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Last week I asked our community who I should take with the No. 22 pick in the 2011 SB Nation Writers Mock Draft. Many of you responded, and I have to say that every single comment was very helpful. Literally everyone provided some important and key information. I'll admit now that I entered into the discussion with a solid grasp of who I wanted. But, as I read the comments, with pros and cons of certain players, that people offered up, I started to change my mind.
In the end, I went with the guy I originally wanted. But, I felt more informed making that decision based on what you guys sent me. Thank you.
Having said all that, here's my selection:
With the 22nd overall pick in the 2011 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Anthony Castonzo, offensive tackle, Boston College.
After the jump, see why I picked Castonzo along with Dan Kadar's reaction to the pick at Mocking The Draft.
Why did I take Castonzo?
At MtD, I wrote a pretty lengthy reasoning. In fact, it was so lengthy that even Dan himself was like 'Wow, that is a lot to digest.' I humbly request that if you want to read the whole explanation, head to MtD and check it out. It's worth the read, plus you can see how the MtD community is reacting to the pick. If you want a quick, condensed explanation, he's a clip from the article:
Several pre-draft reports say Castonzo is not quite ready to place out there at left tackle Week One, and I agree with them. He still has some physical maturing to do, but his mind and his toughness are not in question. His talent is also not debatable. He’s got a ton of it, and it is this talent that the Colts O-Line desperately needs. Castonzo might not be ready to toss out there at left tackle, but he could start at right tackle, and eventually work his way left. Being multi-purposed is a key trait for Colts linemen, and all are usually coached to play two or three positions on the line. If Castonzo could play RT or, perhaps, one of the guard positions, this could free up Charlie Johnson to move from his current spot (LT) back to his more natural position at guard or right tackle. Second-year player Jeff Linkenbach could then swing over to LT while a player like Jacques McClendon could battle Kyle DeVan for one of the other guard spots.
Dan Kadar's reaction was mostly positive. Here's part of that reaction (aka, read the whole thing at MtD):
If Polian does decide to break the mold and go with an offensive lineman, he has to pick the one that is the most ready to start immediately. Of Castonzo, Sherrod and Solder, the Boston College product is the most likely. (Carimi probably trumps all three in that regard.)
Special thanks to Dan and Brian Galliford for their work in organizing this. Also, again, many thanks to all of you for helping me make this pick.
The next pick I'm to make for the Colts is due April 15th. Rest assured I will lean heavily on this community to determine that selection. I don't think a guy like Castonzo is going to fall into my lap in that round as he did in this one.