Indianapolis Colts Day 3 NFL Draft Grades
The Indianapolis Colts had many opportunities to add talent on day three of the NFL draft. General manager Chris Ballard had some surprise picks that added much-needed depth in essential areas.
Let’s dive into the day three grades for the Colts and why they received their marks.
Pick: Round 4 #106
Player: OT Blake Freeland (BYU)
Grade: C+
The need for an interior offensive line is greater than tackle, so this receives a lower grade. However, Blake Freeland of BYU is an athletic monster, perfectly fitting what they look for in a blocker.
A massive 6’8”, he will need to bulk up, being only 300 pounds. He might struggle with raw strength against bigger pass rushers.
He was an efficient swing tackle at BYU and could play either left or right tackle. He can either push Bernhard Raimann to start, or he could start at right tackle, and Braden Smith could be moved into inside.
Either way, this is a decent pick for a 4th round selection, given the offensive line woes for Indianapolis in 2022.
Pick: Round 4 #110 (Trade with the Atlanta Falcons)
Player: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore (Northwestern)
Grade: A-
The Colts might have incredible pieces with DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. However, this pick was to add more depth to the pass-rushing and interior defensive line, an area where the Colts struggled in 2022.
Adebawore ran a blistering 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. For a defensive tackle, this is simple insanity in the most positive sense.
At Northwestern, Adebawore played 36 career games and recorded 24.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. He will be a nice piece on the defensive line allowing the starting defensive tackles to stay better rested.
Pick: Round 5 #138
Player: CB Darius Rush (South Carolina)
Grade: A+
The Colts still needed cornerback depth. Well, they picked up a third-round prospect in the fifth round with Darius Rush.
Rush is an athletic, quick corner who produced for the Gamecocks with 38 tackles and two interceptions in 2022.
Rush will likely be limited to certain packages on defense to begin, but he could turn into a serious talent, given time. With the Colts grabbing a prospect of Rush’s potential, this late is the best type of bargain.
Pick: Round 5 #158 (Trade with the Minnesota Vikings)
Player: S Daniel Scott (California)
Grade: C+
The Colts have always bolstered special teams. With the pick of safety Daniel Scott, this makes sense.
However, even with love for special teams, it’s curious why Ballard went safety when there were still other needs. With several picks remaining , perhaps they had a plan in place to handle those necessities.
Tack on that the Colts already have safeties Julian Blackmon, Rodney Thomas II, and Nick Cross on the roster, and it’s even more curious.
Overall, Scott has decent potential and might blossom into a larger role with great work on special teams, where he’ll likely start his career.
Pick: Round 5 #162
Player: TE Will Mallory (Miami)
Grade: C-
The Colts recently signed veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown. With his name on the depth chart, it’s now Jelani Woods, Andrew Ogletree, Kylen Granson, Brown, and Mo Alie-Cox.
With the aforementioned Alie-Cox likely a trade candidate, that leaves four tight ends. While Will Mallory was one of the best available, there could have been a selection at interior offensive line or linebacker.
Could Granson also be a trade candidate, with Mallory being such a quick runner? Perhaps. But this pick doesn’t make much sense to me if he’s not.
Pick: Round 5 #176
Player: RB Evan Hull (Northwestern)
Grade: A-
Needing another receiving back, the Colts were predicted to maybe pick one in the seventh round. However, they went with the receiving specialist Evan Hull from Northwestern.
This is a high grade due to the 210-pound frame of the nearly six-foot-tall Hull. While at Northwestern, he compiled 88 catches for 810 yards through the 2021-2022 seasons. In 2022 he showed out the most with 55 catches for 546 yards.
With the only other real receiving back on the roster being Deon Jackson, this is a solid pick. To get a passing-catching threat out of the backfield that has the size and ability of Hull is an excellent addition to Jonathan Taylor, Zack Moss, and Jackson in Shane Stiechen’s offense.
Pick: Round 6 #211 (Trade with the Vikings)
Player: DE Titus Leo (Wagner)
Grade: B-
Small school players tend to be taken on day three of the NFL draft. Titus Leo from Wagner fits the bill.
He’s a very athletic edge rusher/defensive lineman with versatility and could play linebacker in the right set. Being 6’4” and 245 pounds, he’s on the smaller size for an edge. So, this is where I think he could have a linebacking appeal.
This is good enough to be a B- due to the potential versatility of Leo in Bradley’s defense.
Pick: Round 7 #221
Player: CB Jaylon Jones (TAMU)
Grade: B+
Jaylon Jones out of Texas A&M is a prototypical cornerback fit for the Colts. With Jones projected as more of a fourth-rounder, this is another solid value pick.
He’s 6’2” and 200 pounds, making him a physical defender. However, he is a slower type of defensive back, meaning there’s a chance he could be more effective in zone.
As it’s also stated, Ballard loves guys who can play multiple positions. Perhaps Jones’ size could warrant snaps at safety, too.
Pick: Round 7 #236
Player: OT Jake Witt (Northern Michigan)
Grade: B-
Another athletic type of offensive tackle, Jake Witt, will offer potential versatility. He is also similar to current Colts left tackle Raimann, as he is a former tight-end turned tackle.
While he can struggle in the run, he is a nice pick to end the draft for the Colts. With everything in place, the Colts could land a Hail Mary if Witt works out and becomes legitimate.
