Film Room: What Does Newest Colts' Wide Receiver Alec Pierce Bring to the Team?

The Indianapolis Colts have officially made my draft night, as they moved back to pick 53 to select Cincinnati Wide Receiver Alec Pierce. Pierce is the player that I labeled this offseason as the Build-A-Ballard receiver created in a lab. He fits the mold that well.

Pierce was a productive member of one of the best programs in college football in his career, finishing with a total of 106 receptions for 1,851 yards (17.5 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns.

Let's jump into the film and see what this young receiver can bring to the Colts:

Deep Ball Ability

Alec Pierce is one of the best pure deep ball receivers in this draft class. His career 17.5 yards per catch is no joke, and he wins in many ways down the field. He has the speed to fly past defenders on the outside but he can also win the contested 50-50 ball with his outstanding leaping ability.

This play against Notre Dame is the perfect example of his ability. He quickly stacks his cornerback off of the line and works his way up the seam. He creates instant separation with his pure speed and explosion as he pulls away from his defender. The pass ends up being a bit underthrown, but Pierce does a phenomenal job of working back to the ball and high-pointing it in traffic.

Potential To Be More

On top of already being a player that can win vertically, he has the potential to grow into even more as a receiver. He will never be a shifty athlete that will break down defenders with his suddenness, but he can be a player that uses his size to his advantage.

He showcased this ability quite a bit against Georgia back in 2020. You can see that it does take him a second to get out of his break on this play, but his size and length allows him to create the separation and work back to the ball on the sideline. I doubt that he will ever be a top tier route runner, but the potential for him to create separation with his frame is certainly there.

The Colts Finally Have Their Z Receiver

The Colts have desperately needed a starting Z receiver for the past three years. Ever since T.Y Hilton lost a step (roughly in 2019 or so), the team has lacked a pure deep threat that can take the top off of a defense.

Pierce is fast player that understands how to get vertical and that understands how to win in traffic down the field. He is the perfect complement to Michael Pittman Jr on the outside, and this duo is going to be phenomenal to watch with Matt Ryan for the next couple of seasons.

The Bottom Line

This was the dream scenario for the Colts going into the night. The team traded back in the second round, acquired an extra third round pick, and then got one of the players that they would have happily taken at pick 42.

Alec Pierce has some limitations, but he has the ability to be a high-end Z receiver in this league. His ability to win vertically and also out jump defenders is something that the Colts covet.

The Build-A-Ballard receiver created in a lab is officially an Indianapolis Colt, and I couldn't be happier.

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