Great minds think alike. Both Shake and I decided to do one of these at about the same times. Luckily for us, they won't be identical. I will not have Clausen in the top 10 because I do not think he should be taken over one of the really good offensive tackles or defensive ends in this draft. I set mine up with an equal chance of everyone being there. If somehow Russell Okung falls to the Colts, take him. If Clausen, a top 3 player in this draft, is left but a top 20 guy like Charles Brown is left, take Brown because of the positional value. It's a 31 man board so there is a guarantee of one of these guys being left. Obviously the top few players will not be there. If Ndamukong Suh or Eric Berry falls to 31, something crazy must have happened. Barring Berry going Donte Stallworth on us, it will be hard to believe any of the top 7 will be left. However, most of the players in 8 to 31 could very easily be left. Offensive tackle is the major need for the Colts, but there many other positions found on here from running back to outside linebacker to defensive end. Polian will take a best player available at a major position of need. He doesn't take the BPA no matter what. If he did, Alan Branch or Paul Posluzsny would be a Colt instead of Anthony Gonzalez. This is not in order of BPA or else there would be no originality. This is with a Colts slant. Now, onto the mock big board.
| Rank | Player | Position | School | Size | Notes |
| 1. |
Ndamukong Suh
|
DT | Nebraska |
6'4", 305 lbs |
Suh is a dominant defensive tackle. He's amazing in the pass rush and run stopping. He has to be the best defensive tackle to come out in a long time. There's a 0% chance he falls past pick number 2 though. |
| 2. | Eric Berry | S | Tennessee | 5'11", 203 lbs | He is the next Ed Reed. He has experience in the Tampa-2. He's a big playmaker and great against the pass. He could be an instant starter for the Colts. He's that good. No way he falls out of the top 7. |
| 3. | Gerald McCoy | DT | Oklahoma | 6'4", 295 lbs | McCoy is an elite pass rusher, better than Suh. He's not the best run defender but has amazing potential. He won't fall pas pick number 3. |
| 4. | Russell Okung | OT | Oklahoma State | 6'5", 300 lbs | Okung is the top offensive tackle in the 2010 draft class. He is just as good as Joe Thomas and Jake Long were coming out of college. He won't fall past pick number 6. |
| 5. | Joe Haden | CB | Florida | 5'11", 190 lbs | Haden will be an amazing player in the pros. He is absolutely shutdown and makes big plays. He is kind of raw right now but he would be great in any scheme. He shouldn't fall out of the top 15. |
| 6. | Rolando McClain | OLB | Alabama | 6'4", 248 lbs | McClain probably is not a 4-3 middle linebacker, but he would be a hell of an outside linebacker. He is a great blitzer and can defend against the pass well. He also is a solid tackler, the anti-Gilbert Gardner if you will. He won't fall past pick number 12. |
| 7. | Derrick Morgan | DE | Georgia Tech | 6'4", 275 lbs | Shake may have only seen him play once against his Iowa Hawkeyes, but as a fan of ACC football, I am very familiar with Morgan. At only 20 years old, he has potential to grow into the next Dwight Freeney. He's got all of the pass rush moves. Too bad he won't fall past Seattle at 14. |
| 8. | Bryan Bulaga | OT | Iowa | 6'6", 304lbs | Bulaga is one of the most well-rounded offensive tackles in this draft. He's great in pass blocking but even better in run blocking. He could play both left tackle or right tackle. A middle class man's Jake Long. Probably won't be left at 31, but you never know. |
| 9. | Charles Brown | OT | USC | 6'6", 298 lbs | Yeah, I really like Charles Brown. He doesn't have elite size, but his pass blocking skills are incredible, maybe as good as anyone else in this draft. He is an underrated run blocker and would be great for the stretch play with his pure speed. I consider him the anti-Tony Ugoh. A good chance he is left at pick 31. |
| 10. | Bruce Campbell | OT | Maryland | 6'7", 310 lbs | Like Shake said, he's a project, but his potential is unbelievable. His inexperience is a concern, but with the right coaching he could be fantastic. Too bad it looks like he will be an Oakland Raider. |
| Rank | Player | Position | School | Size | Notes |
| 11. |
Brian Price |
DT | UCLA |
6'1", 295 lbs |
Price is the ideal 3-tech defensive tackle. He is very similar to Fili Moala which make me apprehensive of putting him this high if they've already drafted a similar player last year. He won't fall out of the top half of the draft. |
| 12. | Brandon Graham | DE | Michigan | 6'1", 263 lbs | Graham is another player I really like. He's a great pass rusher who shined at the Senior Bowl. He could easily be the next Dwight Freeney, and at worst, a great pass rush specialist. A decent chance he is left at pick 31. |
| 13. | Anthony Davis | OT | Rutgers | 6'6", 330 lbs | Davis only projects as a right tackle which is why he is the number 4 offensive tackle on my board, but he is great. He's huge and would be a difference maker, but positional value hurts his chance. He shouldn't fall out of the top 15. |
| 14. | Mike Iupati | OG | Idaho | 6'5", 325 lbs | Iupati is the best guard to come out in a while. He is absolutely dominant in run blocking and is a physical player. Against the 3-4 defense he would be shut down. A slight chance he is there at 31, but Dallas seems like a likely destination. |
| 15. | Earl Thomas | S | Texas | 5'10", 195 lbs | Thomas is a very versatile player who would be able to play cornerback as well as safety. He is an insane athlete who would be great in pass defense. He wouldn't provide much in run defense, but I would love to see him playing with Antoine Bethea. He won't fall out of the top 20. |
| 16. | Dan Williams | DT | Tennessee | 6'2", 329 lbs | Williams is huge and projects as a 3-4 NT, but he also has experience in the Tampa-2 with Monte Kiffin. He won't fall past the Steelers, but it would be an interesting pick and would definitely improve the run defense. |
| 17. | Jermaine Gresham | TE | Oklahoma | 6'6", 262 lbs | Although he didn't play last year, Gresham is a big time prospect. He is just a phenomenal receiver and can block as well. There are better blocking tight ends in this draft, but Gresham is an elite prospect. Tight ends usually aren't this athletic. If he can make it past Cincinnati he could very well be there at 31. |
| 18. | Trent Williams | OT | Oklahoma | 6'5", 309 lbs | Williams played left tackle this year after being a right tackle earlier in his career and struggled, but he should be an amazing right tackle. He's ridiculously athletic and has the potential to just be a force on the offensive line. About a 50% chance he is there at 31. |
| 19. | Everson Griffen | DE | USC | 6'3", 280 lbs | Griffen is a physical specimen who never lived up to potential in college. He would be a massive improvement in run defense and can rush the passer as well. If he is coached as well as the other Colts defensive ends were, he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive end. |
| 20. | Jason Pierre-Paul | DE | USF | 6'1", 263 lbs | Pierre-Paul is the most raw first round prospect this year and in a long time. Fraud McShay has him going number 3 to the Buccaneers. McShay and the other mental inferiors who agree with him are pretty much in a stupid competition when making this pick, but don't be surprised if he goes to the Browns or Raiders in the top 10. |
| 21. |
Jared Odrick |
DT | Penn State |
6'5", 301 lbs |
Like Brian Price, Odrick is another defensive tackle who seems born to be a Tampa-2 defensive tackle. The fact is that he is not the best in run defense and really should only be taken if the board is almost cleared. |
| 22. | Sean Weatherspoon | OLB | Missouri | 6'1", 241 lbs | Outside linebacker is not a need, but Weatherspoon may be too good to pass up if the top 21 are off the board somehow. Weatherspoon is a highly athletic outside linebacker who is great against the pass. He probably won't make it past Atlanta though. |
| 23. | CJ Spiller | RB | Clemson | 5'11", 197 lbs | 2 straight years with a running back in the first round would be a bit much, but Spiller is a dynamic player who would be a great receiver and return specialist as well. |
| 24. | Devin McCourty | CB | Rutgers | 5'11", 186 lbs | At this point in the draft, there is a large group of corners that are really close. McCourty just came out on top for me because of his contribution on special teams and his great Senior Bowl along with his good cover skills. |
| 25. | Donovan Warren | CB | Michigan | 6'0", 185 lbs | Warren was a very physical cornerback at scUM for his size. He also has great speed. I don't understand why he is projected so low by some people. He was poorly coached the last 2 years. He should be a great cornerback. |
| 26. | Corey Wootton | DE/DT | Northwestern | 6'7", 270 lbs | I'm a little nervous about Wootton because of his injury history, but he is a physical specimen. He reportedly lost speed after hurting his knee in 2008 which scares the crap out of me. However, if he stays healthy he would be an improved version of Raheem Brock. |
| 27. | Jerry Hughes | DE | TCU | 6'2", 248 lbs | Over the entire season, I've only seen Hughes projected as a rush linebacker, but if there is a team that could turn a 3-4 OLB into a 4-3 DE, it's the Colts. Hughes has all of the pass rush moves you could want, but his size would be a serious problem. |
| 28. | Ricky Sapp | DE | Clemson | 6'4", 242 lbs | Pretty much the same deal with Hughes. He's most likely a 3-4 OLB and would never be more than a 3rd down only guy for a 4-3 team. However, he could be a phenom on those 3rd downs. |
| 29. | Javier Arenas | CB | Alabama | 5'9", 195 lbs | Arenas is the best returner in this draft and a very good cornerback in zone coverage. At worst, he busts as a cornerback and is a returner only. At best, he is a dominant nickelback alongside Powers, Hayden, and Lacey. It would be a risky pick, but he should be left in round 2. No way he could be as bad as Tim Jennings. |
| 30. | Sergio Kindle | DE | Texas | 6'4", 254 lbs | A bigger player than Hughes and Sapp, but he still couldn't be more than a 3rd down pass rusher. He did not produce as a senior which drops him down past those two as well. |
| 31. |
Jimmy Clausen |
QB | Notre Dame |
6'3", 217 lbs |
Clausen is the top QB in this draft and a better player than Matt Stafford was when he was taken number one. If the Rams pass on him, they will be making a huge mistake. If all 30 teams above the Colts pass on him and take the 30 players listed above, I would be very confused and angry. Clausen would have to be the pick just for the trade value. |