Colts make a bold first-round trade in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft
By Ryan Heckman
![Indianapolis Colts, Chris Ballard Indianapolis Colts, Chris Ballard](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6968,h_3919,x_0,y_190/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/47/01hnznty4wsj9qmj52p7.jpg)
player. . . . CB. Kalen King. 4. Kalen King. 491. Kalen King
The plan wasn't to draft back-to-back cornerbacks despite it definitely being a huge position of need. However, Penn State's Kalen King fell to Day 3 and the value was far too great to pass up. This now gives the Colts two potential starting-caliber cornerbacks along with a sure fire, Day 1 starter at safety within this draft.
I'll just come out and say it. King had no business dropping to the fourth round, but somehow in this mock, he was one of those shocking guys to fall. In most eyes, he's a Round 2 prospect. But, for the sake of fairness, King fell in this simulation, and I took him. To give you an idea of just how good he was, King played opposite Joey Porter Jr. a year ago and even gave him a run for CB1 on that Penn State defense.
WR. player. Luke McCaffrey. Luke McCaffrey. Luke McCaffrey. 5. . 2279. .
In the fifth round, the Colts decide to dip into a strong football lineage, selecting Luke McCaffrey, a younger brother of 49ers star running back Christian. The rice wide receiver does one thing better than anything else, and it shouldn't surprise you: the man gets open.
His footwork is absolutely stunning. If he does anything right, it's getting open. And, for a young quarterback like Richardson, having a wide receiver who can get open is arguably the no. 1 thing you look for. The 6-foot-2 wideout totaled over 1,700 yards and 19 receiving touchdowns over his past two seasons with the Owls.