6 potential late-round steals that should be on the Colts radar
Steals Colts can find in Round 5
The Indianapolis Colts have three picks in the fifth round as of right now, picks 138, 162, and 176 overall. Another prospect to watch in these rounds (5 or 6) is Chris Rodriguez Jr who had their drills run by Colts' scout Mike Lacy during his pro day.
player. . OG | Alabama. . Emil Ekiyor Jr. 46. . 5
Emil Ekiyor Jr played in over 40 career games at Alabama and projects to be an early starter in the NFL. The Colts need to bolster their offensive line having a revolving door at some positions last season. They also have had an inability to protect the quarterback which won't bode well if they draft the future quarterback of the franchise in this draft as well.
Ekiyor has been a member of very proficient offensives that has featured some key prospects all across the unit. He has a quick first step in the run game and plays physically wanting to punish defenders. Does that sound familiar Colts fans? He as just as aggresive in pass blocking and uses his quickness to pickup stunts and twists.
This prospect was a participant in the Colts' local pro-day since Ekiyor hails from Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to Cathedral High School in Indy where he was a four-star recruit to Alabama. A homecoming may be on the horizon for Ekiyor come draft day.
player. 46. . . . 5. CB | UAB. Starling Thomas V
Its obvious that the Colts are thin in the secondary after trading away Stephon Gilmore and the uncertainty surrounding Kenny Moore II and the rest of the group. Starling Thomas V is the kind of under-the-radar guy that Ballard likes to pickup. He also could be a diamond in the rough for Indianapolis. He has lightning-fast speed and the team has already had a top-30 visit with him.
UAB CB Starling Thomas V can scoot. Consistently hitting 4.2s on the laser — may be fastest guy in the class. pic.twitter.com/fnczqbSoVN
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) February 23, 2023
Starling comes in at 5-foot-10 and 196 pounds but brings with him a lot of playing experience. He played in 12 games his freshman year, started all 14 his sophomore year, and missed one year with a knee injury. He then came back for his junior season and earned honorable mention for his efforts as cornerback and punt returner.
He followed that up with his senior season earning first-team All-Conference-USA honors by posting 30 tackles and 15 pass breakups (led the team) in 13 starts. Starling stays physical through the catch but can sometimes be prone to leaning and lunging. He has played primarily on the outside by may shift to the slot in the NFL based on his size. May not be a bad insurance policy with the uncertainty surrounding Moore's future with the team.