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NFL Draft season is in full affect regardless of the fact that we have yet to get to free agency at this point. Our Stampede Blue staff mock off is back, though, with a 4-round mock this time around. For this mock — using Fanspeak — we changed our board of use to Chris Trapasso’s, other teams used multiple boards, on difficult while using Fanspeak’s team needs.
I’ll tell you up front that Trapasso’s board is vastly different than most others we typically use. Many of the prospects that have become ‘accepted’ as better options are not ranked as highly according to his board. We’re not criticizing, however, you will see some names get pushed down to lower rounds than what you may have seen to this point which naturally will increase the opportunity for a better 4-round pull.
We’ll continue to put these out every so often as we enjoy all of the possibilities in drafting as much as we hope you enjoy checking out the different results from each writer’s haul. Enjoy!
Brett Mock
*Trade: Colts send pick 3 to Chicago Bears for picks 8, 39, 105, and 115
8: R1P8 Quenton Nelson G, Notre Dame — Moving back to 8 makes Nelson more reasonable selection. Fitzpatrick, Chubb and Barkley were all gone in the top 4 picks in this one with Sam Darnold the first quarterback taken at number 6 by the New York Jets. Only Roquan Smith was a marquee player at a position with similar need. Picking Nelson here was easy.
36: R2P4 Tremaine Edmunds LB, Va. Tech — Edmunds is a lengthy, athletic linebacker with the speed to play sideline to sideline and position flexibility in speed packages to rush the passer. He is an immediate starter in the new 4-3 look.
39: R2P7 Arden Key Edge, LSU — While we missed on Chubb earlier in the draft, Key is possibly the second best edge rusher in the draft and should transition well to the 4-3 end edge rushing spot the Colts need to fill.
67: R3P3 Billy Price C, Ohio St. — This is a ton of offensive line value at this spot in the draft. Nelson and Price should both push to be immediate starters on the interior. Price has position flexibility to move over to center if Kelly suffers an injury.
104: R4P4 D.J. Moore WR, Maryland — Moore is hybrid wide receiver who can high point the ball and has excellent hands. At 5’11” and 215 lbs. he can also carry the ball out of the backfield. In an offense that is looking to be multiple and do a lot of the same personnel, Moore could develop into a nice weapon.
105: R4P5 Hercules Mata’afa Edge, Washington St. — Mata’Afa is a player who could have some flexibility in the defense. He could play a strongside backer role in a 4-3 front and could also give offenses different looks by rotating up to the line in certain situations as a situational pass rusher.
115: R4P15 Rashaad Penny RB, San Diego St. — Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the draft was not getting a running back as high as I would have liked. Grabbing Penny this low is a steal though and while he could be a boom or bust pick who played against lower levels of competition, he can run and catch making him another hybrid weapon in a new look offense.
Chris Blystone
*Trade: Sent pick 3 to Green Bay Packers for picks 14, 45, 76, and 114
14: R1P14 – Marcus Davenport DE, UTSA — The number three pick was a solid option, and while Bradley Chubb was still on the board, I was hopeful that the haul I could get for that pick would yield more solid talent. At pick 14 Marcus Davenport was on the board and his raw ability was too much to pass up. While he may take some development to reach his full potential, he has the skill set of a guy who could be a dangerous pass rusher.
36: R2P4 – Tremaine Edmunds LB, Va. Tech — When I saw that Tremaine Edmunds was still available at pick 36, there was not a lot to think about. The Colts desperately need talent at the linebacker position, especially with the switch to a 4-3 base defense. The comparisons that Edmunds has drawn range from Brian Urlacher to Jaylon Smith. Lance Zierlein views him as a player who can play at any linebacker position and has All-Pro potential. Not hard to see how the Colts benefit with him in the lineup.
45: R2P13 – Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama — At pick 45 I was surprised to find arguably the 3rd best linebacker in the draft still on the board. Again, this seemed to be a no-brainer. Evans is a smart and instinctive player with great measurables and good range. The addition of Evans along with Edmunds would quickly take this linebacker group from a position of complete weakness to an electrifying unit with the ability to be game-changing.
67: R3P3 – Kerryon Johnson RB, Auburn — In a running back class with lots of talent, Johnson has drawn comparisons to Le’Veon Bell for his patience and vision. I lamented missing out on guys like Sony Michel and Ronald Jones, but Johnson is a capable back who can complement Marlon Mack very effectively.
76: R3P12 – Billy Price C/G, Ohio St. — While I fully expect the Colts to add a guard like Andrew Norwell in free agency, they can definitely stand to do more, and that comes in the form of Billy Price. Price played both guard and center for Ohio State and looks to be a day one starter. The Colts would likely slot him in at guard and see major improvement right away.
104: R4P4 – D.J. Moore WR, Maryland — Moore makes for a great option as a speedy slot receiver. While that is not something the Colts necessarily lack, adding a guy with his speed, run-after-the-catch ability, and kick return skills would make a valuable addition to a fast-paced offense like the one Reich is likely to install.
114: R4P14 – Hercules Mata’afa Edge, Washington State — Mata’afa played all over the defensive line at Washington State. While that versatility is unlikely to translate to the NFL given his size, the Colts could certainly benefit from his pass rush ability and the possibility of working him into the rotation at defensive end. Mata’afa is a guy with high upside and with his motor and athleticism he could develop into a solid player.
Matt Danely
*Trade: Colts send pick 3 to San Francisco 49ers for picks 9, 27, 70 and 74
9: R1P9 – Roquan Smith LB, Georgia — After trading back Smtih was right there for the taking. You don’t pass up on a top-5 player at a position of desperate need. Smith is exactly what the Colts need to captain their defense for years to come.
36: R2P2 – Tremaine Edmunds LB, Va. Tech — No, I don’t expect Edmunds to be available at this point in the draft, however, I’m getting what I can for the future of the linebacking corps so that we don’t have to worry about the position for the near future. Edmunds can work the edge and has very good coverage skills. Need. Need. Need.
59: R2P27 – Sony Michel RB, Georgia — Always wanting to wait for the last possible moment to grab a RB, but seeing Michel there, I wasn’t able to pass him by. His size, speed combination makes the Colts backfield immensely formidable for the next several years adding Michel to a position with Marlon Mack already in the picture.
67: R3P3 – Greg Stroman CB, Va. Tech — Stroman fits a need, and is more long and lanky than he is physical. However, his ball skills are impressive and he’s certainly willing to mix it up against the run, but under 190 pounds makes you weary about his durability. Stroman tallied 7 interceptions over the last two seasons and 21 passes defended. Gimme that, he’ll fill out.
70: R3P6 – Harold Landry Edge, Boston College — Staying with the defensive theme here would have me ecstatic if any resemblance of this took place. Adding the pass rushing prowess that Landry brings would make this early group of picks shine as a whole. He’s not the full package right now, but he’s dang close and would never be still on the board, but hey, I’m greedy.
74: R3P10 – Tre’Quan Smith WR, UCF — Time to address more of the offense and getting a 6-foot-1, 205 pound pass catcher who averaged more than 16 yards per catch through his 3 seasons at UCF is difficult to push aside. His 13 touchdowns and ability to work all areas of the field as well as take the top off the defense is something the Colts desperately need right now.
104: R4P4 – Brian O’Neill OT, Pittsburgh — I had multiple chances to grab a tackle earlier in the process, but seeing how this specific board was rolling, I realized I could take my time. Plain and simple, the Colts need a much-improved offensive line and O’Neill certainly does that although he likely does it in the first or second round where he’ll actually get selected by someone.
Stephen Reed
Trades: Colts send pick 3 to Chicago Bears for picks 8, 39, 105 and 115 | Colts send pick 39 to Arizona Cardinals for picks 47 and 79
8: R1P8 Quenton Nelson G, Notre Dame — I traded back with Chicago to get the and two RD4. Thankfully, Nelson was waiting for me. No matter what Ballard does in FA, Nelson will fit.
36: R2P4 Tremaine Edmunds LB, Va Tech — Edmunds in RD2 is a no brainer. This guy can play multiple positions and Ballard needs to retool his LB corp.
47: R2P15 Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama — I traded back with Arizona to snag an extra RD3 pick since I had multiple players I’d be fine taking. Evans is a steal at this point and would instantly upgrade the LB position with more youth and speed.
67: R3P3 Harold Landry Edge, Boston College — This board from CBS has got to be a joke, right? How is Harold Landry still on the board in RD3? Anyways, I took him as a 4-3 pass rusher and won’t look back.
79: R3P15 Kerryon Johnson RB, Auburn — Johnson is great value in RD3. He was very productive at Auburn and played most of his last season with hamstring injuries so keep that in mind when you check out his film.
104: R4P3 Mike Hughes CB, UCF — Hughes is an extremely talented CB but has attitude concerns. Ballard hasn’t shied away from that before.
105: R4P4 Rasheem Green DL, USC — I snagged Green to potentially play the other DE position opposite Landry. He should do well there.
115: R4P15 Carlton Davis CB, Auburn — Davis is a tough, physical CB that could excel in a SEA style defense, assuming that’s the direction Eberflus prefers.
Blake Pace
3: R1P3 Bradley Chubb EDGE, NC State — Yes, I’m keeping it boring with my first pick. But for a team with a bundle of needs across the roster, grabbing Chubb is the first step in the right direction. Football games are won in the trenches and Chubb is a guy that can get to the quarterback and stop the run. While there are plenty of trade scenarios for the Colts at this pick, staying put and grabbing Chubb has to be their best move.
36: R2P4 Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech — This was by far my steal of the draft. A top-ten player by my books, Edmunds fell to the second round and right into the hands of Indianapolis. A linebacker that moves incredibly well for his size, Edmunds would be a perfect fit as the defense moves to a younger and faster unit. This pick for Indy is like Reuben Foster falling to the 49ers, well, before the off-field issues.
67: R3P3 Auden Tate, WR, Florida St. — Switching to the other side of the ball, the Colts go with a big-bodied receiver in the beginning of the third round. His strong hands and vertical make him a terrific bet in jump-ball scenarios has great body control when making adjustments in the air. His speed is the biggest question mark on his game, he has a tough time separating from defenders, but a good 40 time at the combine could boost his draft stock up.
104: R4P4 Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn — With hints of the Tampa 2 defense coming to Indiana with Matt Eberflus next season, Carlton Davis is a great find in the fourth round. One of the most physical corners in this draft, Davis constantly knocked receivers off balance at the line of scrimmage and disrupted their routes. Not an impact player off the bat, Davis could carve himself a nice role in the secondary by the mid-point of the season.
Jake Arthur
Trades: Colts send pick 36 to Cincinnati Bengals for picks 46 and 77
3: R1P3: Bradley Chubb Edge, NC State — In this mock, I lead off with the wisest, arguably most fruitful pick in Bradley Chubb. One of the Colts’ biggest issues in 2017 was finishing the game with a lead, and now they get a pass-rusher with no ‘stop’ button on his motor.
46: R2P14 Auden Tate WR, Florida State — I also picked up a prototypical Chris Ballard receiver. Tate weighs in at 6-5, 225-pound pass catcher fills a major need for the Colts.
67: R3P3 Malik Jefferson LB, Texas | 77: R3P13 Tegray Scales LB, Indiana — Rounding things out was a couple of new off-ball linebackers to plug into the Colts’ new 4-3 defense. Malik Jefferson and Tegray Scales are both rangy linebackers who can contribute against the run and pass.
104: R4P4 John Kelly RB, Tennessee — John Kelly is a tremendous replacement for Frank Gore, as Kelly can run between the tackles, but runs outside, catches the bell very well, and can protect the passer.
Faraz Majid
3: R3P3 Bradley Chubb Edge, NC State — I would love to create some variety with this pick, but it’s hard to pass up an edge rusher with Chubb’s ability. I think of him as a more athletic Derek Barnett, and I loved Barnett last year.
36: R2P4 Tremaine Edmunds LB, Virginia Tech — Is this “realistic”? Maybe not, but I’m not passing up a prospect with Edmunds’ ceiling just because the other GM’s in this scenario didn’t see the value in a player like him. This would be highway robbery if the 19-year old was still available at this pick.
67: R3P3 Harold Landry Edge, Boston College — Landry is a round 1 edge rusher that would solidify the second end spot for years to come. This defense is starting to get unfair, just from one draft.
104: RP4 Billy Price C/OG, Ohio State — The most difficult part about this pick was passing up a running back like Mark Walton, but then I realized I’m grabbing a round 1-2 caliber interior lineman. Price is a stellar prospect that could become a talented running mate for Ryan Kelly for at least the next few years.
Josh Hudgens
3: R1P3 Saquon Barkley RB, Penn St. — While it’s true that you have a chance at getting a solid running back in the later rounds, the Colts have a chance at a once in a generation talent. Combine that with Andrew Luck and you may have something special for years to come. Pull the trigger and don’t look back.
36: R2P4 Mike McGlinchey OT, Notre Dame — Mcglinchey can help bring some consistency to a poor offensive line. This pick not only makes sense to help the stud rookie running back we picked in round one, but we also have a 100 million dollar quarterback to take care of.
67: R3P3 Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama — Okay, now it’s time to focus on the defensive side of the ball. Evans fits the mold for the modern day NFL linebacker: he displays great athleticism and has good length. He could be a perfect centerpiece of the new look Colts 4-3 defensive scheme if he is able to put on weight.
104: R4P4 Carlton Davis CB, Auburn — One of the biggest positional question marks for the Colts this offseason is the cornerback. Insert Carlton Davis, who reminds me of Quincy Wilson. He has great size and strength and does a good job of disrupting receivers at the line of scrimmage. A cornerback tandem of Wilson and Davis, with Malik Hooker playing centerfield, could develop into one of the most deadly secondaries for years to come.