30 Days of Colts' Fits: Devonnsha Maxwell, DT, Chattanooga
The 2023 NFL Draft is officially just under a month away. In order to help you all along until draft day, I decided to start a daily prospect spotlight series to talk about some players that the Colts could target next month.
The players mentioned in this series will be players that I have either heard that the team is really high on or are players that just make way too much sense for the team based on fit/past draft history.
Next up on the countdown to Draftmas is Chattanooga defensive tackle Devonnsha Maxwell.
Background
Devonnsha Maxwell redshirted during his first year with Chattanooga back in 2017, serving mostly on the scout team. While he did not play during that first season, he did emerge as a significant contributor for the team in his first year of play the following season.
Maxwell took the FCS world by storm as a redshirt freshman. He started just five games for the Mocs, totaling 6.5 tackles for a loss and 5.0 sacks. He earned a place on Phil Steele's FCS Freshman All-America Team for his strong play, and also made the SoCon All-Freshman list.
He continued his upward trajectory the following season, as he became a full time starter for the Mocs. He led the conference with 7.0 sacks as a sophomore and was named a First Team All-SoCon honoree for his play.
Maxwell continued to improve each and every season in college. In the COvid-19 shortened 2020 season, he was still able to amass 7.0 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks in just four games played. He was named as a Second Team All-America selection for his play and again made First Team All-SoCon for his play.
Maxwell's play continued to be at an elite level over the final two seasons of his career, as he totaled 20 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss over that span. He made First Team All-America in both years, and was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. He was also named as a Team Captain in 2022.
For his career, Maxwell leaves the Mocs as the school's best pass rusher in team history. His 37.5 career sacks are not only a school record, but also a conference record. For his strong career, Maxwell was invited to participate in both the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl this offseason.
Size/Testing
Height:
6'4"
Weight:
300 pounds
Testing Numbers:
40 Time: 5.18 seconds / Bench Press: 30 reps / Short-Shuttle: 4.74 seconds / 3-Cone: 7.63 seconds
Ability on Film
Devonnsha Maxwell is a powerful defensive tackle that is extremely polished as a pass rusher. He may still need some development and some fine tuning in the NFL, but this is an athletic defensive tackle with a lot to offer already in his toolbox.
The Colts love to target FCS prospects that have their best games against an FBS team. It shows that the player is capable of playing against higher talent and that they can reach new heights in their game. Maxwell played against Illinois this past season, where he finished the game with five stops, two hurries, and two sacks.
Maxwell is a physical and athletic defensive tackle that gives his all on every single snap. He is a wrecking ball out in space and it is easy to see the caliber of athlete he is on film.
Maxwell has a lot of different moves in his pass rush arsenal. He loves to use the long arm to create movement inside but is also proficient with the cross-chop move. His go-to counter is the spin move, which he uses to great success later in games.
Fit with the Colts/Team Interest
The Colts' defensive tackle duo is set for the upcoming season, with both Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner returning to the team. What the Colts need to add now is young, athletic depth behind them. Eric Johnson has potential, but the Colts could still use more dart throws at the position.
Devonnsha Maxwell is the type of player that hits from the FCS level. He is a highly productive player that has great upside with his athletic ability. He may not be a starter in the NFL, but he has the ability to be a strong rotational player in the league.
The Colts will be hosting Maxwell on a top 30 visit this offseason. I was also told by a source that the team is "showing a lot of love" for the talented defensive tackle.
Overall, Maxwell is a dart throw that you make on day three of the NFL Draft.
Learn more about Devonnsha Maxwell and so much more by pre-ordering the Indy Draft Guide!
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Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
