FanPost

Reading the tea leaves - One more mock




With so many directions we could go this year, it is hard to get a grasp of whom the Colts might select. We all have our favorites, but trying to divine what Grigson is thinking is difficult. With so much dis-information out there trying to decypher it is often a fools errand, but I'll give it a shot.

I'm relying heavily on walterfootball.com which has a great summary of player meetings by team.

The breakdown by position is as follows:

5 - WRs, 4 - RBs, 4 - OLs, 4 - DLs, 3 - LBs, 3 - CBs, 2 - TEs, 1 - S, 1 - QB

Two things jump out. First, the number of RBs interviewed is much higher than I might have expected. Second, we seem to have little interest in drafting a safety.

Round 1

Digging further, two of the DL prospects are projected as first/second round players. Only three other players interviewed (Lane Johnson, Jarvis Jones, and Dee Milliner) are projected to go that high. Johnson and Milliner will certainly be gone by #24 leaving only the rush LB and DEs as possibilities. This leads me to my first deduction.

  • Round 1 - Datone Jones - DE - UCLA. (Alternative - Margus Hunt - DE - SMU).

While Jones himself has not been interviewed by the Colts, the interviews are often better at determining the position the team intends to go and in what round. As has been discussed on this site before, Jones is a good fit at 3-4 end and should be available at #24.

Round 3

Continuing... excluding J. Jones, the LBs listed (Bostic and Powell) plus add in Williams are all expected to go in the 3-4 round range. These interviews seem too targeted to be coincidence. I would say with relative confidence that we take a rush LB in the middle rounds. My money is on round 3 and the pick is...

  • Round 3 - Trevardo Williams - OLB - UConn (Alternative Chase Thomas - OLB - Stanford)

This time I think they actually pick the guy they interviewed. Williams is a little undersized for the position, but is not that different from Robert Mathis. If we are really expecting Walden to start at the opposite side, Williams would become the heir apparent to Mathis.

Round 4

This is the one that starts to perplex me... I am vehemently opposed to taking a RB, but evidence would point to the contrary. 4 RBs interviewed and a couple of these guys are just throw aways... With Pep's desire for more power running, it seems reasonable to anticipate a bigger back rather than a home run hitter.

  • Round 4 - Stepfan Taylor - RB - Stanford (Alternative - Christine Michael - RB - Texas A&M)

Familiarity can't hurt. If we are looking for a RB in this range, this is an easy fit. Taylor would be able to pick up the offense quickly and split time with Ballard.

Rounds 6-7

Obviously, everything is a bit of a craps shoot this late, but the players interviewed may be even more indicative at this point. Having addressed the front 7 and RB, we are left with WR, OL, and CB as positions of need. As I said, when the team is drafting this late it is even more likely to choose someone they have met with. I am going straight from the list and picking players I think are reasonable as alternatives.

  • Round 6 - Corey Fuller - WR - VaTech (Alternative - Marcus Davis - WR - VaTech)
  • Round 7 - Sheldon Price - CB - UCLA (Alternative - Khalid Wooten - CB - Nevada)
  • Round 7 - Edward Kugbila - OG - Valdosta St. (Alternative - Blaize Foltz - OG - TCU)

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.