The NFL Draft is less than a month away, and a number of mock drafts so far have projected the Colts taking an offensive tackle in the first round. In fact, the majority of mock drafts have had the Colts adding a tackle, using the reasoning that the Colts need offensive line help.
While that much is true, that doesn't mean that the Colts will be limited to a tackle in round one. Their biggest needs up front are at center and then at guard, meaning that it's far from certain that if the Colts addressed their offensive line that it would be a tackle, while at the same time they have bigger needs than even offensive line - such as pass rush. In other words, it is no certainty that the Colts will take an offensive tackle, and mock drafts shouldn't simply assume that the Colts will be limited to taking a tackle.
Mock drafts continue to suggest that, however, and it has reached a new low. A few days ago, NFL.com's Charley Casserly had the Colts trading up in the first round to grab a tackle. Seriously. Trading up in the draft to get a tackle. Casserly had the Colts moving up from the 18th overall pick to the 16th overall pick in a trade with the Detroit Lions to take Ohio State's Taylor Decker, doing so because, according to Casserly, the Colts "can't afford to come out of first round without an OT."
Actually, they can afford to do so. They could opt to take a pass rusher and be just fine. Or they could add a center. Or a guard. Or a corner. Or a linebacker. The Colts have several needs, and offensive tackle isn't at the top of that list by any means. So yes, the Colts can absolutely afford to come out of the first round without taking an offensive tackle, and in fact they might very well be better off if they do.
It's really starting to reach a ridiculous level with these mock drafts projecting a right tackle to the Colts, as now we have a mock draft that has the Colts trading up in order to take one. The Colts only have six picks in this year's draft, so they don't exactly have the luxury to move up a few spots in the first round to take a tackle. It's unclear what Casserly has the Colts giving up in order to move up the two spots, but it wouldn't just be swapping first round picks. That likely means that the Colts would have to give up another late-round pick, and that would be absolutely and totally stupid for Ryan Grigson to make that move just so he could move up and grab a right tackle in the first round.
If you want to have a mock draft and have the Colts take an offensive tackle, that's one thing - and it's understandable if you're as honest as someone like Mel Kiper Jr., who admitted that a tackle was simply the highest-rated offensive lineman left on his board, so that was the pick for the Colts. If that's what you want to do, then that's fine - because having different opinions is something valuable (at times, at least) about the draft process. But once you start suggesting that the Colts can't afford to come out of the first round without a right tackle or once you start projecting the Colts actually trading up to take one, that's when it crosses the line and becomes absolutely ridiculous.