Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - BPA VS. NEED: Which Players Could Indianapolis Colts Draft Despite Not Needing Them?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts shocked Colts fans last season by taking Justin Wally a cornerback in round three when there really wasn't a need there. Could we see something similar happen this draft season? Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked on Colts. I'm Zach Hicks.

Starting point is 00:00:34 That's Jake Arthur. And today we are diving into some more. NFL draft content. Today's just theme of this episode, and it's going to be a theme for the entire episode, is players that Jake and I are very, very high on in this draft class that don't necessarily fit the exact team needs that the Colts have, where the Colts we've been operating on day two of this draft,

Starting point is 00:00:54 their team needs being wide receiver, edge rusher, and linebacker. But there are other positions in this draft. And like last year where we saw the Colts go with a cornerback in round three when we were all expecting them to go at different direction. with that maybe like an offensive tackle in round three maybe going a linebacker in round three like we've been begging for the last couple years but instead they went corner and justin wally and they ended up cutting their entire cornerback room because they clearly didn't like it as much as we did at you know sitting at home so today's episode's going to be all about those type of players who

Starting point is 00:01:28 maybe don't fit those three biggest needs that we have all identified but could be really good players that could surprise and be colts picks on day two of the draft or some of them or on early day three of this draft as well. And the number one player I was thinking about when I had this idea for the episode was Jake Arthur here with the release of the indie draft guide. Everyone who ordered it should be seeing it now in their inboxes. So Merry Christmas, early draft guide released to you guys.

Starting point is 00:01:55 Jake had LSU safety, A.J. Halsey as a top 20 player in this draft. Jake is very, very high on Halsey. I think it's the highest I've seen across the industry standards. So this is what made me think of this topic Because I wanted to give Jake the floor To talk about this player he's very high on And even with all these needs of the Colts have If you have a top 20 grade on this guy, Jake

Starting point is 00:02:17 Or a very, very high second round grade Is what you ended up having on him If he's there at 47, I feel like you'd probably be pretty happy At the Colts took him even though he's not one of those positions of need. Yeah, this is a guy who's pretty versatile And the Colts don't have any like clear answer To replace Nick Cross

Starting point is 00:02:35 And even if they did, we know this is a scheme that will put out more than just your normal to traditional free safety, strong safety. Like they will throw multiple defensive backs out there. But this is a guy I just, I like so much. And I'll roll through kind of my scouting report that I put together on him. There's just, there's so many things when I, when I researched him where I was like, I really, really like it. So he's kind of a self-made guy. He's a four-year starter, number one, the Colts are really into guys who've played a lot of football. He's a four-year starter who has worked his way up from the Mountain West to the Big 12, ultimately to the SEC.

Starting point is 00:03:18 Super productive player has averaged almost 90 tackles a season, 10 career interceptions and another 20 pass breakups. As a true freshman had a 24-tackle game. Like, that's crazy. special teams lifer he has averaged 88 snaps on special teams per season he's played a ton at free safety strong safety in the nickel um i fall in love with safeties quickly if i can tell within like the first half of the first game i'm watching if they've got like really good instincts in football IQ he does he processes things so quickly. Like his zone coverage feels very, very good.

Starting point is 00:04:01 He sees things and flies to it. He lays big hits down, but he's not, I think, an irresponsible hitter by any means. And that's a big thing at the safety position. You see these guys fly downhill. They're just flinging themselves past the ball carrier, and that's not what he does. He's very physical, but he's an accurate tackler as well. So he's aggressive at playing the ball, gets the pass breakups, gets the interceptions, makes good tackles, and he's very, very smart.

Starting point is 00:04:27 So I really like a player like that. He's built really well too. He's stocky, six foot 215. He almost has like a linebacker build. Like kind of he's kind of built like Nick Cross a little bit, not very powerful player as well. Now, you give me crap over the years for falling in love with these really smart safeties, but who are like terrible athletes, I'm here to tell you.

Starting point is 00:04:52 He's a good athlete. Okay? Like he has pretty good testing scores, at least for the guys. I fall in love with, very good testing scores. So when you see the run defense, you see his instincts and coverage, his ability to hit his experience in multiple spots all over the secondary and on special teams. This is a guy who I think will play at a very, very high level early in his career. And there's zero reason not to get him on the field no matter where he goes because he's got

Starting point is 00:05:21 a special team's background already, a pretty vast special team's background. and his weaknesses really aren't that big a deal. Like I mentioned he was, I think, an accurate tackler, but he could clean it up a little bit with, like, wrapping up more and just like finishing the job, so to speak, rather than just relying on being a powerful player. He could clean up his tackling a little bit. And while his athleticism is good, it's not like elite.

Starting point is 00:05:50 You know what I mean? You're looking at some of these guys who run in four, three. they're jumping 42, 43 inches. Like, he's getting relatively close to those numbers, but he's not like, he's not a first round shoe in with his athletic traits. It's not the Knit Cross athletic profile, right? Where it was like the freaky. Like, it's very good, just not freaky, freaky, right?

Starting point is 00:06:12 Yeah. Yeah. So a productive player who's got like all these really positive traits on tape. And for me, if you can marry the mental with the athletic and the productive, There's nothing not to like, and he's got all of it. Yeah, no, I like AJ Halsey a lot, and I just loved just you going out on the limb by having him up that high because I don't really find much of dislike about him. I think people are going too hard because I don't think he's a free safety in the NFL. I know he played some free safety.

Starting point is 00:06:43 He plays really well things in front of him. Yeah, I think he played some free safety at LSU, and it wasn't terrible, but I think you more so want him in the box. But I kind of wanted to ask this question to you is like, what the Colts having? more of that standard free safety and strong safety, like identifier where it's like, look, we are, our, bindums our free safety is going to be over top on most plays. And then our other safety is going to be in the box. How do you kind of fit him in this defense? I know some people have talked about him as like a hybrid type because you said he's 215.

Starting point is 00:07:11 I saw a lot of reports he's playing closer to 220, 225 last year even. Would you view him more as like a dime linebacker type on passing downs? Or would you be comfortable with him at strong safety, playing some man? coverage. Where do you kind of view him in this Colts defense? Yeah, I think if they like him enough to want to keep him on the field all the time, then I think he could last their strong safety, just because, like, I think you want to have him closer to the line of scrimmage, if possible. And again, I think his instincts are good enough. And, like, he's, like, his frame is good enough to play in the box with regularity. So I probably would do that. Now, like I mentioned,

Starting point is 00:07:50 the Colts don't have anyone where you almost guaranteed in the starting spot at strong safety. Again, Nick Cross goes out the door. Now you're looking at Hunter Roller and Juanier Thomas as your main competitors there. But Lou Anirumo is the type of guy that will mix and match based on matchups and stuff. You know what I mean? So, like, we're pretty sure Hunter Wooler is going to be your diamond linebacker. But I think, you know, and nickel and diamond stuff like that, Halsey could do that. Although I'm cool with Wooler getting whatever.

Starting point is 00:08:19 and it maybe just winds up with with Juanier Thomas being relegated to special teams duty. Yeah. Because, I mean, he's on a vet minimum deal and you'd be using a second round pick likely on Halsey unless he somehow slips to 78 for you. So you'd want to get him on the field quickly, I think. So if you're two like strongish safeties guys who are flopping back and forth between nickel and dime linebacker and strong safety are Wooler and Halsey, I think that'd be perfectly fine.

Starting point is 00:08:48 Yeah, no, for sure. I really like Halsey. And again, there's bigger needs that the Colts have on day two, but if they're going to surprise and take a safety, I think a player like Halsey makes some sense for this team. I'll be quick with mine here because we've got to get to our second segment. And my player is a guard. There's not really too much to talk about with a guard.

Starting point is 00:09:05 But Chase Basantis from Texas A&M. I've watched so much Texas A&M film, by the way, this offseason with their offensive line. Basantis is so good. He's so strong. He is just sturdy. One of the best pass protecting guard. in this class.

Starting point is 00:09:19 It kind of reminds me of just a cleaner Mark Glewinsky, right? Where you get that physicality, you get that ability to block in zone in the ground game that Glewinski brought the Colts, but I think he's just so much cleaner as a pass protector. I saw him just have some really good reps against NFL draft defensive tackles and defensive ends this past year. I'm all in on Chase Bessantis. It doesn't make sense for the Colts to go guard on day two. I like Matt Gonsalves for what he is.

Starting point is 00:09:45 But for some reason if Bessontas sitting there at 17th, D8, honestly, the value would be too good for me not to take him. I think in the Indie draft guy, he was like a top 35 or top 40 player for us. So, yeah, Chase Bessantis, I am super, super high on, even though the Colts are probably not taking a guard in this class. But coming up, guys, we're going to continue this conversation about players at non-big-need positions for the Colts that could make sense. A.J. Halsey led us off in Segment 2.

Starting point is 00:10:12 We'll probably lead off segment or segment 2 with another safety prospect from Jake as well. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Financial stress is something that a lot of people are carrying right now, and it's not just about numbers. It can affect your sleep, your relationships, and your overall mental health and ways that build up over time. And the reality is, struggling with money doesn't mean you failed. Sometimes it just means that you haven't had the right kind of support.

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Starting point is 00:11:14 And, you know, a lot of times you get blindsided by stuff you didn't really expect. So I have, you know, more than enough experience with these financial issues. So I'm right there with you guys. You know, if you have been struggling, you are absolutely not alone. But when it comes to stuff like that, therapy, it's not just about financial advice. It's about working through the stress, the anxiety, and the emotions that come with it. With over 30,000 licensed therapists, more than 6 million people served, better help makes it easier to get matched and start focusing on what you need.

Starting point is 00:11:46 When life becomes overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com slash locked on. That's betterhelp.com slash locked on. All right, guys, don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes on audio and access to a group chat with Zach Me and other listeners of the show. Just tap the link in the show notes or go to locked on colts. com for more. And another reminder about the Indie Draft Guide, we just released it a day early.

Starting point is 00:12:17 so if you already ordered it, check your inbox. If not, we've got a link to it in our show notes. So, Zach, I know you were going to kick it to me first, but we dominated the conversation with my guy in that first one. So pick a player here at, I guess, a non-essential or non-needed position that you're really viving on and let's bring it down. Yeah, so offensive tackle is one that we're all kind of writing off as the Colts probably don't need it, right?

Starting point is 00:12:43 Because we all believe in Jalen Travis, and there's reason to believe in him for sure. but if the Colts wanted to go offensive tackle, I think there are some good options. Now, we'll see if they make it to 47 because what's one position that we know gets overdrafted in the NFL and it's offensive tackle because you need it. But Clemson's Blake Miller, to me,

Starting point is 00:13:01 is such a clean prospect, like insanely clean as a prospect. He's a four-year starter at Clemson. So at 18 years old, he was starting in the ACC for a team that was competitive most of his time there. I know the last couple years it hasn't been great, but competitive most of his time.

Starting point is 00:13:16 time there. Only 22 years old. Again, like over 50 starts, some of the most starts in program history. Fantastic athlete, a player that can reach block to the second level with ease. I think as a pass protector, he is so good at locating that outside shoulder on pass rushers. So when a guy's tried to turn the corner on him, they try to use speed to get to the edge. He's able to get his hand on that outside shoulder with his great length and slow them down and stop them at the point of attack. You see some really cool technical things. things like the snatch and trap technique. You see him drive guys out of the pocket, run them outside the pocket as well to open

Starting point is 00:13:54 up escape lanes for the quarterback, which Kay Klubnick was very good at running around and scrambling the last couple of years. So, like, I don't know. When it comes to offensive tackle, you get a lot of bad when it comes to the draft and the NFL, right? It's a depraved league or tackled, I think depraved is the right word of looking for across the league. And with Blake Miller, like, yeah, there are some angering issues.

Starting point is 00:14:16 I think that some power can get to him in the chess play because he's such a big player. But he's athletic. He's experienced and he's a good run blocker who knows what he's doing. I think you can get a day one like ready made starter that's just going to be a top 15 right tackle in football from the get-go. So I think he might go round one just because, again, all those things I just mentioned, the guy who started for four years at Clemson and he was also very athletic. But if he falls out of round one and he's there at 47 and the Colts don't love what's on the board, I really wouldn't hate taking him at 47 just because

Starting point is 00:14:52 I think the ceiling and the floor are both very, very high with him. I think he's going to be a really good NFL player. I would take him over some other guys like Caleb, Caleb Lomu out of Utah. I see get a lot of round one buzz. I would take Miller over him. Even some of the like, you know, like Inacho, Max Eonautchor and Caden Proctor, I think, are huge boomer bust guys. And I think that they can be exceptional offensive tackle.

Starting point is 00:15:16 the things click, but if you want something safer that also has a high ceiling, I would probably go with Blake Miller out of Clemson. So again, tackle is not the biggest need for the Colts, but I'm so high on Blake Miller. It's just such a clean fit. Like when you're like, you don't really watch like technically sound offensive tackles in college very often. Usually it's like this is a great athlete who has no clue what he's doing. Blake Miller is a great athlete who's very sound. Like I just think you're going to get a good player out of him.

Starting point is 00:15:44 So big, big fan of Blake Miller out of Clemson. Yeah, I mean, if you can get an offensive tackle with that much experience, again, like you mentioned, four-year starter, that many snaps under your belt. That's unreal. Like you mentioned, also very good athlete. Like, we're not talking about a guy like, it's so invoked to take a guy who's really accomplished at one spot. And you're like, well, you got to kick him in in in the NFL. Right. I haven't heard a lot of that. It's like this kid can come in and be an offensive tackle really from day one. So I think one of the factors when it comes to the Colts for that, what's Tony Spirano Jr. think? whatever he wants he gets.

Starting point is 00:16:18 If they love that kid early, then, you know, it's a real possibility. I mean, then you send Jalen Travis back to swing tackle, which we can all breathe a sigh of relief at that point because that's kind of a spot we're worried about right now. Right. No, for sure. But this next one here, Jake, do you want to stay at safety or do you want to talk about your tight end too in this class? Let's talk about tight end because it might be the last time we talk about tight end in relation

Starting point is 00:16:42 to the Colts in the draft. Right. And, you know, there's just no conversation about tight-ins in the cult sphere right now. So a lot of people maybe haven't even heard of this guy. So this is Baylor, tight-in, Michael Trigg. I like him a lot. I believe he's the only tight-in I gave a second round grade two. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:17:00 Like there was tight-ins in this class I like, but not, like, super high up. Like, I think Kenyon Sadiq's the only one I gave a first round two. And Michael Trigg is the only one I gave a second round or two. Then you start, I think I gave a big clump of guys, like the third and fourth round. But Trigg, just right off the bat, I have a comparison for him to Evan Ingram. So you're noticing a lot of the tight-ins in this class are about 6-4-2-40 and they're real athletic guys. So you look at a guy like Eli Stowers from Vanderbilt. It's kind of similarly built like that, tested through the roof, like superhuman stuff.

Starting point is 00:17:36 And so I came into watching these two guys, expecting not really to like Michael Trigg much and to really like Stowers. And it completely got flip-flop. So Trigg is a guy I didn't really think was going to be much of a blocker. And he's not an elite blocker by any means because he's still a stretch tight end. But still, I think, you know, especially on the move, he's a very good blocker. He's always looking for work, which is huge. Because if you got a pass catching tight in, a lot of times they block out of necessity.

Starting point is 00:18:08 But this guy is always looking for work. I think he makes good contact with good form. His arms are locked. He keeps his feet moving. He does have the height and the lake to hold his own against probably not the big defensive ends, but linebackers stuff, certainly. But the reason you're drafting him is that what he could do before and after the catch. So real quick, though, he is another experienced player, five years of experience. Three programs started at USC, transferred to Ole Miss, and then ultimately found a home at Baylor for the last couple of years. He can be moved around a good bit as well. Over 850 snaps in the slot. Over 450 in line.

Starting point is 00:18:49 91 in the backfield and then 44 out wide. So a lot of different programs tried a lot of different stuff with them. Good production the last couple of years at Baylor, 80 catches in nine touchdowns. But he's a big play threat. Three different seasons with an A dot beyond 10 yards, which is pretty good for the tight end position. his feet very, very smooth. So he was a Division I prospect in basketball coming out of high school as well, and you see that in his game.

Starting point is 00:19:19 Very smooth, very sweet feet. A lot of tight ends. It got like good size, but they're just rigid athletes. They don't have fluid hips at all. They're just, it takes them a lot to be able to turn and change direction. Not this guy. Not at all. his brakes, I would say they're, they're not like the sharpest angles, but I think it's just because of how his feet move.

Starting point is 00:19:44 He's kind of a unique route runner, but he gets ample separation. He's a very good athlete. There are some downsides, though, to him. He has, like, no special teams background whatsoever. And if the team he goes to has any reservations about him as a blocker, like because of his size and strength, and he has no special teams. team's background, then he's going to be locked into like a niche position. But if you give him a chance to be that pass catcher and develop more as a blocker, because, again, I do respect his blocking already.

Starting point is 00:20:19 I think he's fine there. But some of these guys can find kind of be dropped into certain buckets. And then so there's that. And then his other thing is his hands are a little bit unreliable. He's got 13 career drops according to PFF, including seven last year. in 2025. For the most part, it's kind of concentration drops, but, I mean, that's a thing. Like, it's an excuse on one part, but it still happened.

Starting point is 00:20:47 You know what I mean? So obviously, if catching the ball is your job, you want to make sure that that's, you know, something you can secure first and foremost. But, yeah, just what he showed before and after the catch for me, he can make really good contested catches as well. I think he is easily worth taking a chance on. Yeah, no, for sure. I love the idea of mixing a vertical tight end

Starting point is 00:21:11 with Tyler Warren's ability in the short and yards after catch game. Again, I don't know how feasible it is to take him in the top 100, but I do love the idea of that, even though I think Moe-A Cox was great in his role last year, but having like that Evan Ingram like downfield tight-end threat to free up Tyler Warren more in the underneath game, I think that would be really fun. But I digress.

Starting point is 00:21:33 probably doesn't happen, but we'll see. We'll see come draft day. Coming up, though, Jake and I continue this conversation. I'll bring us to the defensive tackle room, while Jake takes us back to safety to close out today's show. And we are back locked on Colts every day for a final time today talking all about players that Jake and I absolutely love in this draft class that are not at positions of need or like high end positions of need for the Colts that we still think would be very good fits for the Colts and could be like surprise picks on day two of the draft. We talked about a couple so far, including me going after two offensive linemen and Chase Bessontas and Blake Miller, with Jake going to the safety room with AJ Halsey,

Starting point is 00:22:14 and then over to tight end with Michael Trigg. Last up, Jake, do you want to take this again? Zaki Wheatley. Let's go into Zakee Wheatley a little bit because you had a pretty high ground, not crazy high, not A.J. Halsey high in this class, but you do like Zakee Wheatley out of Penn State quite a bit. And he's a older player in this draft as well, right? Yes, he is. A ton of experience on. him, another five-year player, 58 games of experience for him. Came on to Penn State as a starter in the last couple of years. 2000, really 2,100 snaps on defense and 446 on special teams.

Starting point is 00:22:50 So I like that. I've really started to look for special teams experience as well. Like, I've made it an important factor in how I look at guys now, just because when I look at the Colts, you're not like an awesome player coming in as a rookie. if you don't have special teams experience, you're not getting on the field. Like look at DJ Giddens, for example, and the Colts aren't alone in that.

Starting point is 00:23:13 But a lot of the reasons, similar reasons I like Halsey, can be applied to Wheatley, but they are different players. Wheatley is a lot more slender. 6.3, 203 pounds. He likes, so he's more of a free safety, whereas Halsey plays best as a strong safety in the box.

Starting point is 00:23:31 Wheatley really patrols well in the back end. but he likes to come, you know, he likes to come down field and mix it up a bit in the run. Like he likes to be a lot more physical than you would think his frame would kind of allow, which I'll be honest, is a concern for me. I think with his frame, his tackling has always been a little bit inconsistent. He's got a career miss tackle rate of 14.4%. Obviously, not the greatest there. A long lean player going up into like the physical nature of the NFL, I think there's going to have to be some things figured out there. I would like to see him add some bulk.

Starting point is 00:24:07 I think his frame looks like he could support it. And then as an athlete, he's really, he's kind of unexceptional. Like he's a step below Halsey when it comes to his testing scores. He ran a 462 and just like his testing was kind of unexceptional. But like a passable athlete, but not higher end. But that's kind of the concerns I have about it. But like I really like how aggressive he is. He is never passive at all.

Starting point is 00:24:33 I don't like defensive backs that just always let things come to them. I like guys that try to make things happen, whether it's against the run or the pass. Like I mentioned, he comes downhill a lot. Really likes to try and blow up screens or outside runs, very willing tackler. Really good instincts that I think have come along with his experience. He just always seems to understand what he's seeing in front of him, understands the route concepts and can kind of see things coming as they're about to develop. really plays with just the utmost confidence,

Starting point is 00:25:05 which I like to see plays really freely. Like I said, his miss tackle rate isn't great, but I do think he's got a lot of good tape-making open-field solo tackles, oddly enough. I think it's just if you get him squared up with someone, they're going to be able to get through him. But motion on motion, if he's coming downfield at a guy, he's usually going to be able to make that tackle.

Starting point is 00:25:30 And then he's aggressive when it comes to playing the ball. He punches the ball out when he can, trying to force fumbles, six career picks, six breakups, a couple force fumbles, and three fumbles recovered. And remember, he's only been starting for a couple years now. So, like, he's a five-year player, but if you extrapolate that, it's, you know, the statistics are a little better. And then another fun fact, never had a penalty called on him in five years.

Starting point is 00:25:55 That's cool. So a pretty clean player, relatively. Yeah, he sounds a lot like, a Rodney Thomas replacement for year one. That's exactly right. Like a high level Rodney Thomas replacement could probably do some personal protector and some other stuff on special teams. But you could probably get him on more defensive snaps and like a true rotation.

Starting point is 00:26:15 Also, so Hunter Woler doesn't have to take so many snaps. Like you can get Wheatley and bind him on the field together and have Bina play a little bit more strong safety where I think he plays some good snaps there. So I like that. I do like the key Wheatley a good bit. We'll see, I've seen his draft range be anywhere. from late round two to early round four. So we'll see ultimately where he ends up going.

Starting point is 00:26:34 My last guy I want to talk about today, defensive tackle, Grayson Halton, out of Oklahoma. Now, I know that the Colts have a lot of three texts currently on the roster. Atatamuade, Bore, Kobe Wooden, and DeForest Buckner, which again, his status is still a little bit up in the air. But Grayson Halton, man, I cannot quit this guy. There are so many things that we look at when it comes to prospects from traits to how we project them,

Starting point is 00:27:00 but also just how productive they were in college. I know a lot of people have gotten on Ballard over the past couple years about taking these project players that aren't productive in college. But I think when we look at Halton, he's kind of like a perfect amalgamation of all of it, right? Like in college, according to football insights,

Starting point is 00:27:18 over on Twitter, a really great account over there, if you guys want to check them out. He was second in this class among past rush win rate last year. He was one of only two guys over 11%, only behind Peter Wood. and I believe he was one of two guys to be over 10, one of three guys to be over 10% in pass rush win rate and over 8% in runstop rate.

Starting point is 00:27:39 And the only other two guys ahead of him, I believe were Skyler Gil Howard. I want to say it's Peter Woods as well with runstop as well. So Peter Wood is everybody's top defensive tackle prospect. Right. Woods is going to be a first rounder. And Skyler Gil Howard did that in like four games before he got hurt on a loaded defense. And then it's Grayson Holden in the SEC at Oklahoma, right?

Starting point is 00:27:58 hyper, hyper productive player, tested out of this world, right? 6-2-293, around a 482 at the combine, which is 74th percentile, 36-5-inch vertical jump, which is 91st percentile. Broad jump with 67th percentiles are pretty good as well. The big issue with him, though, arm length. Arm length is only 31 inches. Oh, no. Wingspan is only 14th percentile as well.

Starting point is 00:28:23 So I understand that concern when it comes to lack of length in guys who are super athletes, It doesn't usually project as well to the NFL. But when you get a guy who is so productive in the SEC with his explosion and his speed, that's just something I'm willing to bet on. We look at some of his comps here on mock draftable, right? A couple of them are guys who have just outplayed their draft position to it. Jalen Redman, who I believe was an undrafted free agent who was a star with the Minnesota Vikings last year, like legitimately awesome with the Vikings.

Starting point is 00:28:55 That's one of his better comps on here. Braden Fiskey, a guy who we all were big on the last couple years. Larry Ogunjubi Ogun Jovi. Ogun Jovi. Yvonne Hargrave on here as well. So, like, I don't know. I think the profile is just so worth betting on, right? Where, yes, the wingspan and the arm length is a concern, but he's so athletic and he

Starting point is 00:29:21 was so productive last year at Oklahoma that I'm willing to make that bet on that player. that's a lot of what the draft comes down to and even without turning the film on the film is really good too like i'm not saying i didn't watch film the film on him is really good uh but just looking at the profile that he has and seeing some of the historical comps to that profile like a jalen redman who outplayed his lack of draft position uh last year or two years ago whatever it was i think halton's going to be a pretty good NFL player so even if he's just a high end role player like just a high end role player i think that that's a guy worth betting on so halton might be a round three guy might be around four guy i think he'd be sitting there in round four like i'd say screw it just take them yeah like honestly you could set you up too like because wooden is going into i think the last year of his rookie contract and tommy as well going into last year his rookie contract so you you can have kind of the replacement for those guys in case you can't pay them or if one of them has to become your your starter if buckner's not here after the year you can have that backup in halton developing as well so i really like rason halton doesn't make any sense right

Starting point is 00:30:26 though for the Colts outside of him being in like around four or five, just flyer that you take. But I think for most teens, I'd have like a top 70 grade on him, top 60 grade on him. I'm actually higher on him than I, than we are in the Indy draft guide. But I really like his film. I like that.

Starting point is 00:30:42 And I think the Colts like him. If I've heard correctly, I can't remember where I came from. But I do feel like that. They met him. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:30:50 And I think he had, I remember a couple flashplays from him during 11 on 11s down at the senior bowl. So yeah, that's a good player. And I do think defensive tackle is a position that you may not technically have, it may not be a hole on the Colts roster, but I think the Colts will never not see the interior as a need. You know, I think they would have gone interior D-line early last year if the opportunity presented itself.

Starting point is 00:31:18 I think they'd be willing to do it now, honestly, now more than ever, because Buckner, 32, coming off the neck injury, next year he's going to be 33. And like you said, Tommy and Wooden are both free agents. Hillary is maybe, you don't know if he's going to make the roster. But Grover's getting up there too. Yeah, Grover is also 32. It's like you may be in decent position in 2026, but you're not in 2027 necessarily.

Starting point is 00:31:45 So, I mean, especially if you're drafting a guy in the third, fourth round, you're not really drafting him for instant impact. You're drafting him for the next couple years. Yeah, no, for sure. Jake and I still have plenty of guys to get. too, but we are out of time for today, so we'll probably push some of this to a future episode as well. But thank you all for tuning in today to Locked on Colts. We're back yet again tomorrow afternoon.

Starting point is 00:32:06 So make sure you subscribe and follow Locked on Colts so you get the latest episodes. If you don't already, make sure you're following out Lockedon Colts at Jake Arthur and Fellon at Zach Hicks 2 all on social medias. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is built for you. Get us ad free plus members only Discord access and much more. Head to Locktoncultz.com.com to join. in the club. And for those of you on video, we send you to the first ever 24-7 national NBA YouTube channel on audio. Make sure that your next listen is a locked-on NFL draft show with our guys

Starting point is 00:32:36 Damien and Keith. We'll see you guys tomorrow and also here later tonight with the Colts Squad show with Island Pinkett and Derek Schultz. So we'll catch you guys later then.

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