Colts' Official UFA List Includes Georgia Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis native Kendall Coleman
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday released the signed list of 10 undrafted free agents, most notably Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship and Syracuse defensive end Kendall Coleman.
Will one of these players extend the Colts' NFL-best streak of 21 seasons in which an undrafted free agent has made the final roster?
Blankenship, the Lou Groza Award winner as the nation’s top kicker, is expected to compete in a competition with second-year incumbent Chase McLaughlin, who filled in for the injured Adam Vinatieri in the last four games of 2019.
Coleman is an Indianapolis native who played his high school ball at Cathedral, the same school as Colts Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle. And Coleman is being mentored by Robert Mathis, the Colts' all-time leader in sacks.
The other eight players are defensive tackle Kameron Cline of South Dakota, tight end Farrod Green of Miss. St., wide receiver DeMichael Harris of Southern Mississippi, tackle Carter O’Donnell of University of Alberta (Canada), cornerback Travis Reed of South Alabama, safety Ronald Rutledge of Georgia Southern, linebacker Brandon Wellington of Washington and defensive tackle Chris Williams of Wagner.
The Indianapolis Colts' undrafted free agents, as announced in a team release.
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Here are the player bios, as provided in the Colts release:
— Blankenship, 6-1, 184 pounds, appeared in 56 career games at Georgia. He converted 80-of-97 field goals (82.5 percent), including a long of 55 yards, and was a perfect 200-of-200 on PATs for 440 career points. Blankenship also registered 234 touchbacks on 330 kickoffs. He finished as Georgia’s all-time leading scorer and had the second-most points in Southeastern Conference history. Blankenship participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl. In 2019, he was selected as the Lou Groza Award winner as the nation’s top placekicker. Blankenship garnered First Team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and coaches after converting 27-of-33 field goals (81.8 percent) and 46 PATs for 127 points. In 2018, he was a Second Team All-SEC choice by the Associated Press and coaches after connecting on 19-of-23 field goals (82.6 percent) and 65 PATs for 122 points. Blankenship converted 20-of-23 field goals (87.0 percent) and 63 PATs for 123 points in 2017. He was selected to the SEC All-Freshman team by the league’s coaches in 2016 after connecting on 14-of-18 field goals (77.8 percent) and 26 PATs for 68 points. As a walk-on in 2015, Blankenship redshirted as a true freshman.
— Cline, 6-4, 283 pounds, saw action in 43 career games (28 starts) at South Dakota and compiled 121 tackles (67 solo), 22.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one blocked kick. He participated in the 2020 Hula Bowl. In 2019, Cline played in all 12 games (10 starts) and finished with 36 tackles (21 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. He started seven games in 2018 and tallied 22 tackles (15 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In 2017, Cline saw action in all 13 games (11 starts) and registered 40 tackles (20 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. As a true freshman in 2016, he played in all 11 games and recorded 23 tackles (11 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
— Coleman, 6-3, 257 pounds, started 43-of-44 career games at Syracuse and finished with 137 tackles (70 solo), 26.5 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, two passes defensed and one blocked kick. He was a two-time First Team All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference selection (2018-19) and participated in the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl. In 2019, Coleman started all 12 games and compiled 48 tackles (20 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and two passes defensed. He started 12 games in 2018 and registered 32 tackles (23 solo), 12.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks. In 2017, Coleman started eight games and tallied 28 tackles (14 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. In 2016, he became the first true freshman to start a season opener at defensive end for the Orange since 1996. Coleman played in all 12 games (11 starts) as a true freshman and recorded 29 tackles (13 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one blocked kick. Prior to Syracuse, the Indianapolis native played at Cathedral High School.
— Green, 6-3, 245 pounds, played in 51 career games (34 starts) at Mississippi State and totaled 52 receptions for 633 yards and two touchdowns. In 2019, he started all 13 games and registered career highs in receptions (21) and receiving yards (257) while adding one touchdown reception. Green appeared in all 13 games in 2018 and finished with 11 receptions for 81 yards. He started all 13 games in 2017 and caught nine passes for 174 yards. In 2016, Green saw action in 12 games (eight starts) and posted 11 receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2015.
— Harris, 5-8, 178 pounds, played in 23 games (13 starts) at Southern Mississippi and compiled 61 receptions for 587 yards and five touchdowns. He also tallied 122 carries for 621 yards and five touchdowns. Harris totaled 23 kickoff returns for 594 yards and one touchdown. In 2019, he garnered Conference-USA honorable mention recognition after converting to running back from wide receiver. Harris started 12 games and registered 113 carries for 541 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns and posted 10 kickoff returns for 282 yards and one touchdown. In 2018, Harris saw action in all 11 games (one start) and collected 27 receptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He also compiled nine carries for 80 yards and 13 kickoff returns for 312 yards. Prior to Southern Mississippi, Harris played two seasons (2016-17) at Hinds Community College. He saw action in 18 games and finished with 40 carries for 96 yards and one touchdown, 47 receptions for 477 yards, five punt returns for 23 yards and 43 kickoff returns 1,218 yards and two touchdowns.
— O’Donnell, 6-5, 313 pounds, played four seasons at the University of Alberta in Canada and earned First Team All-Canadian honors in 2019 and Second Team All-Canadian honors in 2018. He was a Canada West All-Star in 2018 and 2019. O’Donnell participated in the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl. In 2019, he helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 399.0 yards of total offense per game and 5.2 yards per carry. O’Donnell is a native of Red Deer, Alberta.
— Reed, 6-1, 168 pounds, played in 21 games in two seasons (2018-19) at South Alabama and totaled 56 tackles (39 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 15 passes defensed and four interceptions. In 2019, he appeared in 12 games and was named a Third Team All-Sun Belt choice after totaling 41 tackles (29 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed and three interceptions. Reed played in nine games in 2018 and finished with 15 tackles (10 solo), two passes defensed and one interception. Prior to South Alabama, he spent two seasons at Jones County Junior College (2016-17) and compiled 45 tackles, seven passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Reed was a Second Team All-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges choice in 2017.
— Rutledge, 6-1, 215 pounds, appeared in 43 career games (19 starts) during his time at Georgia Southern (2019) and Savannah State (2016-18) and recorded 214 tackles (110 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, 24 passes defensed, five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2019, he played in 12 games (nine starts) and registered 50 tackles (34 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, six passes defensed and one interception (returned for a touchdown). Rutledge started 10 games in 2018 and finished with 53 tackles (31 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, nine passes defensed, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He played in 11 games in 2017 and had a team-high 81 tackles (45 solo), eight passes defensed, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In 2016, Rutledge saw action in 10 games and compiled 30 tackles and one pass defensed. He redshirted in 2015 at The Citadel.
— Wellington, 6-0, 222 pounds, played in 48 career games (14 starts) at Washington and finished with 118 tackles (70 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries (two returned for touchdowns). In 2019, he saw action in all 13 games (12 starts) and totaled 68 tackles (42 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, one pass defensed and two fumble recoveries (two returned for touchdowns). Wellington appeared in 10 games (two starts) in 2018 and registered 28 tackles (16 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and two passes defensed. In 2017, he played in 11 games and tallied 15 tackles (six solo), 1.0 tackle for loss and 1.0 sack. Wellington saw action in all 14 games in 2016 and recorded seven tackles (six solo).
— Williams, 6-2, 302 pounds, appeared in 42 games (27 starts) at Wagner and totaled 105 tackles (41 solo), 22.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, one pass defensed, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three blocked kicks. He participated in the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl and 2020 Hula Bowl. In 2019, Williams earned First Team All-Northeast Conference honors after starting 12 games and finishing with 62 tackles (21 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, one pass defensed, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. He started 11 games in 2018 and was a Second Team All-NEC choice after compiling 25 tackles (11 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and two blocked kicks. In 2017, Williams appeared in 11 games (four starts) and tallied 13 tackles (six solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. He appeared in eight games in 2016 and registered five tackles (three solo) and 2.0 tackles for loss.
