NFL Draft 2017: Colts select offensive lineman Zach Banner in fourth round

The Colts’ first pick in the fourth round came a bit later than initially expected due to a trade down with the 49ers, but with the 137th overall pick the Colts have selected USC offensive lineman Zach Banner.

Banner is a 6-8, 353 pound offensive tackle, but interestingly the Colts announced him as a guard. That’s certainly something to keep an eye on, as that could give us an indication on how the Colts view him. On a conference call with Indy media just now, however, Banner said that the Colts only discussed playing him at tackle. At times his weight has been a concern, but he said today that he’s down to 349 pounds now and that it won’t be a problem moving forward.

Banner started 40 games at USC, most of them coming at right tackle as he was a three-year starter. He was named to the all-conference team in both 2015 and 2016. Banner said that the Colts showed a lot of interest in him during the pre-draft process and that Colts GM Chris Ballard and offensive line coach Joe Philbin flew out to personally meet with him, and Banner said that the Colts showed by far the most interest in him during the process. Banner is the son of former NFL lineman Lincoln Kennedy, a top ten pick of the Falcons in 1993 who made three Pro Bowls in his career and was a two-time first-team All-Pro.

The 137th pick was the draft pick that the Colts got back from the New England Patriots in the Dwayne Allen trade.

Here’s a complete look at the Colts’ picks in the 2017 NFL Draft:

1st round, 15th overall: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

2nd round, 46th overall: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

3rd round, 80th overall: Tarell Basham, EDGE, Ohio

4th round, 121st overall (traded to San Francisco 49ers)

4th round, 137th overall (from New England Patriots)

4th round, 143rd overall (from San Francisco 49ers)

4th round, 144th overall (compensatory)

5th round, 158th overall

5th round, 161st overall (from San Francisco 49ers)

The Colts picked up an extra fourth round pick (137th overall) from the New England Patriots earlier this offseason in exchange for tight end Dwayne Allen and their sixth round pick. That’s where the team’s sixth round pick went, and their seventh round pick was traded early in the 2015 season to the Cleveland Browns as a conditional draft choice for Billy Winn. The Colts also received an extra fourth round pick this year (144th overall) as a compensatory pick because of the departure of tight end Coby Fleener to the New Orleans Saints last offseason. They made a trade on day three of the draft to send the 121st overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 143rd and 161st overall picks.

To keep up with all of the picks throughout the league in the 2017 NFL Draft, check out our draft tracker here.