Evaluating The Colts Draft Selections’ Skillsets

Zach Sears analyzes the Colts’ draft selection’s skillsets: what they will bring to the Colts’ roster.

Quenton Nelson OG

Body Guard: Nelson is a big physical guard who will protect Andrew Luck at all costs.

Mauler: Quenton is a big get in your face type guy and he will be absolutely dominant.

Fills LG need: By drafting Nelson not only is it just “protecting Luck” but it’s completing the left side of the O-line putting Nelson right next to Anthony Castanzo.

Hole maker: Nelson is great at pass blocking but is just as good at run blocking and creating holes. Besides sophomore season running back Marlon Mack he will now also be making holes for Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins.

NFL comparison: Zack Martin

Darius Leonard LB

Quick and agile: Having a speedy linebacker that can close distances fast and go sideline to sideline is huge. Having a Deion Jones, Kwon Alexander, and Telvin Smith type linebacker is what’s becoming a standard nowadays and this addition is great.

Good coverage/pressure: Having a middle linebacker who can cover well and apply pressure on quarterbacks is a great skill that is almost required now.

Great tackler: Leonard knows how to wrap up and take people to the ground with ease.

Good football IQ/knowledge of where the ball is: Having good football IQ is a virtue and being able to know where the ball is constantly is great at the linebacker and any position.

Adept at reading QBs: Leonard is not only a good coverage guy and tackler, but he knows how to read QBs, cut off routes and read if there’s a handoff to cut off and plug up.

Good catching (interceptions): Having good hands at a Linebacker spot is great as if they get their hands on the ball, they basically become a running back going the other way.

Hard hitter: Leonard is an all-around great pick, Coverage ✅ tackling ✅ run stopper ✅ well, he’s also a great turn over causer. With his hard-hitting Leonard was able to jar the ball loose on multiple occasions.

NFL comparison: Telvin Smith

Braden Smith OG

Right Guard

Now that the Colts have drafted two starting guards, you may be wondering what’s happening to Jack Mewhort. Well he could be moving back to Tackle, except not left tackle like he played at Ohio State, he would be playing Right tack to round out the Colts O-Line.

Size of tackle, Guard size arms: Smith is a big guy, he is the average size of a tackle in the NFL with arms more suited for the guard spot which is where he will be played.

Good pass protection: Having a good pass protector for Luck is key. When Luck has the time, he is one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the NFL.

Needs to become more dominant: One of the only downsides to Smith is that he needs to become more dominant. That shouldn’t be too big of a problem as he will be able to learn how to be dominant from fellow draftee Quenton Nelson.

NFL comparison: Mitch Morse

Kemoko Turay EDGE

Still developing/maturing: Even though still developing and maturing, according to Coach Robert Mathis “Kid will be a star! I been watching film on him for months now.”

Lengthy: Being Lengthy and having great reach is huge when trying to get past just as big or bigger offensive tackles.

4-3 scheme (3-4 scheme at College): In College, he played in a 3-4 which is believed to be why he didn’t shine as much as he should have, with the new 4-3 scheme the Colts are running he will fit in perfectly.

Great athlete: He is a Quick, agile and all around perfect fit for what GM Chris Ballard was looking for-Athletic.

Get off: With an explosive and great get off he will be one of the first guys off the ball every snap he’s in.

NFL comparison: Leonard Floyd

Tyquan Lewis DE:

Plays like a five tech

Great against the run: Great run stopper who will plug the holes and watch the edge with great backs in the league.

Tough: If he gets knocked down he gets back up, if he knocks you down, you’ll need a few seconds.

Good effort/leader: He’s the type of guy that you want in the locker room giving all effort and trying to lead the team and get people going.

NFL comparison: Tyrone Crawford

Nyheim Hines RB

Speedy/talented/dynamic: Being quick and able to work with your teammates well is needed most at any spot and doing it with a strong build and being undersized is a huge upside and will complement Marlon Mack and Jordan Wilkins well.

Can catch well: not only is he a great runner but he can catch the ball quite well along with being able to pass block when given the need.

Good burst/agility: Being able to get a good burst could be what separates a 2 years rush from a 20-yard rush and being agile only complements that more.

Daurice Fountain WR

Lengthy: Fountain being lengthy means only 1 thing, the upgrade for Donte Moncrief. Moncrief wasn’t who we thought he was going to be and Ballard just drafted 2 possible replacements the first being Fountain.

Good ball control: Being able to control the ball when in the air and running is huge, something Donte Moncrief wasn’t too great at.

Quick: Not only is Fountain tall but he is extremely quick which makes him a mismatch for a lot of players.

Goes up and gets the ball: Much like Randy Moss, Fountain is able to go up, and get the ball or rip it out of someone hands. Having someone like this is great for Hail Mary and 50/50 thrown balls.

Nose for the end zone: Another great trait for a Wide Receiver is being able to get in the end zone if it’s getting both feet in (which he did in college), not being afraid to hit, and fighting for yards which he does all.

Finds soft spots in coverage: Once again, an absolutely great trait at wide receiver. Being able to find soft spots in coverage will allow Luck to basically give free passes and allow the receiver to do all the work which puts less stress on luck.

Jordan Wilkins RB

Great catcher: Wilkins will be the Colts’ third-down back most of the time who will be in on screens, plays where the tailback is out Wide, and when they will need 3-5 yards.

Great run after catch: Not only does Wilkins catch great, but he has great run after catch along with run after contact, or for even that mater, running abilities in general. Wilkins in a natural runner and has great finesse when running.

Elusive/fast/agile/tough: Having these four traits is almost cheating at the running back spot. Wilkins will make people miss, run them over, and have a smile on his face the entire time. Like seriously, watch his highlights, he looks like a human cheat code.

Hard to catch: When he’s off, he’s off. All the tape I watched of him was Wilkins catching or getting a handoff, following blocks, hitting open holes, breaking someone ankles, hurdling someone, or running through them, then taking off and no one could catch him.

NFL comparison: Poor Man’s Leveon Bell

Deon Cain WR:

Fast/gets open: First thing I saw when watching tape was this guy gets open out of nowhere and it’s amazing. Having another speed receiver isn’t a priority with T.Y. Hilton and Ryan Grant around but Cain is more than just speed.

Goes up and gets catches: Much like Fountain he just always seems to end up with the ball in his hand when a pass is contested.

Great positioning: The reason he always seems to end up the ball is his positioning. Cain is able to position himself to end up with the ball 90% of the time which is great for 50/50 balls.

Gets his feet in: Cain is extremely aware and seems to always get his feet in, knows where the defensive is and know where to have his hands and when.

Makes players miss in open field: After running great routes and getting open, Cain constantly makes players miss and even when hit he constantly fights for extra yards.

Matthew Adams LB

Quick/agile: Once again Ballard took a Quick and agile sideline to sideline linebacker which is a great tackler, pressures quarterbacks, hits quarterbacks and is hard hitting. Pairing Adams up with Leonard is an extremely smart move.

Lays backs out: Not only does he lay QBs out, he also lays big running backs out.

Forces interceptions: Adams is so good at applying pressure he makes the QBs throw interceptions and sometimes, he’s not the one applying pressure, but getting the pick.

Great tackler: Absolute beast at tackling, he has a great form and a great wrap up to the point that he ends up grabbing his own wrist when wrapping up players.

Quick/good catch up speed: Going along with the whole quick linebacker picks by Ballard, Adams has a tremendous catch-up and track down speed which will hopefully stop big runs.

Great football IQ: He knows what he’s doing. He knows how to tackle, get players down and fast.

Adams will be a “Missile from the ILB spot”

Zaire Franklin LB

Great pressure: I feel like I’m repeating myself but Ballard had a mold he wanted to draft LBs in, quick, agile, great pressure, hard hitter, and good coverage.

Good coverage: With good coverage comes good hands, ok not all the time but with this guy it’s true, once again Ballard got a “Telvin Smith” type guy.