The consensus heading into the NFL draft was that the Indianapolis Colts’ two biggest needs were offensive and wide receiving.
Despite the unprecedented run of six wide receivers taken in the top 20 picks, there are still many good options available ahead of the second round as well as good offensive tackles.
The Colts currently have the 42nd overall pick heading into the second day of the Friday night NFL draft. With nine choices in front of them, the Colts should still be able to satisfy one of their needs with an influential player.
Intervening attackers Bernhard Reimann of central Michigan and wide receiver Christian Watson of North Dakota State are two players the Colts will be hoping to slip to 42.
Raimann currently sits as the best offensive tackle on the ESPN big board. He’s an excellent athlete who went from narrow tackle to offensive tackle while in college. It lacks the perfect length with a 32 7/8″ arm (33″ is considered the minimum interference standard), but that’s arguably the main reason why he didn’t participate in the first round.
Watson had an impressive Senior Bowl, then followed up his performance in Mobile with a dominant showing at the NFL Combine. At 6’4 and 208 pounds, Watson ran a dash of 4.36 40 yards and had the event’s longest wide jump of 11’4″.
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Also on board are recipients Sky Moore of western Michigan and George Pickens of Georgia. Moore had a super productive campaign for 2021 with 95 catches for 1,292 yards, and Pickens considered one of his top 10 prospects before tearing up the ACL last spring.
Offensive tackle Abraham Lucas of Washington State could be an option at 42 for Colts as well. At 6’6 and 315 pounds, Lucas has excellent lateral movement and core strength. His 40-yard dash of 4.92, shuttle of 4.40 and 3-cone of 7.25 put him in the top 3% of offensive tackles tested in the past 10 years.
If the Colts don’t like their options like offensive tackle and wide reception at 42, it could mean the downfall of a player like Connecticut’s brutal defensive tackle Travis Jones. While he doesn’t necessarily need Colts, Jones is 6’4 and 325 pounds with a 4.92 40-yard dash and lateral movement for an inside back.
The wild card player is now quarterback owner Willis Liberty. Willis was mocked to the top three last month, but he is still on the board in the second round.
Willis has a rocket arm and is one of the best runners regardless of his position. Ponies can take a flyer on him if he’s around 42 (or want to move to a few places), groom him for the future, while still using him in packs to take advantage of his mobility.
Getting into the draft, we’ve said over and over again that the depth of this draft is in the middle rounds. The Ponies watched the first round, but they have to be happy with the list of players who fell in the second.