Remaining Needs for Colts After NFL Draft
Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts put together a draft class that many around the league are holding in high regard.
A scout in the NFC even shared his thoughts on the class with me by saying, “In my opinion, no team improved their roster more than the Colts”. And while they did fill multiple needs, some still loom large. So what work is still to be done post-draft for the Colts?
Biggest Needs Prior to the Draft
Quarterback, Cornerback, Right Guard, Slot Wide Receiver, WILL Linebacker, Offensive Line Depth
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The Colts had a plan entering this draft on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, the first domino that needed to fall was which QB they would land. And once they got their guy in Anthony Richardson, they prioritized players at other needs that would complement Richardson’s strengths and help with his weaknesses.
For example, landing North Carolina’s Josh Downs to fill the team's need at slot WR with his strong route running ability and speed fits Steichen’s expected offense around Richardson. Downs has arguably the most reliable hands in the entire 2023 class, which should come in handy while Richardson works on his short accuracy.
While the Colts didn't add a right guard in the draft, they did take two uber-athletic tackles in Blake Freeland and Jake Witt, who can compete to become the team's swing tackle. Both have the upside of developing into full-time starting tackles.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Colts seemed to agree with the consensus among fans that their CB room was thin heading into the draft. As a result, the team used three of their 12 selections to address their CB need. They added two of my top 10 CBs in this class in Julius Brents (CB 7) in the 2nd round and Darius Rush (CB 8) in the 5th round. The Colts also used a 7th-rounder to add Jaylon Jones, who was very effective at Texas A&M as he allowed the fewest yards last season of any CB in this class with only 94 yards.
Needs That Remain
Right Guard, WILL LB
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When all seven rounds ended, the Colts were able to address many of their biggest needs, but two remained. While the Colts drafted two offensive linemen, neither project as guards at the next level. As well as a shocker to most, the Colts elected not to draft a linebacker in their 12 selections.
While the Colts didn't draft a guard to compete with Will Fries, they did sign my top undrafted guard in Indiana native and Alabama’s Emil Ekiyor Jr., who I had a 5th-round grade on. When watching Ekiyor Jr.’s tape, I thought he showed signs of being able to develop into a long-time starter in the NFL. But, with a rookie QB coming on board, it's hard to roll into training with just a UDFA as competition for the team's starting RG spot. I would expect the team adds a veteran off the free agency market.
After the departure of Bobby Okereke to the Giants this offseason, the Colts will be having a competition to fill his starting WILL LB spot. The skill set that will be missed most by Okereke’s departure is his ability to drop in coverage.
The Colts will be returning Zaire Franklin coming off his career year this past season. The Colts also expect the return of star LB Shaquille Leonard when he fully recovers from his ankle procedure. I’ve been told from a source inside the Colts' building that the team views both E.J. Speed and JoJo Domann very highly and are excited to see them compete for the starting WILL job in training camp. Still, I’d expect another free agent to be brought in to push those two and build a solid rotation.
