Colts' Best Available Day 2 Options in 2021 NFL Draft
The Indianapolis Colts knocked it out of the park with their first pick of the 2021 NFL Draft when they selected the commonly-ranked No. 1 edge defender in Michigan's Kwity Paye.
Although it was a great pick, the Colts still have some areas to try and address, most notably left tackle.
Friday night brings Day 2 of the draft, which includes Rounds 2 and 3.
The Colts hold pick No. 54 overall in Round 2 but do not have a pick in Round 3 after sending it (No. 84) to the Philadelphia Eagles as part of a deal for quarterback Carson Wentz.
With just one selection but the potential to add more via trade, who are the best players available to the Colts on Friday night? Below are 20 options that primarily lean toward the second round along with some for the third.
Rather than picking players from positions that the Colts need, this is a list of 20 remaining players who simply fit what the Colts like, regardless if they need the position or not. It's best player available after all, right?
*NOTE: If you see a prominent player not on the list, it's because they're unlikely to be available to the Colts at 54. The following players are listed alphabetically.
Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford
Adebo is productive with undeniable ball skills on top of having quality size at 6'1', 198 pounds. He combined for 8 interceptions and 27 pass breakups from 2018-19.
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Carlos Basham Jr. | ED | Wake Forest
Don't discount another edge defender just because the Colts got one in the first round. Basham would be a classic left end for the Colts at 6'3", 274 pounds, and nearly 33" arms. He's been a productive backfield attacker with 19.5 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss over the last three years. And yes, he is the cousin of former Colts third-round pick Tarell Basham.
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Dyami Brown | WR | North Carolina
The Colts would be taking a gamble on Brown on Day 2 as he's viewed as a one-trick pony deep-ball threat with inconsistent hands. However, the big play is what the Colts' receiving corps needs most. His ability to track the ball is what has him ranked on Day 2.
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Spencer Brown | OT | Northern Iowa
The Colts are looking for a prototypical left tackle, but everything about Brown screams potential at left tackle despite the fact he's been a career right tackle. He's a mammoth at 6'8", 311 pounds with 34-3/4" arms and 10-1/4" hands. He's got good feet and mobility and is likely viewed as someone by teams who could play the left side.
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Baron Browning | LB | Ohio State
Browning has great size and length (6'3", 245, 33-1/2" arms) and physical tools, but he's still developing as an instinctual defender. He's got experience at MIKE and SAM and could play special teams and compete for the Colts' open SAM spot since they only see the field a fraction of the time anyways.
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Tyson Campbell | CB | Georgia
Campbell is a three-year starter who has a great blend of size and length (6'1", 193, 32" arms), and speed and agility. The Colts could use an extra corner who could seriously compete for snaps and factor into the future of their position group.
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Nico Collins | WR | Michigan
By now, you're probably noticing that size and speed are a pattern here, and Collins is no different as a height-weight-speed receiver prospect. He's 6'4", 215 with 34" arms, and attacks the ball downfield. Think Michael Pittman Jr. with less polish.
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Samuel Cosmi | OT | Texas
Honestly, it wouldn't have been a bad pick for the Colts to grab Cosmi at 21. He's experiencing a bit of a slide, though, as his stock has taken a hit in the last month or so. The Colts are looking for a prototypical left tackle, and Cosmi is it from a run blocking perspective.
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Liam Eichenberg | OT | Notre Dame
There's nothing spectacular about Eichenberg's game, but he just consistently wins. Like Cosmi, he's a better run blocker than pass protector but is very steady in his game. He's a three-year starter at left tackle for the Irish.
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Pat Freiermuth | TE | Penn State
Freiermuth is a balanced tight end prospect who can block, catch and make plays after the catch. He's got an athletic background with plenty of room to grow. The Colts have talked about getting a difference-making receiver or tight end, and Freiermuth could be the latter. Tight ends tend to take a little while to acclimate to the NFL, which makes him perfect to play behind Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox initially.
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Tyree Gillespie | S | Missouri
The Colts could use another quality safety to give them more versatile looks in sub-packages. Gillespie is a three-year starter with the size and skillset to play deep, in the box, or cover running backs and tight ends. He was also a Senior Bowl participant, which is always a bonus for the Colts.
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James Hudson | OT | Cincinnati
Hudson only started one year at left tackle in college after transferring to Cincinnati from Michigan, but he earned First-Team All-Conference honors in doing so. His strength and mobility could make him a fit for the Colts, but it seems highly unlikely that he'd contribute as anything more than a reserve or extra blocker in 2020.
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Brevin Jordan | TE | Miami
As we've mentioned, the Colts are looking for a playmaker at tight end. Jordan fits the bill as a playmaking move tight end, but that's about as far as his contributions go. He would fill the Trey Burton role that the Colts had last year until he's a more consistent blocker.
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Walker Little | OT | Stanford
Little started two years at left tackle at a high level before opting out of the 2020 season. He's got great agility and mobility but has shown a lack of consistent power which would need to be improved.
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Hunter Long | TE | Boston College
Long is a move tight end prospect like Jordan, but with even less blocking prowess. He would certainly be a pass-catching weapon but would take a while to carve out a consistent three-down role.
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Terrace Marshall Jr. | WR | LSU
Marshall possesses a great frame (6'2", 205, 32-3/4" hands) with good speed. He tracks the ball well and makes tough catches routinely. He managed to catch 13 touchdowns in 2019 while splitting time with Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase, and he followed it up with another 10 scores in 2020.
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Ifeatu Melifonwu | CB | Syracuse
Just like his brother Obi who was drafted in 2017, Melifonwu is a large (6'2", 205, 32" arms), extra-athletic defensive back. This feels like the type of move the Colts made when they drafted Marvell Tell III a couple of years ago in a less slender package.
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Dillon Radunz | OT | North Dakota State
The two-year starting left tackle would likely need to put on some weight in order to have a better NFL tackle frame (currently 6'4", 301, 34" arms), which is why many consider him a guard. Regardless, the Colts could kick him inside to compete for the right guard spot, or they could have faith that he can develop into a starting-caliber NFL left tackle.
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Elerson Smith | ED | Northern Iowa
At 6'6", 252 with 34" arms, Smith is an enticing developmental, Denico Autry-style of defensive lineman prospect. He's got developing to do in terms of filling out his frame and developing a better pass-rush plan, but there's plenty to like.
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Tommy Tremble | TE | Notre Dame
Tremble is a well-balanced player who blocks well and can make plays at the catch point as well as after the ball gets in his hands. There has been reported strong interest in Tremble from the Colts.
Who do you want to see the Colts land on Day 2 of the draft? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
