Draft Rewind: Colts' Last 5 Draft Picks In Round 3
By the third round of the NFL Draft, teams make a lot of picks that are considered reaches by outside standards.
Teams' draft boards are whittling down by that point and making sure they get players before other teams swoop in.
For the Indianapolis Colts, they've made some solid selections in Round 3 over the last few years, and it's been heavily defensive.
As we sit currently, the Colts don't have a third-round pick after sending it to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for quarterback Carson Wentz.
However, if we know Colts general manager Chris Ballard, it seems unlikely that the Colts don't add another selection on Day 2.
With the 2021 NFL Draft arriving next week, we're taking a look back at the recent picks that the Colts have made in each of the seven rounds.
Today, we look at the last five picks the Colts have made in the third round. Refer to the bottom of the page for previous rounds.
*The Colts traded their 2018 third-round (No. 67) and sixth-round picks (No. 178) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 64), which they used on defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis.
S Julian Blackmon
2020 | Pick No. 85
- Colts Career Stats: Started 14-of-15 games, 42 tackles (3 for loss), 1 forced fumble, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups
- Pro Bowl: 0
- All-Pro: 0
- Colts Tenure: 2020-Present
Blackmon was a pleasant surprise immediately for the Colts. He wasn't expected to be contributing so soon, but when Malik Hooker suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2, Blackmon filled in admirably. He, too, had suffered his own significant injury at the end of the 2019 season while in college. While he had his "rookie moments," Blackmon brought stability to the Colts' free safety position and left no doubt as to who the long-term solution is at the position. If his second half of the season matched the first, we may be referring to him as the NFL's 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
LB Bobby Okereke
2019 | Pick No. 89
- Colts Career Stats: Started 16-of-30 games, 137 tackles (6 for loss), 1.0 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumbles recovered, 1 interception, 8 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hits
- Pro Bowl: 0
- All-Pro: 0
- Colts Tenure: 2019-Present
After earning the Colts' starting SAM linebacker position as a rookie and being a regular contributor at MIKE in Year 2, it now appears to be Okereke's opportunity as the full-time starter at MIKE in Year 3. The rangy, athletic linebacker has shown to be an instinctive playmaker that potentially offers the Colts an upgrade defensively in 2021.
ED Tarell Basham
2017 | Pick No. 80
- Colts Career Stats: 16 games, 7 tackles (1 for loss), 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 4 quarterback hits
- Pro Bowl: 0
- All-Pro: 0
- Colts Tenure: 2017-18
While many pass rushers do take time to develop, it's a little odd that Basham never caught on with the Colts. A natural 4-3 defensive end in college, he became a 3-4 outside linebacker as a rookie with the Colts but transitioned back to a 4-3 end where he felt more comfortable when the Colts changed defenses in 2018. Basham only gave the Colts 2.0 sacks and was cut after being active for just one game in 2018. Since then, he's been with the New York Jets and now the Dallas Cowboys.
OT Le'Raven Clark
2016 | Pick No. 82
- Colts Career Stats: Started 15-of-47 games, with 1,037 snaps
- Pro Bowl: 0
- All-Pro: 0
- Colts Tenure: 2016-20 (Current UFA)
Clark was an intriguing prospect when the Colts drafted him, with great size and loads of athleticism. He became a key member of the depth of the Colts' offensive line throughout his career, although he never became a long-term solution in any one spot. Did he evolve into his potential? No, but he was good enough to stick around as a depth option and earned a second contract with the Colts.
DT Henry Anderson
2015 | Pick No. 93
- Colts Career Stats: Started 19-of-29 games, 65 tackles (9 for loss), 3.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovered, 4 pass breakups, 16 quarterback hits
- Pro Bowl: 0
- All-Pro: 0
- Colts Tenure: 2015-2017
Anderson was one of the biggest fan favorites during his time with the Colts and was a solid mid-round find. However, he was not a great fit for the Colts' new 4-3 defense at the time that he was let go. He was dealt some unfortunate blows when a torn ACL ended his rookie season prematurely, and then a throat injury did the same in 2017. Since playing for the Colts, he's been with the Jets and now the New England Patriots.
How do you feel about the Colts' last five third-rounders? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
