Indianapolis Colts Draft Grades for Julius Brents, Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard was quite active for Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. He made a couple of trades back in Round 2 and selected talent for both the offense and defense that the team desperately needed.

With this on the brain, it’s time to get the draft grades for the picks from the Colts on Day 2.

Pick: Round 2 Pick #44 (Trade with the Atlanta Falcons)

Player: Cornerback Julius Brents (Kansas State University)

Grade: B+

Julius Brents comes out of KSU as an incredible athlete at the cornerback position. He is a bigger defensive back, standing at 6’3” and weighing nearly 200 pounds. He fits the zone defensive scheme of Gus Bradley well.

Julius Brents was drafted with pick 44 of round 2 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.99 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 4 out of 2222 CB from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/iJKHIdJCTx pic.twitter.com/trdtGz1eb9
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023

Given the incredible need for depth at the corner position, this is a solid pick for the Colts. Also, Ballard got Brents after trading back not once but twice from the 35th overall pick. First, he struck a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders to trade up for tight end Michael Mayer, giving them a fifth-rounder (141st overall). Next, he traded with the Atlanta Falcons, who wanted to move up and snag offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron, giving the Colts another fourth-rounder (110th overall) in the process.

This pick receives an excellent grade, given Brents’ ceiling and the value the Colts got him. There’s also a chance that Brents could be a day-one starter if the defensive staff in Indianapolis feels he’s ready through training camp.

He could need to polish some of the rough edges, given that he’s a larger defensive back, but he has the athleticism and natural ability to make all those boxes receive a check.

Pick: Round 3 Pick #79

Player: Wide Receiver Josh Downs (North Carolina)

Grade: A-

Ballard hasn’t been one to trust smaller wide receivers in the draft. Well, this stigma has been smashed. First, with the signing of Isaiah McKenzie. Second, with the drafting of Josh Downs from North Carolina.

Downs stands at 5’9” and 171 pounds. Ballard doesn’t typically favor this style of receiver. However, this could be the influence of new head coach Shane Steichen given how he may want a young QB to get the ball out quickly.

Maybe with more influence, however, was wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne. The NFL legend liked Downs, and this report from The Athletic’s Zak Keefer says it all.

New Colts WR Josh Downs: "I was talking to Reggie Wayne a few weeks ago. He told me he needed me."

After his workout at the combine, Wayne told Downs he was the best receiver in this class — and it wasn't close.

Safe to say Coach Wayne is a happy man tonight.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) April 29, 2023

For a coach like Wayne, that was the level of receiver he was; that is the highest of praise.

Downs was a whirlwind of activity in 2021 and 2022. Below is a quick snippet of his stats from those years.

2021: 101 catches; 1,335 yards; 13.2 avg; 8 touchdowns
2022: 94 catches; 1,029 yards; 10.9 avg; 11 touchdowns

Thinking of the potential that Downs could have with Steichen is interesting. This now shores up the receiver corps with Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, McKenzie, and Downs. Will the Colts re-visit receiver later in the draft? It’s a possibility.

Overall, Ballard did well on Day 2. He was able to trade back twice, grab additional capital, and still land the picks he likely wanted all along. Could there be a trade-up in order? One would think so with all of those stockpiled picks. But, then again, many have thought they could “think like Ballard.”

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