Colts Make Questionable Pick in The Athletic's Mock Draft
An NFL mock draft in November is an exercise in futility, but it's always fun to peer into the future for what might be come April.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic is quickly becoming one of the top-NFL Draft Analysts in the industry, and he released his first mock draft this week.
His pick for the Indianapolis Colts was a bit of a head scratcher. Brugler has the Colts selecting Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton with the No. 19 overall pick.
"General manager Chris Ballard loves trench players with big-time traits and Guyton fits the bill," wrote Brugler. "At 6-6, 320, he moves like a tight end but has the aggressive mentality of an offensive lineman. Investing in protection for Anthony Richardson would be a smart move, and Guyton has the talent to compete for starting right tackle snaps as a rookie."
Investing in the offensive line is always a prudent move, however, the Colts have invested in the offensive line... heavily.
There's nothing wrong with Guyton as a prospect, but according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the two highest-graded offensive players on the Colts are tackles Bernhard Raimann (81.3) and Braden Smith (81.4). They're both ranked in the top 10 in the NFL at No. 8 and No. 7 respectively.
Smith is on the expensive side with a $16.7-million cap hit in 2024, but with just a $6-million dead cap hit, he's ripe for a restructure and cap savings.
Smith could also move inside to guard, but we're of the "if it ain't broke" philosophy when it comes to the offensive line playing at a high level.
Picks that come after the Colts at No. 21 include wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., defensive back Cooper DeJean, and edge JT Tuimoloau. Each of those players are at premium positions of need for the Colts.
This is a young-Colts team that appears to be ahead of schedule in its rebuild. Part of the reason for the their success is the offensive line. We're not sure going offensive tackle in the first round makes a lot of sense for this team.