Colts' Veteran WR Tabbed As Franchise's Draft Pick With Most Value Since 2006
Few things went right in the Ryan Grigson era for the Indianapolis Colts, but one thing certainly turned out right: veteran receiver T.Y. Hilton.
Hilton, who was drafted 92nd overall in the 2012 NFL Draft — Grigson's first with the Colts — was recently named the Colts' draft pick with the most value dating back to 2006 by Pro Football Focus.
While the Colts have certainly had some terrific draft picks during the PFF era that started in 2006 (Andrew Luck, Darius Leonard, Quenton Nelson, etc.), Hilton was the player that the analytics-based website tabbed as the franchise's most valuable pick.
One of the most underrated receivers in the NFL over the past decade, Hilton has averaged over 1,000 yards a season over his nine-year career. His 96 career deep receptions are the second-most in the league since he entered the NFL.
In his time with the Colts, Hilton quietly became one of the top receivers in the NFL, especially when paired with Luck all those years. During his 133 games in Indianapolis, Hilton has recorded 608 receptions for 9,360 yards and 50 touchdowns, carrying on a long tradition of terrific receiving in Indianapolis following the likes of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
Now, with Carson Wentz under center, Hilton should be able to return to his standout ways, considering Wentz can hit the deep ball more often than Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett were able to following the shocking retirement of Luck ahead of the 2019 season.
Should Hilton return to his form with Wentz at the helm, the Colts could be in for a deep playoff run in 2020.
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