Thomison’s Training Camp Takeaways: DE Yannick Ngakoue, S Julian Blackmon Among Standouts on Day 5

The Indianapolis Colts held their fifth day of training camp practice on Wednesday, and several players stood out in big ways despite the team not being in full pads.

Let’s take a closer look at those players who stood out on day five of Colts camp.

DE, Yannick Ngakoue

Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue had a solid day and continues to make his presence known. Ngakoue put together a few nice plays against left tackle Matt Pryor, which is exactly what fans and the defensive staff want to see from the Pro Bowl defensive end.

The Colts traded for Ngakoue in the hope he could bolster their pass rush for 2022, and so far, he appears to be having a very strong camp, which bodes well for Indy’s pass-rush unit.

S, Julian Blackmon

Blackmon, like Ngakoue, has also had a strong camp thus far. The rangy, big-play safety has made several noteworthy plays already, including one on Wednesday where he showed off his athleticism and dislodged a pass intended for running back Nyheim Hines.

Blackmon isn’t too far removed from his Achilles injury, which makes the plays he’s been making that much more impressive. The third-year safety has continued to garner the attention of reporters and the defensive staff throughout much of camp and looks back to his normal self, giving the young Colts secondary a big-time boost.

WR, Ashton Dulin

Dulin continues to impress with every opportunity given to him. He’s made several outstanding grabs throughout camp so far, including one that turned heads on Wednesday against cornerback Isaiah Rodgers.

GM Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich have both spoken very highly of Dulin recently, and it’s safe to say that his play so far only further proves why he’s worthy of a spot on the Colts’ final 53-man roster.