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Next up in the Indianapolis Colts “Mock Draft Monday” series, I’ve got another trade. In the first installment, I included the mock inside another series about returning the Colts to the glory days. I simulated a trade with the Denver Broncos, giving the Colts the Broncos’ No. 5 and No. 40 picks in exchange for No. 3. This week, I’ve got another trade; this one, with the New York Jets.
The purpose of this series is to just explore different options for the Colts. These aren’t predictions or necessarily the product of rumors. I just want to be sure we cover as many of the scenarios that we may see play out as possible between now and the end of April.
For the Jets, they will want a quarterback this offseason, and they may have trouble luring one there in free agency. This way, the Jets can move up into the top three and have a shot at getting their franchise signal-caller.
- The Colts trade — Round 1: Pick 3
- The Jets trade — Round 1: Pick 6, Round 2: Pick 37 and Round 4: Pick 103
Colts 2018 Mock Draft
| Draft Spot | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft Spot | Player | Position | School |
| Round 1: Pick 6 (from NYJ) | Quenton Nelson | Offensive Guard | Notre Dame |
| Round 2: Pick 36 | Arden Key | Edge Defender | LSU |
| Round 2: Pick 37 (from NYJ) | Carlton Davis | Cornerback | Auburn |
| Round 3: Pick 67 | Jeff Holland | Edge Defender | Auburn |
| Round 4: Pick 100 | Fred Warner | Linebacker | BYU |
| Round 4: Pick 103 (from NYJ) | John Kelly | Running Back | Tennessee |
| Round 5: Pick 131 | Jake Wieneke | Wide Receiver | South Dakota State |
| Round 6: Pick 164 | Cole Madison | Offensive Line | Washington State |
| Round 7: Pick 195 | Davontae Harris | Defensive Back | Illinois State |
- Pick 1:6 | Quenton Nelson — While NC State edge defender Bradley Chubb would be the top choice here, he is not available in this scenario. If the Colts were “forced” into taking Nelson because Chubb wasn’t available, that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Nelson is a purely dominant guard who you can plug in to help anchor your run game and pass protection for the next dozen years.
- Pick 2:36 | Arden Key — When I look at mocks that don’t have the Colts taking Chubb at No. 3, I feel a little off because they do need to find premium pass-rush talent in this draft. Key is a nice consolation prize here, as he is a top-10 talent whose injuries and potential off-field concerns clouded his 2017 campaign, and could slide him to the top of the second round. For what it’s worth, there really isn’t anything out there about his character to warrant any real concern. Maybe actual details will come out during the Combine, but he seems fine to me so far.
- Pick 2:37 | Carlton Davis — Davis would be a good fit opposite Quincy Wilson, as Davis is also has a lengthy frame (6-1, 203) and uses it to get physical with opposing receivers. He looks like he could start out of the gate, which the Colts may need depending on how free agency goes.
- Pick 3:67 | Jeff Holland — While the Colts landed a long, fast, athletic edge rusher in Key, Holland is the stout, powerful type. I think it would be wise for the Colts to draft multiple pass rushers. This is a great duo with a lot of potential that they’ve picked up here.
- Pick 4:100 | Fred Warner — Warner’s versatility and ability to cover ground quickly will be a good fit in the Colts’ new 4-3 scheme. He’s a plus contributor against the run but excels in coverage as well. This is the type of athletic playmaker that Colts general manager Chris Ballard tends to look for.
- Pick 4:103 | John Kelly — I’m not sure if the Colts will be looking for a certain type of running back when/if they add another this offseason, or if they’ll simply take whoever they think is the best one out there at the time. However, Kelly is a nice blend of current Colts running backs Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin, and he can do a bit of what both do best as well as make up for what is lacking from their game. Kelly is a compact runner who has the power to run between the tackles but also enough speed and quickness to run outside and get downfield. He can also contribute heavily in the passing game.
- Pick 5:131 | Jake Wieneke — The Colts get a big (6-4, 213) red zone threat here in Wieneke. He makes a living out of Mossing opposing receivers, but his NFL role may be limited to that of a possession receiver and red zone weapon if he doesn’t prove to be both fast and quick enough to get space in the open field.
- Pick 6:164 | Cole Madison — Don’t be surprised if the Colts add an abundance of offensive linemen this offseason. It’s not a great free agent class, but there are some high-quality options near the top. With an elite-level lineman already picked up in the draft in Round 1 for the inside of the line, the Colts now get a tackle prospect for the outside. Madison is not a mauler, but he may be a good fit in new Colts head coach Frank Reich’s up-tempo offense.
- Pick 7: 195 | Davontae Harris — Harris is more of a work in progress whose NFL team may have to figure out a role for him outside of a traditional boundary corner, but he is a quality piece to add to this secondary nonetheless. Harris is pretty scrappy and you can tell that he wants to be involved in the run game. Plus, he’s got pretty good ball skills.