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We are officially in draft season and the train is rolling fast. This week’s Shrine game kicks off the offseason as the little brother to the Senior Bowl and includes a ton of draftable talent. NFL scouts and coaches will be on hand to get a close look this Saturday.
Yesterday, I broke down the 10 East roster players and today we look at the West.
10.) Paul Adams, OT
School:
Missouri
Size:
6’6” 315 pounds
Fit with the Colts:
The starting offensive line for the Colts is set. The only question-mark is the future replacement for left tackle Anthony Castonzo. The rest of the line is young with less than four years of NFL experience. If the team doesn’t see Le’Raven Clark as the future, they could explore options in the draft.
Adams is a huge player with decent athleticism. He may not be ready to immediately start in the NFL but he has the upside to be a very good starting left tackle. He could come in as depth and develop into a good starter after cleaning up the finer parts of his game.
Highlight:
(RT #77)
9.) Jonathan Duhart, WR
School:
Old Dominion
Size:
6’3” 210 pounds
Career Stats:
183 catches for 2,664 yards and 28 touchdowns. 14.6 yards per catch.
Fit with the Colts:
The Colts need receivers. Not just star receivers but receivers who can simply capitalize on playing with Luck and star offensive line. Duhart isn’t an elite athlete or route runner but he is an effort player who excels after the catch.
He has excellent hands and body control for his size, making him a dependable option in the passing game. While there is nothing flashy about Duhart, he can be a reliable depth receiver who can fill in much like Dontrelle Inman did last season.
Highlight:
8.) Evan Worthington, SAF
School:
Colorado
Size:
6’2” 210 pounds
Career Stats:
128 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and a forced fumble.
Fit with the Colts:
The Colts need to consider adding another safety in this draft. Geathers is a great run defender and box player but struggles at times in coverage as a deep safety. Adding a guy like Worthington could help keep Geathers in the box where he is more comfortable.
Worthington is a solid safety with plus ball skills and length for the position. His instincts and discipline on the backend are much better than Geathers.
Highlight:
7.) Justin Hollins, EDGE
School:
Oregon
Size:
6’5” 242 pounds
Career Stats:
184 total tackles, 36 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 8 pass deflections.
Fit with the Colts:
Hollins is a weird fit with the Colts’ 4-3 scheme. He is a tweener, as he is too small to play defensive end full time and likely too big to play linebacker for the Colts. He could be used as depth at SAM backer behind Matthew Adams and as a potential pass rusher on third downs at defensive end.
This versatility may intrigue defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Throw in that he moves well in space and shows some nice pass rushing moves and he could be a good role player.
Highlight:
6.) Cody Thompson, WR
School:
Toledo
Size:
6’2” 205 pounds
Career Stats:
181 catches for 3.312 yards and 30 touchdowns. His 18.3 yards per catch is one of the best in college football for a player with his amount of targets.
Fit with the Colts:
Consistency and reliability is desperately needed in the wide receiver core. Zach Pascal, Chester Rogers, and others played well at times but struggled with consistency and drops. Thompson may not have the best with body control or be the most athletic but he is an excellent route runner who consistently gets open and catches most passes thrown his way.
Add in that he was one of the best receivers in yards after catch in all of college football and you have a threat that could add a ton to the Colts’ offense.
Highlight:
5.) Devine Ozigbo, RB
School:
Nebraska
Size:
6’0” 235 pounds
Career Stats:
419 carries for 2,196 yards and 21 touchdowns. Also had 49 catches for 488 yards.
Fit with the Colts:
The Colts have a solid group of young running backs, making another young back a bit of a luxury. However, Ozigbo has the ability to add something to this backfield. He is a bigger back with very smooth feet and some receiving ability.
He excels in the open field and finishes runs really well. He can be a nice piece as a short yardage back with ability to break off big runs and catch some passes out of the backfield.
Highlight:
4.) Blace Brown, CB
School:
Troy
Size:
6’0” 191 pounds
Career Stats:
111 total tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, and 12 interceptions.
Fit with the Colts:
The Colts need more talent in the secondary. Brown is a talented, savvy corner who excels in coverage. He has some lapses in diagnosing plays and staying with receivers but the upside is there.
He can play in the slot or on the outside and can provide valuable depth. Another thing to note is that the Colts have already met with him, so there may be some interest there.
Highlight:
3.) Daylon Mack, DT
School:
Texas A&M
Size:
6’1” 320 pounds
Career Stats:
108 total tackles, 27 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, 2 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles.
Fit with the Colts:
The defensive line needs youth and depth. Al Woods and Margus Hunt may walk this offseason. A good replacement could be the explosive Daylon Mack. Mack is insanely fast for a player who weighs 320 pounds and doesn’t give up strength to get it.
He plays with excellent leverage and has shown some ability as a run stuffer and as a gap shooter. He could replace either Hunt or Woods depending how the Colts ask him to play.
Highlight:
2.) KeeSean Johnson, WR
School:
Fresno State
Size:
6’2” 199 pounds
Career Stats:
275 catches for 3,463 yards and 24 touchdowns. Averaged 12.6 yards per catch.
Fit with the Colts:
Outside of TY Hilton, there really isn’t any speed in the Colts’ receiving core. In order to really open up the field, the Colts would be wise to add a player like Johnson. He is a highly productive receiver and an excellent athlete.
He has exceptional foot quickness and route running ability and can take the top off of a defense. Pair him with Hilton and a (potentially) healthy Deon Cain and the Colts’ offense could look much much faster in 2019.
Highlight:
1.) Daniel Wise, DT
School:
Kansas
Size:
6’3” 290 pounds
Career Stats:
152 total tackles, 43 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.
Fit with the Colts:
A player like Wise would be a tremendous fit in the Colts’ defense. Wise is an explosive and quick player who is great at rushing the passer.
He is insanely tough for guards to handle one-on-one and is disruptive on almost every snap. Adding Wise twould be like acquiring a bigger Denico Autry. Wise is a smooth, a great pass rusher and is my number one player to watch for the Colts in the Shrine Game.