The NFL Draft is coming up in a matter of minutes, and we will soon begin to get answers about who the Colts and other teams will take in the first round.
One of the most interesting storylines of the first round will be where UCLA linebacker Myles Jack goes, as he is one of the very best players in the draft when healthy but does come with some injury concerns. It is commonly assumed that he will still be a top ten pick despite the injury, but NFL Media's Ian Rapoport had some very interesting comments about Jack on NFL Network's pre-draft show.
"And then, of course, Rich [Eisen], we're talking about where Myles Jack is going to go, the UCLA linebacker," Rapoport said. "We know of course he had the knee issue, he tore his meniscus in September, but that is not the problem: the real problem is that the bone and cartilage are separating, leading some to think that he could need microfracture surgery. The question is, will he be able to get through his first contract? He was originally slated to be a top ten pick, now it looks like he's sliding out of the top ten. Some potential landing spots: the Miami Dolphins, the Oakland Raiders, or the Indianapolis Colts."
Rapoport's comments on Jack's injuries isn't great news, as microfracture surgery is a big deal. It does sound like Rapoport expects Jack to drop out of the top ten, however, and at that point the conversation turns to whether he would slide all the way to the Colts at number 18 - and perhaps most interestingly is the fact that Rapoport mentioned the Colts as a potential landing spot for Jack. Of course, he also mentioned the Dolphins and Raiders, who pick 13th and 14th overall, respectively. In order for the Colts to take Jack, then, they'd have to either jump those teams or count on both of those teams passing on Jack - something that certainly is possible if there are concerns about his knee. At that point, though, the question is whether he would be healthy enough for the Colts to take. It might be a risk worth taking when considering Jack's talent, but the Colts would need to rely heavily on their medical reports - especially if there's a concern of microfracture surgery.
I would be absolutely shocked - shocked - if Myles Jack is still available at number 18 for the Colts to take, but NFL Media's Ian Rapoport did mention them as a potential landing spot for the linebacker, which is very interesting to note. Either way, we'll know soon enough where Jack winds up and who the Colts take!