The general consensus this year is the Colts most glaring need is on the Offensive Line, specifically at Left Tackle. I'm also a firm believer that a franchise LT must be taken in the first 2 rounds, much like QB and DE.  At the beginning of the draft season, Indiana OT Rodger Saffold was a guy that the Colts would look at with their 2nd round pick, #63 overall.  Ever since the Senior Bowl, however, Saffold has slowly been creeping up draft boards, first into the middle of the 2nd round, then to the beginning of the 2nd round, and finally, today, our own BBS interviewed NFL Network Draft Expert Mike Mayock, and he said:

I don't think [Rodger] Saffold gets past Bill Polian at #31.

That's quite a jump in value.  Some stats on Saffold: 

Experience is definitely not an issue for him.  All 41 games were started at LT, which is exactly what the Colts would expect him to play.  His senior year, in 12 games, only gave up 1 sack, and the entire Indiana OL only gave up 16 all season, ranking in the top 30 nationally.  He was named Second Team All Big Ten, behind consensus top 15 pick Bryan Bulaga from Iowa.

Saffold really started making a name for himself at the Senior Bowl.  From NFLDraftScout.com:

He especially stood out during East-West Shrine Game practices as potentially the top player on either team - on either side of the ball - because of his footwork in pass protection and excellent strength and pop on inside run drills.

At first, I was hesitant to think Saffold would be a good value pick at #31.  However, after doing some reading, I can see why Mayock would say what he did.  I would not be surprised if he ends up a Colt by late Thursday night.

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A sleeper who got a little bit of love around the site and was identified as one of two bigtime sleepers outside the first round by Football Outsiders research into what measurables make for a successful NFL edge rusher.

Te'o-Nesheim isn't highly regarded since most consider him purely a 4-3 situational rusher due to his undersized frame (6'3" 263lbs) and a perceived lacking of the athleticism to convert to OLB in a 3-4. Still Te'o-Nesheim was a phenomenally productive end, registering 27.5 sacks and 40.5 TFLs the last 3 years, similar numbers to the fantastically productive 1st round end Brandon Graham.

Te'o-Nesheim has great college production and enough athletic ability to make it into the league, but it's generally thought that he's pushing the limits of his potential already. A college overachiever who won't be able to get by with hustle and intelligence when facing players that are significantly more athletic than him. Still the combine measurables that Football Outsider's found relate well to edge rushing success were those that Te'o-Nesheim performed well in, so the reputation for limited and topped out athleticism may be unwarranted.

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Fox, along with Kyle Calloway are the latest available tackles that could reasonably be expected to step up into a serious role at OT. Fox was considered a borderline 1st round talent by some after 4 years in the starting lineup for the Hurricanes (his first primarily at RT, followed by 3 years on the left side). Fox's stock took a serious hit when he missed the last two games of the season through the NFL combine after a leg injury required surgery.

Fox has LT size at 6'7" 303lbs and was a high school TE before Miami plugged him right in as a true freshman at RT, the questions around him are whether he has the absolutely elite athleticism required of a LT, a need to fill out his frame and get stronger for the run game and some concerns about how well he's recovered from the serious leg injury last year.

Fox's experience, size and athleticism is a rare combo in a tackle that will be available in the middle rounds.

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While the other half of 'Bama's CB duo has gotten more talk around here Jackson will almost certainly come off the board before teammate Javier Arenas with some projections placing him as high as #25 to the Ravens. What buzz Jackson has gotten on SB has been as a sleeper option for the Colts at #31 and it's not hard to see why. He's a considered borderline 1st rounder, unlikely to make it out of the 2nd, by most (so could be a clear 1st rounder to the Colts independent staff) and is a CB with good zone coverage skills, but extensive man coverage experience. He's also aggressive in run support, scoring another mark in his favor.

At 5'10 1/2" 196lbs with a 4.48 40 time (.03 off the best among this years CBs) Jackson has solid size and speed. He consistently a factor in games racking up 153 tackles, 29 pass breakups and 5 INTs in 3 years starting at Alabama. The common knocks on Jackson are a lack of elite speed and quickness and a tendency to gamble (a trait that would have to be checked if the Colts expect to trust him in cover-3 looks).

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Veldheer is a small school prospect drawing a lot of attention and it's not hard to see why. At just over 6'8" and 312lbs with the athleticism to place among the top OTs in the 40, bench, vertical/broad jumps, 3 cone drill and 20 yard shuttle Veldheer turned heads at the combine. He's not all freak size and athleticism though, Veldheer was a 4 year starter at LT for Hillsdale, dominating D-II competition. Veldheer stood out to scouts at the Texas vs The Nation game (the same place D-III product Pierre Garçon showed off great skills).

Veldheer (#66) sets up to take on his man

Beyond level of competition, the concerns with Veldheer are some of the shortest arms in the LT class, pass pro technique still being a bit raw and not getting great push in the run game (though filling out that 6'8" frame more could help with that).

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Since my selection for the Colts in Round Two of the 2010 SB Nation Writers Mock Draft was Arthur Jones, I guess it only makes sense that Jones be the lone draft profile I do this year. And while many of you gave me sh*t over taking Jones, at the end of the day my pick got a pretty solid grade from the harsh critics at Mocking the Draft.

Oh, and I will continue to defend my Mark Sanchez pick from last year until the end of time!

Anyway, on to Arthur Jones, a player many mock draft experts and wannabe scouts consider an "under the radar" player who would have been in the First Round of this year's draft if not for injuries. Yet, one of the qualities that makes me think the Colts are interested in Jones is that despite him suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the college off-season and a torn left lateral meniscus, he played through and played very well. Big East head coaches named him a first-team all-conference player in 2009. Now, that is one tough dude, and toughness (to go with some quickness) is exactly what the Colts need on the defensive line.

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With a name meaning "Born on Sunday", "The Ansah" is hands down the best named player in the draft. AOA has an elite combination of size (6' 0 1/4"  with long arms), and speed (4.47 40 at the combine, .02 off the fastest CB. 4.31 Pro Day 40). Unlike many freakish players AOA was productive in college, but at the DII level. In two years as a starter he picked off 10 passes and was often avoided by opposing offenses. As a senior he returned kickoffs for a 29.7 yard average with 2 TDs and punts for a 12.5 yard average with 3 TDs.

via www.iup.edu

Ansah has the tools for pretty much any scheme. His size and physicality with WRs would make him an attractive press corner, but he usually played with a large cushion (I know that brings visions of Tim Jennings, but AOA excels at breaking on plays quickly, something Jennings really struggled with).

A big concern with Ansah, in addition to level of competition, are questions about his tackling since he was avoided in coverage and didn't get involved in run support much being lined up so deep. Taking Antonio Cromartie's attitude towards run support is not going to be acceptable.

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Iowa week comes to a close with the less highly touted Iowa OT in the draft. At 6' 6 1/2" 323lbs Kyle Calloway has plenty of size for a pro RT and his run blocking gets rave reviews. Calloway would have a good chance to step right in to bulk up a guard spot or possibly inject youth at RT.

Calloway broke into the starting lineup at Iowa playing left tackle for much of 2007. In 2008 he was moved to RT with the emerging Bryan Bulaga taking over at LT. In 2009 he started the regular season at RT before shifting inside to RG, where he had seen time as a freshman, for the Orange Bowl (with stud RS Freshman Riley Reiff manning RT). Calloway's experience at 3 positions on the line shows the versatility that's common among Colts linemen and would allow them to fit him into the lineup in many scenarios.

A lack of great athleticism, leading to some issues against speed rushers is why an experienced and powerful blocker like Calloway isn't creeping into the back of the 1st round like elite RT prospects Gosder Cherilus and Jeff Otah did. There's one blip on Calloway's character radar. He was suspended for the first game of 2009 after he was arrested and charged with DUI for riding a moped while intoxicated. Personally I think the mental picture of a 6'7" 325lb lineman riding a little moped makes the incident more a public service than a character concern.

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