Under-The-Radar Interior Offensive Linemen for the Colts in the 2021 NFL Draft

Continuing the Under-The Radar series, we are taking a look at the interior offensive line today. While this may be the strongest positional group on the roster at the moment, I would never put it past Chris Ballard to add more talent to a group. The Colts are returning starters Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Mark Glowinski for their fourth year starting together. Free agent signing Chris Reed and 2020 draft pick Danny Pinter provide solid depth behind the three starters.

While it is another position that is unlikely to be addressed in the draft, let’s take a look at some interesting day three fits who could end up being drafted by the Colts.

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Chandon Herring, IOL/OT, BYU

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

BYU obviously had a stellar offensive line in 2020, as Herring isn’t even the BYU lineman in the header picture for this article. Herring received some publicity prior to the 2020 season as he was placed on the Feldman’s Freaks List, a list that notes the best athletes across college football. The Freaks List noted that Fries can power clean 380 pounds, bench 410 pounds, and squat 600 pounds. He added to those numbers by also running a 5.05 forty at his Pro Day.

On film, there is a lot to like in Herring’s game. He is a versatile player, who has experience at right tackle, right guard, left guard, and left tackle. The 6’6” 305 pound tackle is an incredible mover who drives players in the run game. He uses his length to his advantage and is able to win reps with a good, quick punch. He can reach almost any block in the run game due to his athleticism as well. He needs quite a bit of development with his footwork but I love his versatility and athleticism. I think he could be a longtime swing lineman in this league.

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Tristen Hoge, IOL, BYU

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While Hoge may not be as freaky as his teammate listed above, his flashes on film are among the best in the class. Hoge is a pure power lineman, who played a majority of his college snaps at the right guard position. He had a solid Pro Day where he posted excellent size and strength (29 reps on the bench).

Hoge is an interesting study on film. He has his inconsistencies and struggles but he is a physical mauler when he gets going. He has excellent torque in his hips that allows him to keep defenders off balanced and bury them. He is always looking for work in the pass game which is always a plus. His power shows up in combo blocks and inside runs, as he often clears a huge path for the BYU running game. The lack of elite athleticism is something to note but the flashes remind me too much of Michael Onwenu to ignore him.

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Ryan Neuzil, IOL, Appalachian State

This is a name that hasn’t been mentioned by anybody in draft media but I came away super impressed with Ryan Neuzil’s film. He may not be blessed with the greatest size or length (6’2” 301 pounds with 31.5 inch arms) but he is a dominant player on film. He tested as an elite athlete at his Pro Day with a 5.07 forty time, 4.55 seconds shuttle, and 7.38 three cone.

Neuzil is a bit undersized on the interior but he makes up for that with insane effort. He is always looking for work and continually drives his feet to put guys in the ground. He has an excellent leg drive that allows him to drive defenders yards off the ball and create space for the running back. In the pass game, he has a quick first punch that allows him to rock defenders and lessen the size gap between himself and the defender. He also had an outstanding game against Penn State in 2019 to showcase that he can play against NFL talent. I don’t know if the NFL will truly give Neuzil a shot with his size but I think he is very similar to Colts’ backup Chris Reed.

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Sadarius Hutcherson, IOL, South Carolina

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This last player is a bit of a project but could develop into a quality NFL player with the right coaching. Sadarius Hutcherson surprised everyone with his elite Pro Day this draft cycle. He posted elite size (6’3” 321 pounds) while running the forty in 5.01 seconds, benching 35 reps, jumping 31.5 inches in the vertical, and jumping 106 inches in the broad jump.

On film, there are a lot of issues in Hutcherson’s game. His footwork is a bit sluggish and he struggles to hold blocks in pass protection. That may scare off most people but he does do some things well that teams can work with. He is an aggressive pass setter who is excellent at disrupting stunts and twists with his quick punch. He is explosive on film and is able to get out on pulls to kick out defenders. He also does have a mean streak to his game which is always a plus. While he needs a lot of work, I’d take a shot on him with these positives and his athletic profile.

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Honorable Mentions

• Matt Farniok, Nebraska: Great athletic profile and a strong run blocker on film. Struggles with late rushers and sustaining blocks but there is something to work with there.
• Jimmy Morrissey, Pitt: Athletic center who can reach any block asked of him in the run game. Needs to add a lot of strength to his frame though.
• Larry Borom, Missouri: Excellent size and power on film. Better in the run game than pass game. Needs to get his pad level lower and clean up some footwork issues.
• Harry Crider, Indiana: Indy native who has a great athletic profile. From what I’ve seen on film, he is a good run blocker who is solid in space.