What If... Colts 2019 Re-Draft Nets Big Play WR
Hindsight being 20/20 and all, it can be fun to play the 'What If' game when it comes to re-doing the NFL Draft.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) did just that with the 2019 NFL Draft and included a no-trade rule that would have impacted the Indianapolis Colts who traded out of the first round.
Staying at No. 26, PFF has the Colts taking wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown who originally went No. 25 to the Baltimore Ravens.
With Brown still on the board, and with the Colts still having this pick, he would be a fun addition to the team. The Colts took Parris Campbell later in this draft, but injuries have kept them from seeing much of the speed they desired from him. Brown could have given Indianapolis that speed element with more reliability. -- Pro Football Focus
Brown has been a productive receiver for the Ravens his first-three years in the NFL. He has over 2,300 career yards and broke 1,000 for the first time in 2021.
Still, the move to trade down still looks like the right one with the benefit of hindsight
The Colts traded down from No. 26 to No. 46 in the 2019 NFL Draft and added a 2020 second-round pick in a deal with Washington.
Washington used the Colts No. 26 pick to select edge rusher Montez Sweat. Sweat has been a good player for Washington, piling up 21 sacks his first-three seasons in the NFL.
In PFF's re-draft, Washington still takes him with the No. 15 overall pick, so they're happy with the results of the trade.
The Colts traded down again in the second round with the Cleveland Brown and selected edge rusher Ben Banogu. Receiver A.J. Brown went two picks later to the Titans... ouch.
Banogu hasn't panned out for the Colts and was subject of trade conjecture last week, but Indianapolis struck gold with Washington's 2020 second-round pick.
With that pick the Colts drafted wide receiver Michael Pittman 34th overall.
Pittman looked like a bourgeoning star last season as he posted 1,082 yards and six touchdowns for the Colts. In a 2020 re-draft, Pittman would likely be a top-15 pick.
In the world of fantasy and conjecture, the Colts could have had Sweat or Brown. In reality, the Colts came away with Pittman.
Odds are Colts fans are pretty happy with reality.
