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The NFL Draft is tonight, which means that mock drafts will finally come to an end shortly. Colts punter Pat McAfee perhaps summed it up best on twitter the other day:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm pretty excited for "Mock Draft" season to come to an end.</p>— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/593237321387888640">April 29, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But, much to McAfee's chagrin, there's still several hours before the draft begins, and therefore there's still the opportunity to take a look at mock drafts. This morning, ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay released their final mock drafts of the season, so let's take a look at who they had the Colts grabbing at pick number 29.
Mel Kiper has the Colts taking Oregon offensive lineman Jake Fisher in the first round.
Why they take him: Improvement on the offensive line last year doesn't mean it's a strength, and they have to prioritize protection for their franchise player.
Why they pass: Safety could also be a need, so a player like Randall would be a good fit. If a pass-rusher slides here that's a worthy need area to address.
As for Todd McShay, he has the Colts taking Arizona State safety Damarious Randall:
Analysis: Randall is the best pure cover safety in this draft class, and he also could handle a slot cornerback role. Free safety is one of the Colts' top needs, so Randall could be the pick if they don't opt for an offensive tackle, defensive tackle or edge rusher here.
Randall has become a popular name for the Colts recently, considering the lack of talent in this year's safety class and the Colts' need at the position. At his pre-draft press conference, general manager Ryan Grigson did note that there's more of a trend towards a cover safety in today's NFL - and that's exactly what Randall is. He's not the best safety overall in this draft class, but he is the best coverage safety.
What are your thoughts on Kiper and McShay's final mock draft?