COLTS BIG BOARD: FINAL DRAFT RANKINGS

by bamock on Apr 23, 2009 2:00 AM EDT

INSTRUCTIONS FOR READING THIS DRAFT BOARD

This draft board is a combination of what I think the Colts Front Office draft board could actually look like and my personal opinions about the players in the draft. Accordingly, some players you will find on the board may only be listed because the Colts have shown direct interest, while other players who the Colts have shown direct interest in may not be included based on my own assessment. Additionally, some players' values may seem higher or lower than what you would expect, and that is based on my own assessment as well.

As you are reading this draft board it is best to look at players near the top of the list not only as the players I see as potential MVPAs in the given round but also as the players which will be less likely to be available at that pick. The further you move down each list, the more likely the player will be available when we select (generally speaking). In order to save space, you should read that players at the bottom of one round are at the top of the following round (I did not list the same player twice). A bottom second round MVPA for the Colts would beat out the top listed third round MVPA (and so forth).

As with any draft board, as players in a given position are selected, the "need" of that position will like lower, resulting in a shift of the lists in following rounds (generally speaking). Accordingly, just because there are three DTs as top MVPA three rounds in a row does not mean that the Colts would choose to pick three DTs, when the second or third MVPA in each of those rounds would fill another, now higher position of need.

I will be making up another Ultimate Mock Draft soon. This will give you an idea what players might be discussed in my upcoming Ultimate Mock Draft. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts or which players you would add or subtract from the list. Sorry it is so long but I hope you enjoy reading it.

DRAFT NEEDS:

DT - ONLY NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE STARTER(S)
OT - STARTER AT ONE SPOT AT MOST, PRIMARY BACK-UP OTHERWISE
RB - TANDEM BACK AT MOST, RETURNER, DEPTH OTHERWISE
LB - STARTING SAM AT MOST, FUTURE BRACKETT REPLACEMENT, DEPTH OTHERWISE
WR - SLOT AT MOST, RETURNER, DEPTH OTHERWISE
DB - REPLACEMENT IN 2ND YEAR AT MOST, NICKELBACK, RETURNER, DEPTH OTHERWISE
QB - BACK-UP AT MOST

FIRST ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Peria Jerry - UT/NT
Knowshon Moreno - RB
Malcolm Jenkins - CB
Ziggy Hood - UT/NT
Eben Britton - OT
Chris "Beanie" Wells - RB
Brian Robiskie - WR
James Laurinaitis - MLB/SAM
William Beatty - OT
Jarron Gilbert - UT
Jamon Meredith - OT
Darius Butler - CB/KR
Clay Matthews - OLB
Sean Smith - CB

SECOND ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Donald Brown - RB
LeSean McCoy - RB
Fili Moala - NT
Ron Brace - NT
Victor Harris - CB
Marcus Freeman - OLB
Phil Loadholt - OT
Shonn Greene - RB
Rashad Jennings - RB
Andre Brown - RB
Connor Barwin - DE/OLB
Louis Delmas - S
Patrick Chung - S
William Moore - S

THIRD ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Alex Magee - NT/UT
Mike Mickens - CB/KR
Chip Vaugh - S/OLB
Dorrell Scott - NT
Cedric Peerman - RB
Jairus Byrd - CB
Andy Levitre - OG/OT
Troy Kropog - OT
Sen'Derrick Marks - UT
Jason Williams - OLB
Derrick Williams - WR/KR
Zack Follett - OLB/MLB
Michael Hamlin - S
Fenuki Tupou - OT

FOURTH ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Mitch King - UT
Kory Sheets - RB/KR
Terrance Taylor - NT
Vance Walker - NT
Ramses Barden - WR
Jarrett Dillard - WR
Louis Murphy - WR
Jason Phillips - MLB/OLB/FB
Glen Coffee - RB
Corvey Irvin - NT
Jasper Brinkley - MLB/OLB
Asher Allen - CB/KR
Deon Butler - WR
David Bruton - S/OLB
Clinton McDonald - UT
Austin Collie - WR
Jason Watkins - OT/G
Augustus Parrish - OT/G

FIFTH ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Vaughn Martin - NT
Alex Boone - OT
Ian Johnson - RB
Johnny Knox - WR
Mike Wallace - WR/KR
Morgan Trent - CB
Bradley Fletcher - CB
Kalukda Maiava - OLB
Dannell Ellerbe - MLB
Donald Washington - CB
Terrance Knighton - NT

SIXTH ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD:

Nick Reed - DE/OLB
Corey Smith - OLB/S
Glover Quin - CB/S/KR
Dudley Guice - WR/KR
Quan Cosby - WR/KR
Lee Robinson - LB
Al Afalava - S
Joe Burnett - CB/KR
Robert Brewster - OT/G
Nate Davis - QB
Kevin Huber - P

SEVENTH ROUND FULL DRAFT BOARD

Mike Teel - QB
Derek Pegues - S
Antonio Dixon - NT
Domonique Johnson - CB/S
Gartrell Johnson - RB/FB
Jeremy Navarre - UT

UDFA LIST

John Gill - NT/UT
Myron Pryoer - NT
Lonnie Harvey - DT
Tez Doolittle - UT
Pierre Walter - DE
Ramon Humber - LB
Russell Allen - OLB
Ellis Lankaster - CB
Mike Mitchell - CB
Vince Anders - CB
JaRon Harris - WR
Andrew Johnson - RB
Jake Richardson - P
Thomas Morstead - P

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

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Comments

I can't tell you...

How much I dislike Peria Jerry. The guy has an injury history longer than my arm and he is 25 years old. Drafting him would be a dangerous reach. I’d rather get Laurinaitis or Britton. They are better, younger, experienced and they have ZERO injury history.

Overall, I like your rankings, but I feel that our “needs” at RB are not for a tandem back but rather for a starter. If Addai struggles again then obviously we need a starter to keep the offense moving, but even if Addai does well we still need a starter because his contract is over next season.

by MasterRWayne on Apr 23, 2009 10:33 AM EDT reply actions

I don't have a problem...

With either of your observations. In fact, it’s Jerry’s injury history and age that were primary reasons I supported Hood over Jerry. I’m not convinced that is how the coaching staff sees it… but I feel that way about it.

Additionally, I won’t argue with the idea that getting a 1A RB would be awesome. I’m not real high on Addai right now. Having said that, I don’t think that’s how the team is going to look at it. I think they feel they have their primary back right now. Additionally, I think Addai isn’t the “biggest need” area on the team or really close at this point. But we’ve beat the OL v. RB debate to death in our running game debate. So it is… what it is.

by bamock on Apr 23, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with you, but I don’t think it’s going to matter in the end because the Colts aren’t going to draft a DT in the first round anyways. Same goes for WR, it just won’t happen.

This line will remain in my signature until the Colts draft Rashad Jennings in 2009.
Oh and I write words and stuff for Stampede Blue.

by KingRichard on Apr 23, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the excellent work.

I don’t think running back is that big of a need. However, if we go by best player available, then we may grab one if someone slides that Polian is big on. That is the only way we get an early running back I think. When I see the Colts letting a running back (Rhodes) go and signing their linemen plus a Boise center already, I wonder if the team is satisfied with their running backs and if they feel the team needs to address the line more. Then again, the opposite could be true. They could be tweaking the line and getting ready to upgrade the RBs.

At this point we will just wait and see. I believe that the line, rather than Addai, was last year’s problem. However, unlike the Addai bashers, I don’t feel dogmatic about the situation so strongly that I will beat the horse to death. If the Colts draft a running back first round, then I will believe that Polian either lost confidence in Addai, or liked him but was planning to lose him next season after contract, or the right player just fell there. Polian knows more than me, and I will concede that he as the GM is right if he drafts different than I would. I wonder if a few others on here would concede that as well, or would they just desperately argue their point forever for posterity’s (pride’s) sake.

Ultimately, I have great confidence in the first choice that Polian will make, and while he will choose some players in the draft that will fail to work out, I believe he will get us some gems this year as always. We will know in a couple of days.

by coltsfanawalt on Apr 23, 2009 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

Another Thing

We all realize that every player in the draft is a risk. Top picks have disappointed, while late ones have surprised. This happens year after year. No pick in any round of this draft is a lock to succeed in the NFL, or even to stay healthy. I think that of all the top rated draft options, Aaron Curry is perhaps the safest bet for being a solid selection. Even then though, there are no guaruntees.

I admire Polian’s record with his first round selections. With all the first round busts, even top five busts, Polian is truly remarkable at what he does. He will hopefully get us another winner at 27. Go Colts!

by coltsfanawalt on Apr 23, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

Of course the draft is very important

and Polian will probably throw us a curveball that we didn’t expect. So instead of bashing him for not taking a DT (which is what I will do at first), think about this….

This team, led on offense by #18, has a 10-12 win baseline whether the draft is good or bad. A good draft can turn them into a 14 win or more SB contender, but a bad draft will still give us 10-11 wins becase that’s just how we roll.

Last year was one of the most inept looking Colts teams I have seen in years, and still won 12 games!! No running game, no run defense, backups in the defensive backfield and Peyton playing on one leg for the first month……amazing.

Good things to know by the way.

by AceOfSpades on Apr 23, 2009 3:52 PM EDT reply actions