No Ballard Specials
For this first Colts mock draft, I decided not to make any trades. Fans know that Indianapolis’ General manager loves to trade back if the occasion calls for it. We’ll play it straight this round, but expect things to get a little more creative in future versions.
What We Know Now
This mock was completed before the start of Free Agency, so none of the Colts re-signings were considered in this exercise.
Addressing the Defense
With or without the re-signings, Indy’s draft should be focused on the defensive end. There’s some debate amongst fans regarding which position the Colts should address with the 15th overall pick.
You won’t see any Brock Bowers arguments here; this team needs help in the trenches, so FSU’s Jared Verse was the pick this time. Verse could have been a first-round pick last year. He is incredibly quick off the snap, which is obviously a huge factor in his pass-rushing abilities. This could benefit the Colt’s run defense as well. The penetration can force backs out of their running lanes, allowing Franklin and company to clean things up near the line of scrimmage. There are plenty of talented corners in this draft, and Indianapolis can go that route in the second round.
Take Two on the Second Round
In this mock, I went with Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin. Despite a plethora of free-agent safeties, the Colts haven’t added any depth to this position. This takes a pick that might have been a mistake initially and makes it a reasonable selection. Nubin has the prototypical body for an NFL safety, diagnoses plays quickly, and is a good tackler.
The next pick was Braden Fiske, a defensive tackle out of Florida State. Now that Grover Steward has been re-signed, this is a pick where I will definitely go cornerback if I didn’t in round two. Fiske was great for Western Michigan before transferring to FSU and lining up next to Jared Verse. That combination worked well for the Seminoles, so this pick has that going for it.
Adding Depth in the Later Rounds
Zaire Franklin is a beast at linebacker, but Indianapolis could use a little help in coverage at this position. In round four, we went with Miami safety James Williams, one of the most intriguing players in the draft. Williams could be a great prospect at linebacker at 6’5″ tall and weighing in at 215 pounds. He has the speed and size to cover tight ends and has shown the ability to deflect passes.
The next pick was OG Isaiah Adams out of Illinois. Indy’s offensive line improved last season from a dismal 2022 campaign. Regarding the right guard position, they are good, not great. Adams was the best guard prospect on the board this time around. He moves with a fluid quickness that stands out as a pulling guard.
We finally added WR depth in the sixth round to round out this first mock, taking Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson. Johnson is 6’3″, ran a 4.44 40, and is willing to make catches over the middle. According to nfldraftbuzz.com, his NFL comparisons are Alec Pierce and Nico Collins.
Omar Speights, an LSU linebacker, was the choice in the seventh round. Speghts is solid against the run, has good eye discipline, and plays well in zone coverage.
Colts 2024 Mock Draft 1.0 Recap
What Do You Think?
All right, Colts fans, let me know what you think the Colts should do in the 2024 NFL Draft! Do you think Chris Ballard will trade back? Will Indy sign another free agent? Are you confident in Joe Flacco as the backup to Anthony Richardson? Let us know in a comment below or reach out to me on Twitter, @kevnivek_ and @bite_sizesports!
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