Astros still hold his rights, so he might leave the Colts hanging at one point to return to the outfield.
Louis, on the other hand, would've given defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo a do-it-all guy, even if he's not a traditional linebacker. As a former safety, he has the combination of speed, acceleration, and nose for the ball that make him a unique player.
He knows how to win against the running game with a smooth shoulder dip, and he has great instincts and recognition to get to the quarterback as a blitzer. He's someone who can also line up at nickel and who would've given Anarumo a bit of a wild card for his complex defensive schemes.
Louis forced eight turnovers (six picks and two forced fumbles, including a pick six) in his last two years with the Panthers. His closing speed and motor are impressive, and he showed the potential to be a factor in man-to-man coverage, even though he was mostly out there as a run-stopper and in zone.
The Colts could've had two potential day-one starters who complement each other perfectly. Instead, they doubled down on guys who should technically play the same role, one of whom might not even stay in the NFL for long.
This team had some serious needs at linebacker, and with one of the highest-ranked guys still up for grabs, they should've taken a best-player-available approach, especially given how difficult it is to find value in the final day of the draft.
The Colts' defense gave up the second-most passing yards per game last season (247.9). They relied way too much on turnovers -- their 14 picks ranked tenth in the league. Adding a ball-hawking linebacker with great hands to generate takeaways would've certainly made more sense here.
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