Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren in Round 1 of NFL Draft?

Episode Date: February 18, 2025

The Indianapolis Colts must consider going tight end in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, considering their needs at the position and the potential talent on the board. Does Penn State's Tyler Warren or Michigan's Colston Loveland fit the offense better?Pre-Order the 2025 Indy Draft Guide today! 225+ scouting reports with how each player fits the Colts: https://draftguide.gumroad.com/l/indy25 Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box! JOIN HERE! Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts/📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/ Follow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOn_SI, as well on TikTok and Instagram! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland? Which tight end should the Colts reach for in the first round? 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. Thank you all for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hicks, your resident film nerd of HorseshoeHuddle.com

and the guy who's drawn the ire of all Colts Nation by saying reach with Tyler Ward in that opening there. I got your guys' attention. I got your guys' attention there. I'm joined today by Ben Boras at Colts Film Room to talk through some NFL draft stuff. Ben is a regular guest on this show at this point. I think we can comfortably say that now, Ben. Yeah, reoccurring guest. Yeah, reoccurring guest.

You know, you're the Kimmy Gibbler or whatever of the show here from Full House. But yeah, he's a regular guest on this show here. And I basically asked him this morning, you know, what draft topics do you want to talk about? And Ben being a Penn State alum who you said you worked for Penn State when Tyler Warren was a guy there? Yeah, it was a year before-ish.

There we go. I'm not – you're like addressing my biases because like i'm not actually biased i know i know we're gonna talk through it we're gonna talk wearing it out no no i know i know we're gonna set this up but no we're gonna talk through uh the tight end debate or the two tight ends that the colts could consider in round run with colston loveland and obviously tyler warren who everybody in indianapolis wants to come to the Colts at 14. Then we're going to talk through some running backs because that's what Ben wanted to go to after that. And then we're going to give just our overall thoughts on the 2025 draft as of right now

and also how we could see this Colts team really attack the draft. But let's kick this off with probably the biggest debate of the draft season when it comes to the Colts. Like everyone knows the Colts need a tight end in this draft. And they missed out on the slam dunk pick last year in Brock Bowers. There were rumors the Colts tried to move up. Bowers could have been one of the guys they were looking at. They missed out. Bowers breaks every rookie record that you can possibly have for a tight end.

So now, I'm not going to say overcompensating, but now it kind of feels like hey we have another really good tight end prospect the Colts are kind of in the range for him and that is Tyler Warren from Penn State Loveland also falls into this so we'll talk about him as well but Tyler Warren biases aside Ben this has been a guy that you've been on for a while and he had a great season this past year yeah so allow me to like Zach talks about my biases I'm not biased at all so what because if he had gone to Tulane I would have thought he was the same player you're just more exposed to his film is what you are you're not you're not a bias at all yeah I'm really not um so here's the way that

I look at this Colts offense especially under Shane Steichen and then the way the team's built as well they are a team that wants to be an 11 personnel so that would be one running back one tight end three wide receivers they don't want to take Josh Downs off the field they want him to be on the field well I thought the problem and the data would also show you this when Shane Steichen got to Indianapolis they were third in the league in 11 personnel usage and then this year they kind of dropped off and I mean talk about reason they were still top 10 though they were 10th and 11 personnel usage. And then this year they kind of dropped off, and we can talk about reason. They were still top 10, though. They were 10th in 11 personnel.

They are a team that wants to keep three wide receivers on the field. That lends itself to figuring out, okay, so what are we going to do in that personnel packages? And I thought that the problem that the Colts ran into was that they were a little bit too predictable about what plays they were going to run with what tight end. I think obviously we know what Mo'Ally Cox and Drew Ogletree can bring to the table from their ability to block. But I think what defenses also know that. So when they're out there, what Chris Ballard basically said, they didn't have to prepare for someone over the middle of the field. And they also can kind of sell out a little

bit against the run or these heavy play action concepts. So I thought that's the problem that the Colts got into. I think the other thing that you can talk about is they have been, coincidentally or not coincidentally, 23rd in red zone scoring percentage in the past two years. For an offense that should be nasty in the red zone with Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson, that's an area that they've certainly struggled with to get mismatches down there. And also considering that their wide receivers are built like power forwards. So that's a place that they need help. But I think where Tyler Warren becomes the best fit for the Indianapolis Colts in the draft is the playbook is entirely open from 11 personnel.

You can keep Josh Downs, Alec Pearson, Michael Pittman, and it doesn't matter what run you're going to call. It doesn't matter what pass you're going to call. He's going to be able to execute it, and you don't have to call what some offensive coordinators would call 11 heavy. So like for the Green Bay Packers, that would be 11 personnel with Mercedes Lewis. Basically, your blocking tight end is out there in 11 personnel, and you don't need to do that with Tyler Warren because he can do everything that that guy can do play on the line of scrimmage, but he can also be a guy that if you needed to flex them out wide, you could,

if you need him to play off and be kind of the sniffer type, he could. And I think that that versatility lends itself to an offense that doesn't put a lot of tight ends on the field very often. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think that is kind of the final piece that the Colts need on offense. Like when we look at this Colts offense, despite it having a much worse season than the Colts defense did,

surprisingly, the Colts offense was not very good by any account last year. It feels like they're closer to being there because of they have the personnel and in pretty much every spot, except maybe quarterback and then tight end, you know, like they have the personnel and in pretty much every spot except maybe quarterback and then tight end you know like they have the offensive line they have the receivers they have the running back they have the play caller we think you and i think yeah but they just need that middle of the field threat at tight end and they need a guy who like you said i think you you said it perfectly there they need it to not be so predictable at tight end you know like when moe's on the field he's not he's not catching the ball we knew that there was going to be a gap scheme run or especially when it was 12 personnel with

uh Ogletree and Molly Cox they did a lot of max protect so like that was really what they were trying to do and and but to your point like for as far away as this offense is if you look at an offensive line that will be nothing at the bare minimum will be league average with chris ballard considering how he invests in it uh alec pierce who had a pretty good season this past year michael pitman who was played pretty much played the entire year banged up but he was 100 catches the year prior josh downs and then you add tyler warren and jonathan taylor like i i don't see that this this becomes a nasty offense like if you can get decent quarterback play so um they're probably closer to being a good unit than the defense is despite

probably having the worst year out of the two yeah yeah that's what I would be I would say as well so getting to how we kind of value these two tight ends though because these are really the two guys that I've identified and I'm sure you have to like a lesser degree in terms of like Loveland, but these are the two guys that can do what you said from day one. They can come in, be your number one tight end, be a guy who can both work in the run game, work in the passing game, be an actual threat over the middle of the field. Maybe again, maybe not Brock Bauer's impact from day one, but you get a good plus player into your offense. So now it comes to the valuation, you know, Warren, I think I feel comfortable saying we're both good with taking him at 14, but where do we feel about trading up for a guy like Tyler Warren?

Yeah, I mean, that's, that's the million dollar question that I think that that definitely gets people rattled. I would say it's not going to be like Brock Bowers where I think, I don't think this is crazy to say, but if you had to look through last year like Brock Bowers where I think, I don't think this is crazy to say, but if you had to look through last year's draft class, like I think if there was one player who is going to be like a hall of fame player already, like I think Brock Bowers would be that guy. I don't think he's this Tyler Warren's the same player for the fact that, you know, I think a lot of hype is like, Oh,

he's got to come in and break the rookie rec passing record. And I don't think that's gonna that's not who he is he's not a guy brock power is essentially played in my opinion as a big wide receiver in that offense he was essentially your wide receiver one uh he just happened to line up where a tight end lines up and happened to be a little bit bigger uh tyler warren's a guy that's gonna give you impact on a down and down on basis but this the stat sheet might not always show that so um it's probably a little bit too early i do think that you would have i think i would be okay with trading up maybe a couple spots if you thought that i someone like denver or the

chargers were like lurking in the wind but i don't think you it would be a scenario where you need to get up to seven and or six and try and like jump the jets or anything like that this is not that type of player yeah and then the follow-up question is say warren does go at like eight or nine because this is not a very top heavy draft class and i could certainly see a world where warren goes like number eight or number nine and the colts miss out on that and let's also say in this scenario like malachi starks off on that and let's also say in this scenario like Malachi Starks off the board too let's take away another player that everybody loves for the Colts could you see someone like Loveland being in play at 14 again I know you and I are a little bit lower on Loveland compared to like that valuation but just because the Colts

need it so much on this offense like would you take him at 14 that's good it's a tough question so I think that Loveland is a better fit for the Chargers or like the Ravens these teams that are going to go heavy personnel because he could essentially be your big slot receiver he could basically be that guy the Colts don't necessarily do that so I think what's kind of grown on me with Loveland is he is credible enough as an in-line blocker that teams don't need to like an epidemic that I think we're seeing with some of these guys is defenses will just match 12 personnel, so two tight ends in the game, with nickel defense because they basically don't believe that Brock Bowers is any better of a blocker than a wide receiver, essentially is what they're saying.

Loveland kind of gives that. So the way that I would say it is he is good enough in 11 personnel, not to the degree of Warren, but you would need to have a complementary tight end like a Drew Ogletree who could be on the line of scrimmage taking on some of those defensive ends at the point of attack while Loveland is the type of guy you want on your linebackers and safety so um would i take him at 14 i think that's definitely depending on how free agency goes but i think he's the type of guy where i'm not as enthusiastic for the reason of he's not the same size it doesn't have the same play strength that i think warren does to be that dynamic run blocker which we know the colts want to do with Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I

completely agree there. But you guys let us know what you think in the comment section. Let's let's pose the question to you guys. Would you trade up for Warren or would you stay put and take Loveland at 14 or even make it even harder? Would you trade back and take Loveland or trade up for Warren? Which one is more enticing to you guys there? I think that could be an interesting question there in the comments section. But coming up, we're going to stay on the offense. We've been talking a lot about the defense this offseason, but we're going to stick with the offense and talk about some running backs.

Now, the Colts have Jonathan Taylor, who ran for like 800 yards in the final four weeks of the season. But you want to keep that mileage low. You want to get a second running back in here. And this class looks ready to go with running backs. We're going to talk about running backs here in just a second. But first, when the game tips off, the NBA action is just getting started. There's no better place to get in on it than FanDuel,

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That's Fanduel.com for your shot at $150 in bonus bets. Make every moment more with Fanduel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. All right, Locked on Colts Everydayers. We are back with Ben Boris at Colts Film Room to talk some 2025 NFL Draft. And we talked about tight ends in the first segment. That's obviously the big discussion point right now,

especially when it comes to the Colts offense. But I do think backup running back or like rotational running back is such an underrated need. And unlike tight end and all these other positions that we talk about, a need for the Colts, you can kind of look at those in free agency. When it comes to the backup running back, though, you just want to get running backs young, man. You want to get young running backs in here

because the college game is producing so many good running backs to where these guys are burning out by the time they're hitting free agency. So this class looks to be really good. Maybe not the generational running back class that some people were touting during the season, but still a pretty darn good running back class so i'll pose this question to you first ben to kind of kick off this segment how early do you consider running back for the colts like is there a guy in round two or i mean dare i say around one but round two where you're

like maybe the culture just take them because it makes your offense so much better. Like how early are you considering running back in this class? Without knowing free agency, without knowing on the board, yes. I do think in the second round, without knowing those two, and depending that the Colts were active in free agency and filled up some of their additional holes, I do. I think that this is – when you look at what's kind of – so Jonathan Taylor is going to always be – as long as he's here, I think he's going to take the bulk of the carries.

Like this isn't a Jameer Gibbs, David Montgomery type style. This is a Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry thing where Jonathan Taylor is going to get the bulk of the reps. What the Colts do need is – and they pretty much told you in the past two years that this is what they're going to do is when the Colts are in a pure – we saw it in the Green Bay game. We've seen it in the New Orleans Saints game two years ago. It was like when the Colts are down in a game and they are passing the ball, they will take Jonathan Taylor off the field. He will come off the field. And I think where the

Colts could, and they, what they really got in Zach Moss and a little bit in Trey Sermon is the ability to pass protect. And I think that's an underrated part that we probably aren't talking about when it comes to running backs, because we're thinking, oh, like, let's just copy the, Trey Sermon is the ability to pass protect. And I think that's an underrated part that we probably aren't talking about when it comes to running backs, because we're thinking, oh, like, let's just copy the Montgomery Gibbs model. So let's just get like Travion Henderson, who, by the way, is a great pass blocker, but like that just kind of like, or that Dylan Sampson, that guy who just did a little underside,

but he's got this, the pure play speed and juice. And he'll just be like the great change of pace back. I think there's certainly some value in that. I think we kind of saw a little bit, like even the Miami game with Tyler Goodson where we got some of that extra juice out of the backfield. But I think that they ultimately need a guy that can pass protect. If Quinshawn Judkins is there in the second round, that's a guy for me who like, that guy will stick his nose and take on linebackers blitzing. He will protect

the quarterback. So that's a guy for me that I've identified who, you know, can come in, maybe not going to get all the carries right away. He didn't get all the carries at Ohio State and be productive when his number's called. But also if it's third down and they need to block up a pressure, he can do it. Yeah, I think if the Colts do consider a running back, I think round two would be a little bit high for a pass blocker, a pass catcher. I love Judkins.

I do. Round two is a little high, I think, for that for the Colts. He might go round two because I do think he's a good player. But I do think once you get like round three territory in this class and say like that would be provided on free agency let me write before everyone roasts me in the comments like they would know no you're good significantly some significant work in free agency to just say to go pure best player available there right right yeah and Jenkins could be best player available by the colt second he's a very very good player um but i do think like round three round four round five

in this class like you could talk me into any type of running back like it doesn't even need to be just the pass blocker or pass catcher it could be just the explosive guy that comes off the bench it could be the the tough running in between the tackles uh yeah like like they really yeah scatabo kind of fits a lot of those because the hard runner and the pass catcher ollie gordon yeah ollie gordon huge guy that runs downhill yeah and and they missed that last year when zach moss walked you know they didn't have that type of rotational guy that could come in bring a little bit of juice a little bit of physicality and then you can bring back in Taylor just to slice and dice and defense and here's the elephant in the room which is like you kind of just have to have these hard conversations sometimes

it's like in the past couple years Jonathan Taylor just hasn't stayed healthy and that's that's something that you have to look and think about uh that was the kind of the thing that was haunting Saquon Barkley up until this year and he stayed healthy for the majority of the games and I know that the Eagles are very big on using data in terms of uh trying to keep make sure that uh Saquon is getting his carries I know that they valued Kenny Gainwell a lot someone from the time uh from Steichen's time as well of being able to be that third down guy when it wasn't time for, they could take Saquon off the field. So I think that is something that they were missing, that you can't run. And I think you get a little bit of that with the quarterback run game,

but it's like running Jonathan Taylor into the ground consistently. And then when he was out of the lineup and the run game was non-existent in Jacksonville, I think he was out for, was he out for, he was back from Buffalo I think he was out for was he out for he was back from Buffalo but he was out for a Minnesota yeah he missed like a month of play this season yeah he missed like a chunk of games yeah he got hurt in the Pittsburgh game I think honestly right but when you can't go through stretch you can't look at a running back class like this where there's so many draftable players and say Jonathan Taylor is going isn going to have, we're going to be screwed essentially if Jonathan Taylor was to get hurt again. Yeah. And I think the draft is just

the perfect place to address that. Not even just because this draft is strong at running back, but just because like, these are good young running backs that are getting a lot of experience at a young age in the NFL. Like just keep replenishing the well, like draft one every year, whether it's in round six or seven, whether it's in round three or four, like just keep replenishing the well, like draft one every year, whether it's in round six or seven, whether it's in round three or four, like just keep drafting them and you're going to stumble upon some good ones to round out your running back room. But before we get out of this section, Ben,

were there any other running backs that really caught your eyes? You mentioned Scadabo, Judkins, Gordon, any other running backs? I personally love the Kansas dude, Devin Neal. Devin Neal is a great one as well obviously i mean i think he's going to be way too high marion hampton it was yeah i mean the colts aren't the colts there are teams that are way way more needy at running back and the colts aren't going to like i think quinshawn junkins is again you asked me the highest i would go and that would be probably if quinshawn junkins was there in the second round it's something you

consider i like travion henderson as well i think you're probably gonna have to fight off the raiders and chip kelly just bringing those guys right back um but uh rj harvey is a guy that i thought was really good when i watched him um yeah kyle menungai i think from from ruckers is super slippery he struggled in pass protection so i'm kind of going back on what what i said there but there's i think there's so many guys that you could talk me into um in this class dylan samson is a guy that like he is an electric runner i don't think he'll make it there but uh yeah i i think the running backs are gonna go early and often uh i just don't think there's any way that the colts aren't gonna take one at all at least by the, I think the fourth round would be the floor for me is where the Colts, the Colts will probably take one.

Yeah. It really depends on how the draft falls and what they do in free agency. But if they address some of these like needs on defense and free agency, then yeah, I do think running back is certainly in play. And I'll say this, man, I'll risk it all for Hampton from North Carolina.

I love him. I love it. He's so good. So good. If he's there in round two, I'd take him. I don't care. He's just that good of a player, but that's a conversation for another day right there. But coming up, guys, we're going to take a step back in this draft conversation, talk about just our overall thoughts on the class and how the Colts could approach this and how, as of right now, Ben and I are a little bit stumped on how the Colts could go about this draft. We'll obviously get more answers with free agency, but yeah, I think we're a little bit stumped.

We'll talk about that in here in just a second. All right, Locked On Colts, every day as we are back talking all about the 2025 NFL Draft. I'm joined by Ben Boers at Colts Film Room. And to kind of start this conversation here, Ben, with just our overall thoughts on this class, you know, it's still kind of early. We don't have the testing. Like I'm sure there will be some guy who's projected in round three right now, come next week, all of a sudden he's getting top 15 love because he ran the fastest three cone time in the history of the event or something like it happens every year so there will be some guys who rise up here obviously with the combine right around the corner but as of right now this is a weird draft for the colts and i put out a tweet

the other day and i think you agreed with it too so i think this is a good place to start with where last year even at this time before the combine i had a list of like five six seven guys come pick 15 that i would be in love with for the colts like quinion mitchell brian thomas jr uh dallas turner like if any of those guys were there yeah like if any of those guys were there uh dunes a bowers yeah it was like run that card in get yourself a blue chip player and honestly a lot a lot too a lot too wasn't even on there and i still kind of liked him after the class after the draft as well this year i don't even have one that i'd run the card in for like tyler warren i like a lot and i would probably take him at 14 but i'm not as enthused with tyler

warren at 14 this year than i would have been even with like Quinion Mitchell at 15. And you guys can dig on my old tweets on that one too. So that's not just me saying it after the fact. So it's a weird draft, man. Like I am not super in love with the Colts options at 14. Again, maybe some guy runs a, you know, a four one at receiver or something. And all of a sudden I'm just saying I need to have him at 14 next week. But as of right now, man, I don't know. The top of this draft is weird. And I'm curious to see what the Colts do with that first round pick. So, yeah, I think I'm actually not sure

that there's anyone that I would straight up run the card that that is realistic. Like if if Travis Hunter is going to be there, like, yes, but he's Mason Grant. Maybe we go three defensive tackles. If Abdul Carter makes his – who else is at the top of the draft? Like, these – no, well, not Gentia. I'm just saying these, like, blue, blue chip guys.

Like, if they fall, like, yeah. But they're not going to. So I think when you're sitting there at 14, it's such a weird part of the draft because, A, I think when you're sitting there at like as a top five six seven but you have an idea of you can do some more digging to figure out who realistically is going to be there first i have no idea who's going to be there i have really no idea who really like there aren't a lot of like it sounds boring but like trenches i think is absolutely live to be a 14 14 pick like

if shamar stewart is there is that athletic defensive end type that's big enough to play six technique like is that somewhere that they just do it again and then they just say uh we're just gonna keep follow the eagles model of just we're drafting trenches uh i don't know uh and that's where i think that i do first of all i'm not convinced they're going to pick at 14 regardless of how free agency goes i think that they will either panic and trade up for tyler warren or or they just they hold out for tyler warren but i don't think that's the case i think it's realistically he won't be there and they trade down and then drafting a running back in round two becomes very realistic if you have

like two other day two picks so like that's where i i think that it'll be really interesting to do where they do at the top of the draft because you're right i i don't see a ton of like colts need this this guy is available in that range right now yeah and i think it's really interesting too with this draft like going outside of round, because this also isn't like the deepest draft. Like I think it's a good like Friday draft, like there are some good players for round two and three, but I don't think it's like an uber deep draft even there. And then it certainly falls off like we've seen in years past as you get to day three, like most drafts do. But it's not like this draft where I think you can fill out your team with a bunch of day one contributors like I think it's going to be like you know kind of like last year where they were kind of reaching for what they thought were backup linemen in round three

and round four so trade back I think becomes really realistic so you can get three guys in the first two rounds and add more young talent to this team but then when we get to like day two for instance you know free agency is going to be a big part of this because i do think the culture pretty active in free agency on the defensive side of the ball i'm with you so do you go offense in the draft then or do you just commit this whole offseason all defense baby like we are going we're signing a starting corner We're signing a starting linebacker. We're drafting another corner. We're drafting a saved like, but like, is this an off season where every single resource goes to defense or just like

the free agency does to the defense? Like we get older on defense and younger on offense. I'm curious to see which way the Colts go with that. And Chris Ballard, it sounds like so basic, but like, he really has drafted at the position that you thought was going to be a need if that player is there. Like edge rusher, like I put a tweet out,

like when Colts just kind of just started, but like edge rusher was very alive as something that the Colts needed last off season, despite feeling like they had coming off the franchise record in sacks, they still needed an edge rusher. I think they've done that in the past you know um with with guys like even to the second round like michael pitman wide receiver was a really big need alec pierce wide receiver was still really a big need like they have done that so i think that's the type of thing when you

look at luana rumo's past he's a guy and you also kind of look at the cold situation right now where they i don't think they've they've gone young in the secondary and they don't have the, Chris Ballard sat there in front of the media and said, we were going to live through the growing pains. Does he want to do that with, with these guys in the draft? And that's where I've kind of been on and off about like the Colts are prioritizing DB. They've from the staff that they have hired, they are bringing in a star-studded DB staff to try and fix the secondary. Now, the players that go along with that, I've lost some confidence that they're going to be taking a guy at 14 or in that first round. Just from Lou Anarumo's history of prioritizing guys who are smart and instinctive and vet guys in the secondary as well as on the defense as well.

So I think that's also a factor as well when you consider Lou Anarumo and that hire and just his experience. So I'm agreeing with you. I think they're going to be active. Yeah. And I love what you mentioned there about with Chris Ballard. We might not always know the player. We kind of build a Ballard's pretty good outside of Laatu last year. You know, to my own horn there, but outside of Laatu last year, it's been pretty good, but we don't always know the player they're going to take, but we usually know the position that the Colts are targeting. Like last year, even if edge wasn't the number one position we were all circling,

it was like number two or three. And then they probably tried up to get a wide receiver and they didn't get it address it in round two with AD Mitchell. So right, exactly where I was going with that. I mean, Bernhardt Ryman's draft season, a wide receiver and they didn't get it address it in round two with ad mitchell so right exactly where i was going with that uh i mean bernhardt ryman's draft season we knew they were going to tackle at some point they got ryman uh we knew a tight end was coming at some point they took two tight ends that draft the alec pierce we knew they were going to get one of those bundles of wide receivers with pierce or sky sky more or george pickens like we knew one of those so like we usually know what

position the Colts are going outside of tight end right now though I don't really know what position the Colts are going to go um and and well I guess we'll see with free agency I don't think they do the other thing that's like worth pointing out is like for a guy that Chris Bowers like take the best player available take the best player available, take the best player available. He'll do it, but when that position of need is the best player available. So he'll trade down. Like with the A.D. Mitchell thing, he traded down to go get A.D. Mitchell because he knew he could do it, and he was the best player available. Juju Brents is another great example of trading down to where he thought he could get a guy.

And that's what he'll do. So, yeah, I think you're so right that we usually know the positions. We just don't know when or the player. Yeah. And I'll pose this one last question before we get out of here, because what you just said made me think of something where Chris Ballard likes to take best player available at position that he didn't address earlier in the offseason. Right. So it's best player available, but I he didn't address earlier in the off season right so it's best player available but i need an edge rusher so best player best edge available or best playmaker available right but say we get to pick 14 say the colts for the most part address everything but

like tight end and grades right we get to 14 warren's gone they don't want to take loveland there and bpa is like a defensive tackle or a guard or um what's another a defensive end again like they just took defensive end last year but like a defensive end again like do we see look chris bauer loves the trenches man and i don't think that like uh daniel jeremiah put out a series of tweets i just agree with it it's like everyone is like scoffs at like drafting an offensive tackle or an offensive guard in the first round or like a defensive end in the first round, because it's not like you can't just like picture,

you can't play with them in Madden and you can't draft them on your fantasy team. And that's how the Eagles made it to the Superbowl. They drafted Nolan Smith. They drafted Jalen Carter. They've continuously invested in the trenches year after year, after year, after year, eagles made it to the super bowl they drafted nolan smith they drafted uh uh jalen carter they have continuously invested in the trenches year after year after year after year obviously they have just allen but like that that's what they do so i think that that's something that we're not talking about like if shamar stewart is that i don't you have to see what his testing numbers

are of course but if he's there and like you're in that situation i am absolutely not ruling out uh chris ballard taking another edge rusher and saying quitty pay is on a fifth year option we don't know who's going to be a crud we know that latu will be here shamar stewart and i i don't think that anyone's talking about that but i think it's also a factor look man all i'm going to say this about shamar stewart before we get out of here because we'll'll do another episode on Shamar Stewart at some point. He's like, what, 6'6", 280, long arms, senior bowl standout, very athletic. And who are they losing in free agency potentially this offseason? Dayo Adangbo.

So there is that role opening up on the defense. You need to bookmark this for after the draft and be like, he already knew. I'm just saying, like, I think it's really possible that I could technically do that with any draft draft. I do a daily podcast during February for the NFL. Like I could do that with any draft prospect.

I've called every pick. I'm sure I called lot to somehow last year too, even though it wasn't a huge fan. But yeah, no, I think Shamar Stewart could make sense. And look again i will say this one more time chris ballard trenches he's trent he is investing high picks and investing

big money in trenches over secondary and playmakers it's always what he does you know so when we're looking at pick 14 i can't rule out a guard can't rule out, I can't rule out a guard. Can't rule out a tackle. Can't rule out a defensive tackle. Can't rule out a defensive end because this is how Chris Ballard operates. I know we all wanted to change. You put Kenneth Grant out there. I think that pick is very alive. I mean, look, third defensive tackle plays a lot of snaps. But again, these are conversations for another day here.

I just think we could see a trench play in the first round for the Colts for sure. But you guys let us know in the comment section what you think. Is it all in for Tyler Warren? Is it trade back and take a linebacker? I saw a lot of you guys loving the Jahad Campbell pick I made in the mock draft yesterday. So maybe a linebacker is where you go. Or

I don't see Chris Barrett. Yeah, we'll see. You guys let us know in the comment section below. I want to thank you guys for making Locked On Colts your first listen today and every day. Next, go find Locked On NFL. First, the Madman Tyler Rowland kicks off your more of the double shot of NFL espresso. And then stop by the barbershop with Tony Wiggins for some real NFL talk. And if you want to become a Locked On Colts insider and chat with us directly and get that insider scoop, Follow the link in our show notes. And if you don't already, make sure you're following at Locked on Colts, at Jake Arthur,

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