Indianapolis Colts select Phillip Dorsett No. 29 in 2015 NFL draft

The Colts have armed Andrew Luck with another speedy weapon, selecting Phillip Dorsett with the No. 29 pick in the 2015 NFL draft.

Doug Farrar | Apr 30, 2015

Indianapolis Colts select Phillip Dorsett No. 29 in 2015 NFL draft /

Phillip Dorsett is an interesting pick for the Colts because he reminds a lot of analysts of T.Y. Hilton, another speedy receiver out of a Florida school who's already a major part of Indianapolis's roster. But you apparently can't have too many speed receivers when you have a quarterback like Andrew Luck with great vertical throwing ability, and Dorsett is a pure burner. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, and he's just as fast on the field, especially in a straight line.

Dorsett is not terribly strong at 5'10" and 185 pounds, and he'll go through stretches of dropped passes, but with Andre Johnson and Hilton already on the roster, the Colts are clearly looking to stretch the field in a major way, making life very difficult for enemy defenses.

• 2015 NFL draft grades: Pick-by-pick analysis and scouting reports

Strengths: Start with the obvious, which is that Dorsett can go the distance any time he touches the football. Uses his exceptional speed to blow past secondaries and catches most balls thrown his direction. That said, he’s not just a one-note player. Depending on the creativity of his new coordinator, Dorsett could thrive in a variety of ways—out of the slot, split wide, even lined up in the backfield. Puts defenders on his outside hip to find space cutting across the middle, then pulls away with the ball in his hands. Takes hard routes in traffic and fights for the football. Confidence shows when he’s on the field. Not averse to blocking. Past work as a punt returner should give him a path to early NFL contribution.

Weaknesses: On the smaller side (5'10", 185 pounds) and has that knee injury on his resume, so questions about durability will follow him into the league, but his knee has shown no ill-effects of the 2013 issue. Size, on the other hand, can hold him back when defenders are able to pressure him with contact. Scheme may have to keep Dorsett out of those tricky, press-coverage spots by motioning him. Would be encouraging to see him shake a few more tacklers with the ball in his hands, so he doesn’t have to run away from everyone. Had seven carries at Miami for a total of minus-two yards—his big-play success lends itself to a handoff here or there, but there are no proven results to fall back on for examples. Route-running’s a work in progress.

Player Comparison: Ted Ginn Jr.

Grade: B-

GALLERY: SCENES FROM THE NFL DRAFT

2015 NFL Draft in Pictures

The stage prior to the start of the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Don Juan Moore/Characterlines for Sports Illustrated

Jameis Winston takes the call from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who made him the first pick.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans react after their team drafted former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall pick during the NFL draft party in Tampa, Fla.

Jameis Winston posed for SI in his new team's jersey after he was taken No. 1.

Marcus Mariota at his draft party in Honolulu.

Washington defensive lineman Danny Shelton picks up NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as he celebrates after being selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 12th pick.

Fans cheer after Kevin White of the West Virginia Mountaineers was picked seventh by the Chicago Bears.

Bears fans cheer Chicago's selection of Kevin White of West Virginia Mountaineers.

Dante Fowler with commissioner Roger Goodell after being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Stanford offensive lineman Andrus Peat, right, talks to Deion Sanders after being selected by the New Orleans Saints as the 13th pick in the first round.

Green Bay Packers fans cheer during the first round of the draft.

A look at some of the NFL team representatives at the draft.

Kentucky linebacker Bud Dupree celebrates after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 22nd pick in the first round.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans Keith Kunzig and David Miller are excited to have traveled from Florida to be at the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Shane Ray checks out his threads.

Leonard Williams is interviewed outside the draft venue before being taken by the New York Jets.

Jameis Winston waiting for the call.

The scene inside the Jameis Winston draft gathering.

X159534_TK1_174.w.JPG — Kent Nishimura for SI

Marcus Mariotta in Hawaii before the first round began.

img_54cc-3ada.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Two Patriots fans in Chicago.

Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly arriving at the NFL Draft.

img_c019-5024.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Chicago mounted police before the first round commenced.

img_3bf6-3442.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Dante Fowler's shoes on draft night.

Chicago welcomed the NFL Draft with open arms.

The view from outside Roosevelt University Auditorium Theatre.

NFL prospect Trae Waynes of Michigan State talks to pediatric patient Alec Cabacungan while doing a mock interview during the NFL PLAY 60 activities at Shriners Hospital for Children on Thursday, April 30 in Chicago.

Published Apr 30, 2015

DOUG FARRAR

SI.com contributing NFL writer and Seattle resident Doug Farrar started writing about football locally in 2002, and became Football Outsiders' West Coast NFL guy in 2006. He was fascinated by FO's idea to combine Bill James with Dr. Z, and wrote for the site for six years. He wrote a game-tape column called "Cover-2" for a number of years, and contributed to six editions of "Pro Football Prospectus" and the "Football Outsiders Almanac." In 2009, Doug was invited to join Yahoo Sports' NFL team, and covered Senior Bowls, scouting combines, Super Bowls, and all sorts of other things for Yahoo Sports and the Shutdown Corner blog through June, 2013. Doug received the proverbial offer he couldn't refuse from SI.com in 2013, and that was that. Doug has also written for the Seattle Times, the Washington Post, the New York Sun, FOX Sports, ESPN.com, and ESPN The Magazine. He also makes regular appearances on several local and national radio shows, and has hosted several podcasts over the years. He counts Dan Jenkins, Thomas Boswell, Frank Deford, Ralph Wiley, Peter King, and Bill Simmons as the writers who made him want to do this for a living. In his rare off-time, Doug can be found reading, hiking, working out, searching for new Hendrix, Who, and MC5 bootlegs, and wondering if the Mariners will ever be good again.