Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts' Shane Steichen STUDIES Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard at Pro Day

Starting point is 00:00:00 Notre Dame held their pro day this week and the Colts were very well represented, including head coach Shane Stiken. And he had his eyes on a couple guys. Let's get to it. podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. All right. Thanks for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. What's up everybody? This is Jake Arthur from horseshoehuddle.com, your resident credentialed media member for the site.

Starting point is 00:00:52 And today we're talking all about Notre Dame's Pro Day that they had on Thursday. I was in attendance as was pretty much a contingent from the Colts. Head coach Shane Steichen, Special Teams Coordinator Brian Mason and assistant special teams coordinator Joe Hastings, as well as Midwest area scout Mike Lacey. So South Bend for Notre Dame just a few hours up the road for the Colts. But Shane Steichen isn't just at every pro day. So it's pretty notable when he is. So you kind of want to keep an eye on who he's watching. So you know, we'll kind of get into the main players here and

Starting point is 00:01:25 that's kind of what they had their eyes on. So Riley Leonard, Jack Kaiser, Mitchell Evans, Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts are the ones to really pay attention to for the Colts. Those are the guys probably gonna get drafted the highest anyways. Leonard the quarterback of course, three year starter transfer from Duke to Notre Dame help get Notre Dame all the way to the national championship. That's a dual threat quarterback does plenty of running not the strongest passer in the world. That's definitely the biggest question he has to answer, especially the deep ball.

Starting point is 00:01:57 He threw the ball pretty well during field work on Thursday. He had some really good throws that were just totally uncorked it and let the wide receivers get under it. But there were a couple that he left kind of hanging a bit where receivers had to wait on it. I was pretty comparable to how you guys probably heard me describe Will Howard's day from Wednesday from Ohio State. Now for a bit there, Shane Steichen and

Starting point is 00:02:24 Riley Leonard were off in the back speaking one on one. And I'm getting a fairly good vibe that the Colts are interested in adding their third quarterback through the draft probably late or like as a priority free agent. We know they're very they're looking into Quinn Ubers quite a bit. We know they're very they're looking into Quinn you was quite a bit. Obviously Riley Leonard is probably a late round guy at best. I would imagine probably a priority free agent. So you got Anthony Richardson, you got Daniel Jones, you know, that's the competition. Do you feel confident enough and kicking Jason being up to QB3 and Sam Ellinger's spot or do you go into the draft and you know rounds five six seven get your new guy to basically be your developmental third

Starting point is 00:03:12 quarterback in case of emergency essentially your guy to battle it out with Jason Bean. But Leonard when you look at their scouting reports Leonard is just kind of a bigger Sam Ellinger scouting reports Leonard is just kind of a bigger Sam Ellinger, not the strongest arm in the world. It's OK. Again, questions as a passer, but very capable as a runner. Obviously, if you saw in the national championship, that was their M.O. Really use Riley Leonard a lot on the ground. So if you want kind of just a bigger Sam,

Starting point is 00:03:41 Ellinger is a very good leader, good locker room guy. His teammates gravitate to him. So if you don't bring Sam Ellinger is a very good leader, good locker room guy, uh, his teammates gravitate to him. So if you don't bring Sam Ellinger back, a guy like Riley winter makes a lot of sense again, it looks like the Colts are doing their due diligence. They at least had Shane talk to him a little bit. Uh, another guy who got a good bit of attention from the Colts was linebacker Jack Kaiser that someone you've heard us talk about a lot on the show, uh, over the last, uh last couple months.

Starting point is 00:04:06 I get the vibe this is for more of a depth linebacker special teams role, Brian Mason and Mike Lacey and I think Joe Hastings were all talking to him quite a bit off to the side. And you know they need that replacement for Grant Stewart, maybe even a replacement for Trevor Denbo who suffered a catastrophic knee injury during the season. And, you know, we were talking to Kaiser after the pro day and Andrew Moore, you know, friend of the show, asked him about special teams. And Kaiser said even on the punt team, he has experience basically making the calls, which is what Trevor Denbo was doing for the Colts. So Jack Kaiser makes a lot of sense. basically making the calls, which is what Trevor Denbo was doing for the Colts. So Jack Heiser makes a lot of sense.

Starting point is 00:04:50 I really like what I saw from him at the senior bowl. I thought he covered really well. Short to intermediate stuff. He had everything on lock. He's not like some elite supreme athlete, but he is kind of a gamer. He plays really well on the field. His testing scores were fine for six to in the 40 34 and a half inch vertical nine foot nine broad jump 6.8 three come though, which makes a lot of sense because he's very quick moves around well in short spaces. So Kaiser is a very very intriguing option for me on on day three.

Starting point is 00:05:21 They need deaf linebackers. They're gonna need need a couple more guys for like special teams, aces. And I think Jack Kaiser could be just knocked out of the park. If you get him on day three, that is an Indiana football dude. He comes from pioneer high school. One Indiana Mr. Football obviously went to Notre Dame a million years. Keep him in Indiana. Why not? Will be a good story. Titan Mitchell Evans. That's a guy I like. No mid rounds day three for them at tight end. I'm not opposed to them drafting to tight ends. You go and get a guy like Tyler Warren, Colston, Loveland, Mason, Taylor,

Starting point is 00:05:59 whoever take your pick earlier in the draft. And if you need a guy who has some potential as a pass catcher in the short to mid game, you know red zone but can block and be an inline blocker. Mitchell Evans is your guy and I liked what I've seen from him throughout the pre-draft process 469 40, which is okay. 33 and a half inch vertical 9 foot 10 broad jump. Decent athlete fine. Nothing to write home about but you could do much worse.

Starting point is 00:06:26 There were some concerns about injuries with him. That's kind of his biggest knock. He had a broken foot in 2022 and tore his ACL in 2023, but lasted all the way in 2024, so he's more in the year removed from those big injuries and was

Starting point is 00:06:42 able to play a full season last year. So Mitchell Evans is a low risk high reward player. I think certainly capable of being a starting tight end a guy who doesn't really have to leave the field. But then you know, you have another tight end in house who is kind of the star think of Mitchell Evans is like your Mo Ali Cox for example, but maybe with a little better stealing, catching the ball. Benjamin Morrison quarter cornerback, six foot 191. He has really good ball production. His first two years that he was a real player had nine picks in those first two years suffered a hip injury that required surgery last year.

Starting point is 00:07:24 And he's really only just now getting back to it. He didn't work out at the pro day, but he's supposed to have a private workout for NFL scouts here coming up in April. He said they're still kind of up. That's up in the air. They're working things out right now, but he said he's healthy and he's ready to go. Morrison is, but we have yet to see him work out. I don't know how well he fits with the Colts. I'll be honest with you. He's got pretty short arms. He's got a 75 and a half inch wingspan. He's only got like 30 inch arms, which is well below what the Colts normally covet.

Starting point is 00:07:56 It's coming off that hip injury was never really known for elite speed. He's got the ball production, which I think is endearing, and he's got good coverage skills, but I just don't know if he is really what the Colts are looking for. Again, coming off that injury, he's not lengthy. He's got he's got shorter arms, but he's only six foot. So it's not like he's got long arms to make up for it. So I don't know. That's that one's pretty questionable.

Starting point is 00:08:24 If he's there like in round three, maybe they take a swim on it, but he's supposed to be gone, you know, by the end around to I don't really see it for the Colts. The last guy here will talk about at the top of the show is Xavier Watts the safety. They're waiting to see him work out didn't work out at the combine didn't go to the senior bowl because their season ran so long. didn't go to the senior bowl because their season ran so long. So he was saving it all for for Thursday, 6'205 good size as a safety. Big questions about his speed and athleticism. He ran under 4'6", which is good cuz I think it would have been awful for his draft stock if he ran in the 4'6", is a worse. 4'5", 6 is about what you would hope to see from him to answer questions about

Starting point is 00:09:04 speed. For a safety. You could do worse. That's it's fine. 456 is fine. You obviously want more 35 inch vertical 9 foot 10 broad. So his he whelmed at the pro day basically in terms of testing scores. He basically verified the tape what you questioned about him or had the yeah, but about him, he probably didn't do much to increase or decrease people's thoughts

Starting point is 00:09:31 there. The field workout I thought was really well went really well, you know, caught pretty much everything looked good doing it. He just got natural ball skills. And I talked to him after the pro day and you know, I said, you're very, you've got like high football IQ and you always seem to be kind of a step ahead. You know, what's the value of film study to you before the game and he puts a lot of work in behind the scenes, especially with film study and understanding what the other offense is doing. So that's very important. And these Notre Dame guys, I've I've covered their pro days for two or three years now talk to them a bunch of times at the combine throughout the years.

Starting point is 00:10:10 Did this program just turns out smart football players who really are into their craft and do the right thing when it comes to being prepared, you know, you can't really play for Marcus Freeman or Brian Kelly beforehand if you're not prepared. And so you're not always going to get uber athletes at Notre Dame, but you're always going to get smart football players. And all of these guys, I guess with the exception of Morrison, I could really see being coveted by the Colts. We either know there's interest there, saw them talking to him, or they just really fit. So know there's interest there saw them talking to him or they just really fit so Morrison will see he's not the normal Colts cornerback he's not really the normal Luan Arumo quarterback

Starting point is 00:10:58 but we'll see and coming up there were some other participants who maybe in the later rounds maybe could make a little bit of sense for the Colts we'll get into those guys in just a moment March Madness is here and Fandel is giving you guys the chance to get in on all that action like never before. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. That's 200 extra bucks to use on everything from buzzer beaters to Cinderella stories and even who's cutting on the nets. What do we think? Can Purdue get back to the final? They are looking tough this year and obviously things didn't end

Starting point is 00:11:29 how they wanted to before. But regardless, Fingal makes it easy to get them to back them with the spreads totals and game props with tournament games happening all the time. There's always something exciting to bet on the Fingal app is simple to use and when I win I get paid instantly. There's no waiting around. So visit fendle.com and get in on all the college hoops action all tournament long.

Starting point is 00:11:53 All right, so there were several other participants there up in South Bend on Thursday, but a few key guys who make some sense for the Colts. So Bo Collins is a guy that a lot of people kind of circle. I could see him as maybe a camp invite or you know maybe a local pro day or you know just a rookie camp guy because I don't know that he's going to be drafted necessarily but again Bo Collins six foot three one ninety eight ran a four five two so not elite speed but 6'3", 198, ran a 452, so not elite speed, but for that size, 6'3", 198, 452 is pretty decent. 38 inch vertical and a 10'10 broad, so he's got some explosive qualities there. Played three years at Clemson, then transferred to Notre Dame in 2024. Again, for his size, he moves pretty well,

Starting point is 00:12:42 he's got adequate speed, but he does have injury concerns and very questionable hands that plagued him basically throughout his career through Clemson, through Notre Dame. A guy like that normally has like elite speed or elite explosion. You know, you kind of think like a Martavis Bryant, for example. But Collins, I mean, he's got decent play speed, but four or five, two is pretty verifiable, I think. Again, I think he'll be a late round guy if he gets picked up. I don't know if it's going to be by the Colts, but, you know,

Starting point is 00:13:19 he's certainly someone you could bring in as a camp body, you know, rookie mini camp tryout, something like that. If he's around, he's intriguing nonetheless. Like he does some nice things, uh, catches in traffic and he can move the chains for a little bit when he does catch the ball. Uh, now some guys who make a lot more sense, Riley Mills, defensive tackle. Now he tore his ACL around playoff time. So he was, has not been able to participate in anything

Starting point is 00:13:47 Workout wise this offseason But he's pretty intriguing six foot five two ninety six could be one of those kind of interchangeable guys behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart Again, you're kind of phone it in for a rookie year. So this is guy that's probably going to be picked late. He's good athlete, though. He's a freaks list member and he's he's really increased his productivity throughout his career before he got hurt this year. He had eight and a half tackles for loss and seven and a half sacks

Starting point is 00:14:18 for for a big boy at the middle who's 300 pounds. That's pretty good numbers. So he's really strong. Kind of reminds me if you're if you're looking at sort middle who's 300 pounds. That's pretty good numbers. So he's really strong. Kind of reminds me if you're if you're looking at sort of a Colts comparison, Henry Anderson out of Stanford back in the day playing for the Colts back in the 2010s, you know, real endearing fan favorite kind of guy, like a three four defensive end body type

Starting point is 00:14:45 has decent length for as well. Again, the Colts. He's not like a defined three tech or defined nose. He's just kind of an interchangeable kind of guy. You could you could use him situationally, but we'll see if a team gives him a chance to maybe even get drafted again. You're drafting a guy with a torn ACL there. His running mate on the defensive line

Starting point is 00:15:05 and defensive tackle Howard Cross III. Pretty intriguing, 6'1", 283. There was actually a team at the combine that asked him to work out at fullback. And it doesn't seem like something he is super into the idea, but is willing to do it. He made it sound like, you know, it would be a bit of a change

Starting point is 00:15:25 But if a team wants me to work out at fullback, then I'm certainly willing to do it Nothing has really come of that yet. He still worked out at defensive tackle Solely other than that one request by whatever team at the at the combine But he's he's real tenacious, you know, he's very stout He doesn't at 61283. He lacks length and size. He doesn't have the athleticism to make up for it. So he's just kind of a guy, but he's going to give you a lot of effort.

Starting point is 00:15:56 And, you know, he's worth a free agent look. I think an underactive for agent look if he's out there. Just a guy that is at least going to compete and you know he's going to work hard and at worst he's got more as an OK run defender if he's able to slip some blocks. The last guy here is Mitch Jeter. Again, Brian Mason was was watching him carefully while he was kicking, was right up with him, was was watching him carefully while he was kicking was right up with him was talking to him

Starting point is 00:16:27 Kid from South Carolina four years there and then transferred to Notre Dame in 2024 36 of 46 career on field goal 78.3 percent 131 to 134 extra points 98 percent so doesn't really miss extra points. He was pretty erratic points, 98 percent. So doesn't really miss extra points. He was pretty erratic during his kicking workout. I'll be honest. He went basically from the extra point line back to 60 yards and had a few misses in there. So it wasn't great.

Starting point is 00:16:56 I'll be honest, but. You're going to have a lot of eyes on you in the NFL. I mean, I don't want to I don't want to bury the kid too much. Spencer Schrader was known for being really erratic as well. And now look, he's going to be competing with Matt Gay to be the Colts kicker. So, uh, Jeter is, is maybe someone the Colts bring in again. I don't know if you want to have more than two kickers. I mean, Brian Mason was certainly talking to him, so maybe there's something there.

Starting point is 00:17:28 But I wouldn't recommend carrying more than two kickers at a time. I certainly don't think Zach would recommend either. So maybe we'll have a kicking camp battle for Zach to break down someday. We'll see. But that is it for us today, guys. If you want to become a lockdown Colts insider and chat with us directly and get the inside scoop, follow the link in our show notes if you don't already follow at lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur NFL and at Zach kicks to on Twitter We're also on tik-tok and Instagram as well as that can I individually are on blue sky? Also, be sure to subscribe on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. We love your ratings and reviews as well It's always very valuable for us and with that you guys have a great day and we will see you later

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts' Shane Steichen STUDIES Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard at Pro Day

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.