This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts have done everything in their power to maintain the culture and continuity within their building.
It's been all about retaining good players and building upon their current core, and the Colts have done a great job accomplishing that goal. Now, it's on to the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Colts pick at no. 15 in the first round.
What if Chris Ballard and company opted to make a bold move in this one? Let's say a monumental trade up, but a necessary one in order to really help Anthony Richardson flourish?
The Colts make Anthony Richardson one happy man in this 2024 NFL mock draft
To kick off the first round, the Colts make a bold trade up with the Los Angeles Chargers. In this mock simulation via Pro Football Focus, it cost the Colts their no. 15 selection, their second rounder this year and a third-round pick next year.
Who's the pick?
The Colts go with a guy that many would call either the second-best or the best wide receiver in this draft class, in LSU's Malik Nabers. Between he and Marvin Harrison Jr. there have been plenty of heated debates about just who is WR1 in this class.
Nabers is in a class of his own, though, in terms of playmaking ability. There might be no one better, all-around at the receiver position, than Nabers. You want elite quickness? He's got it. You want the ability to make acrobatic catches? He's got it. How about the knack for taking the ball past the chains and into the end zone? Nabers has that, too. He's the complete package and a walking, talking big play.
Nabers is going to completely change the face of this offense, taking pressure off Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor, allowing this offense to truly go 3-men deep in terms of top-level playmakers. He's going to make life a lot easier on Richardson, too, which could help catapult the second-year pro into a whole different stratosphere, development-wise.
The Colts could still use some help at the cornerback position, although re-signing Kenny Moore and retaining arguably the league's top nickel corner was a huge offseason move for Indy. In Round 3, the Colts find themselves a possible Day 1 starter in Oregon's Khyree Jackson.
Coming into the league, Jackson doesn't have a lot of starting experience, notching just 14 starts in college. So, his production is tough to judge with such a small sample size. However, on most occasions, he looks the part.
Jackson has rare size for a corner, standing a towering 6-foot-4. Physically, he's far more imposing than most at the position. This allows him to match up with even the biggest receivers and keep it a fair fight. He's not afraid of getting his hands dirty and does a good job throwing off the timing of receivers' routes.
His overall size and length are highly appealing, and Jackson is the type of player who will only get better with time. The right coaching can take this kid a long way. He has all the physical tools necessary to be a high-level starting cornerback in the NFL.
In the fourth round, the Colts add some depth and potential competition at the safety position by selecting Sione Vaki out of Utah. Vaki is more of your physically-imposing safety than he is your quick, coverage type. He's going to make his hay near the line of scrimmage, where he can use his strength (20 reps on the bench at the Combine) and tackling ability.
Vaki has average speed, but he's a smart player who takes good angles. He doesn't miss a lot of tackles and is especially effective on special teams. He's a high-effort player that works his tail off, which is always a welcomed trait in an NFL locker room.
The tight end position is a spot where the Colts still have yet to find a real difference-maker. And, while finding that in the fifth round isn't highly likely, they take their shot on Penn State tight end Theo Johnson.
As far as value goes, Johnson is a phenomenal value in the fifth round and very well could go higher. He stands 6-foot-6 and brings tremendous athleticism to the position. He ran an impressive 4.57 in his 40-yard dash while soaring to a ridiculous 39.5-inch vertical at the Combine. Just those numbers alone are enough to make you stop and double take.
In Round 6, the Colts add to their defensive line by going to the Big Ten for the second-straight pick, selecting Iowa Hawkeyes defensive tackle Logan Lee. He brings some versatility, being able to line up at a variety of spots up front. Lee is pretty athletic for an interior lineman, which also makes it feasible for him to line up at the end spot as well.
Lee brings dependability as well, having started for three seasons and never missing a game. The best ability is availability, as they say, and Lee brings that to the table, for sure.
With their last pick, the Colts go with the son of NFL legend and former Colts running back, Frank Gore Jr. out of Southern Miss. He's undersized at just 5-foot-8, but like his dad, he is a strong body who creates yardage for himself. The guy doesn't like to be tackled, and that should surprise no one.
Gore could be the perfect backup type for Taylor; a guy who could easily handle a full drive of work to spell Taylor. He's used to being the workhorse and handling the bulk of carries. In four seasons, Gore rushed for 4,022 yards and averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry.