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Colts Draft: Ranking Their Last 10 Fifth-round Picks

How do the Colts’ last 10 fifth-round draft picks compare to each other?

By Jake Arthur
Indianapolis Colts v Kansas City Chiefs Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Today, we rank the last 10 fifth-round picks made by the Indianapolis Colts. Unlike some of the previous rounds, the fifth round has actually been very good considering many Day 3 picks either don’t stick around for long or don’t play a significant role on the team.

1. Vick Ballard | 2012 – Pick 170 Overall | Running Back | Mississippi State

Colts Career Stats: Started 13-of-17 games, 224 carries, 877 yards (3.9 avg), 2 TD, 18 receptions, 147 yards (8.2 avg), 1 TD

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2012-’15

Poor Vick Ballard never got much of a chance to fulfill his potential. He looked like he was on his way to being a steady, 1,000-yard-level back for the Colts until ACL and Achilles injuries limited him to a total of one game from 2013-’14. When he returned to camp, he understandably didn’t look like the same player and hasn’t played since. We’ll always have this play:

2. Joe Haeg | 2016 – Pick 155 Overall | Offensive Lineman | North Dakota State

Colts Career Stats: Started 29-of-31 games

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2016-Present

Haeg has been a Swiss army knife for the Colts in his two years, playing wherever needed. He hasn’t held down one spot because he can play so many and the Colts are always dealing with injuries on the offensive line. Haeg is dependable and has had extensive experience at both guard spots as well as tackle. If memory serves correct, I believe there was even a preseason game where he saw action at four of the five offensive line spots. While Haeg probably isn’t a 2018 starter on paper, I think we all know we’ll be seeing “The New Joe Reitz” out there this year.

3. David Parry | 2015 – Pick 151 Overall | Defensive Tackle | Stanford

Colts Career Stats: Started 32-of-32 games, 78 tackles (5 for loss), 4.0 sacks

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2015-’16

Parry brought some stability to a nose tackle spot that hadn’t seen it in a few years before he got there. He wasn’t spectacular, but he was a dependable starter. However, Parry’s play was ultimately expendable, plus he had a really bizarre arrest last offseason. He was cut during the preseason and was replaced by Al Woods in the starting lineup.

4. Nate Hairston | 2017 – Pick 158 Overall | Cornerback | Temple

Colts Career Stats: Started 4-of-14 games, 35 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 interception, 5 pass breakups

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2017-Present

Hairston was a curious pick at the time because he wasn’t very well known and it was hard to find any tape specifically of him. After learning a little more about him, we found he was a project at corner who used to be a wide receiver at Temple. Hairston became ready for playing time faster than expected, earning the team’s starting nickel role. He has proven to be a physical slot with good cover skills, who is also an effective pass rusher off the edge.

5. Jonathan Newsome | 2014 – Pick 155 Overall | Edge Defender | Ball State

Colts Career Stats: Started 3-of-30 games, 47 tackles (4 TFL), 7.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 pass breakups, 1 blocked kick

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2014-’15

Newsome led the Colts in sacks as a rookie and even had a strip sack on Peyton Manning in the playoffs, but things went downhill from there. He had just 1.0 sack in his second season and was released early in the 2016 offseason after an arrest for possession of marijuana. He has since made a home in the CFL.

6. Josh Chapman | 2012 – Pick 136 Overall | Defensive Tackle | Alabama

Colts Career Stats: Started 15-of-29 games, 25 tackles (6 TFL), 1 forced fumble

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2012-’14

There was a good amount of hype about Chapman in his first year or so. He was coming off of a National Championship win at Alabama in which he played through a torn ACL. He was available to the Colts in the fifth due in large part to the knee injury. He essentially redshirted his rookie year with the Colts and was ready to play in 2013. Although he routinely displayed brute strength, he was never very disruptive as a nose tackle. He occupied blockers, but not much else. He was cut and replaced by David Parry.

7. Anthony Walker Jr. | 2017 – Pick 161 Overall | Linebacker | Northwestern

Colts Career Stats: Started 2-of-10 games, 22 tackles (1 TFL), 1 blocked kick

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2017-Present

Walker was dealt a tough hand as a rookie. He was forced to sit behind two starting inside linebackers who didn’t offer as much potential as he did, and he suffered a hamstring injury early in the year that kept him out of six games. When he did get healthy and returned to the field, he became a starter when Jon Bostic was declared out for the year with a knee injury. Walker looked pretty decent in his two starts, and there is currently buzz about him getting an opportunity to start in the Colts’ new defense.

8. Montori Hughes | 2013 – Pick 139 Overall | Defensive Tackle | UT-Martin

Colts Career Stats: Started 1-of-16 games, 17 tackles (2 TFL), 1 fumble recovered, 1 pass breakup

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2013-’14

Hughes was someone I thought could compete with Josh Chapman to start at nose tackle or defensive tackle. Unfortunately, he never became more than a rotational player but he did have flashes. Since being let go by the Colts during 2015 preseason cuts, Hughes has spent time with the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs and currently the Washington Redskins.

9. Brody Eldridge | 2010 – Pick 162 Overall | Tight End | Oklahoma

Colts Career Stats: Started 16-of-27 games, 14 receptions (19 targets), 84 yards (6.0 avg)

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2010-’12

Eldridge fulfilled his purpose with the Colts but was never supposed to be anything to write home about. He was considered a premium blocking tight end his whole tenure at Oklahoma and was so good at it that he even made starts at center and left guard as a senior. Following being waived by the Colts in 2012, he spent time with the then-St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bears. He has been out of the league since 2013.

10. Marcus Howard | 2008 – Pick 161 Overall | Defensive End | Georgia

Allstate Sugar Bowl - Hawaii v Georgia
I’m sorry, Colt.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Colts Career Stats: Started 0-of-9 games, 14 tackles, (1 TFL), 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Pro Bowl: 0x

All-Pro: 0x

Colts Tenure: 2008

I was very much here for this pick back in 2008. Howard was fresh off of killing my favorite college quarterback of all-time, Colt Brennan, in the Sugar Bowl. Unfortunately, the Georgia playmaking demon didn’t carry-over to the NFL, and he flamed out after one season. The Tennessee Titans kicked his tires briefly, and he’s been in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos ever since.

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