There's no rest for the weary, and after a quiet night for the Colts in the first round of this weekend's NFL Draft, Indy's back at it Friday night with two picks – one in the second round (46 overall), and another in the third (82).
The Colts made a major addition to their defense on Thursday night, adding star UCLA edge rusher Laiata Latu to a defensive line that already features more than a couple Pro Bowl talents. They'll head into Friday night looking to address the other points of need on their roster, most notably in the secondary and at wide receiver.
The good news for them is that this year's wide receiver class is deep, and the run on secondary guys didn't quite happen the way most thought – there are still a few guys on the board who were considered Top-15 picks heading into the weekend. So as the Colts dive into the next phase of their 2024 Draft, here are three predictions for what may happen on Day 2.
Three Day 2 Colts Predictions
1. Kool-Aid McKinstry is their next pick
Interestingly enough, Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean is still on the board. DeJean was a popular pick for the Colts at 15, so the fact that they could, in theory, get him at 46 is a pretty big win for GM Chris Ballard. With that being said, they'll have to either hold their breath for 14 picks or trade up, and the guess here is that neither of those are happening. The next best corner on the board is Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry, which would still be an absolute steal for the Colts. NFL.com has him ranked as their 28th best player, so they'd still be getting a first-round player almost an entire round later. They'll take that all day.
2. Troy Franklin, you are an Indianapolis Colt
Franklin's considered by NFL.com to be the 76th best player in the draft, which is awfully convenient for the Colts' 3rd round pick (82). And while some fans were mad to see the Colts pass on trying to trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr., that felt more like a fun bit than any sort of realistic analysis or prediction. Franklin would give the Colts some much-needed vertical speed, and would fit in perfectly alongside Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce. Pro Football Focus compares him to Packers wide receiver Christian Watson, which is more than good enough for the Colts. He'd probably go higher in most other drafts, so getting him towards the end of the end of the third would fit right in with the Colts' approach (/luck) this year.
3. The Colts add a pick on Friday
The Colts have four picks on Saturday, which is plenty to work with if they wanted to be aggressive for Their Guy on Friday night. Like previously mentioned, DeJean is right there for them if they want to go for it. Ladd McConkey? Keon Coleman? There are some legitimate late-first round talents that'll still be available when Round 2 starts, and they'll go fast. So the prediction here is that the Colts go after someone, and trade up to get him. Rule #1 of the Draft (sorta): Go get your guy!