Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold or Quinyon Mitchell at Pick 15?

Episode Date: February 21, 2024

The Indianapolis Colts could have some great options with the 15th overall pick. Could they go with explosive players on offense (Brock Bowers, Brian Thomas Jr.) or shutdown corners on defense (Terrio...n Arnold, Quinyon Mitchell)?Also, The Indy Draft Guide's Pre-Orders are now open! For $8.99 with code DRAFTMAS, you get access to 225+ in-depth scouting reports, features, and much more.Click the link to Pre-Order today: https://draftguide.gumroad.com/l/indy24Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOColts?sid=YouTube📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNFLFollow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOnFN!Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.NissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelGet buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 the indie draft guide is officially here. My friends, let's get to it. You are locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the locked on podcast network, your team the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts,
Starting point is 00:00:37 part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make every moment more. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning of a $5 bet. That's $150. If your bet wins, visit fanduel.com slash locked on to get started. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hicks. You guys know me from horseshoehuddle.com as your resident film nerd. And yes, as you guys heard at the top of the show with that cold open, we are talking Indie Draft Guide today, or at least for one segment.
Starting point is 00:01:09 Now, if you guys are unfamiliar with what the Indie Draft Guide is, the last three or so, I think it was the last three years now we've done it, Horseshoe Huddle has run the Indie Draft Guide every single year. Now, to give you some proper context to what the Indy draft guide is, is it's a unique, really cool draft guide that we make specifically for Indianapolis Colts fans. So every single player that we write up and we talk about in this upcoming draft in that guide
Starting point is 00:01:36 is specifically tailored to the Indianapolis Colts. We have team fits, talking about how they fit with the Colts. We have my Build a Ballard series will be the opening part of the, the entire book there. We have Colts trade up sub get player comps, and we do a lot of player comps to Colts players.
Starting point is 00:01:52 If you know, obviously the player hits that criteria there. We're going to try to do a little stamp on players this year. If they're a build a Ballard player, we're going to see if we can get that with our graphics department there. But, but yeah, Indie draft guide brought to you by horsesorseshoeHuddle.com. Really great stuff.
Starting point is 00:02:07 If you guys have bought it in years past, please let me know in the comments section. I'd love to interact with you guys there. But yeah, I promised to only do this one time this draft season, maybe the day that the draft guide releases, because these are just the pre-orders that are dropping right now. With the pre-orders, it'll be $8.99 with code DRAFTMISS at checkout. So again, if you guys go to the link, I'm going to put it in the show notes underneath today's show.
Starting point is 00:02:31 You guys can pre-order the Indie Draft Guide that will release right around draft time, about two weeks before the draft. I don't think we have a final release date yet, but it will release around draft time. You guys will have 225 plus in-depth scouting reports, team-specific fits for each player, player comps, exclusive features, and much, much more. We do have a lot of fun with this every single year.
Starting point is 00:02:54 I try to do some really cool giveaways and stuff to make sure a lot of you guys are getting the guide for free and having opportunities to get it for discounted options and stuff. So if you guys follow me on social media at Zach Hicks too, and also are a big fan of this show and follow the Locked On Colts channel there on Twitter and on YouTube, we will do really cool giveaways like taking a couple of bucks off the guide
Starting point is 00:03:15 if you guess trivia questions, giving away free guides to random subscribers or when people buy multiple guides, we do give away a couple to people. So make sure you're following at Zach Hicks too. And at Locked on Colts on Twitter slash X, whatever the heck you call it now, because we will do a lot of those cool giveaways with the guide.
Starting point is 00:03:34 It's just a really fun thing we like to do for Colts fans. You know, again, we've done this for three years now. And I think, again, the most exclusive thing about this kind of guide is that we tailor it to you guys. It's not tailored. You know, if you're getting like Dane Brugler's draft guide, which I think is one of the best ones in the entire business,
Starting point is 00:03:51 obviously you're getting those write-ups for every player, but you're not really hearing how they fit with the Indianapolis Colts. Again, in this guide of the 225 plus in-depth scouting reports that we provide, every single one of those scouting reports is going to have a section talking about, hey, this quarterback is a great cover three corner. He really gets his hips back there in cover three and has great zone eyes. So he'd really fit Gus Bradley or, hey, this receiver here is a great vertical thread. He's over six, four.
Starting point is 00:04:19 You know, Chris Ballard loves those six, four vertical threats, a wide receiver. So this is how this guy fits Indianapolis culture. Again, we try to tailor it all to you guys. Now, one thing I do want to correct about this draft guide, and again, it's a very respectful correction, is every single year people like to throw out there that it's the Zach Hicks draft guide, the Zach Hicks Colts draft guide. I am a big contributor for the draft guide. I do a lot of write-ups.
Starting point is 00:04:38 I mostly do the offensive line write-ups. But it takes an entire team. It's not just me doing this entire thing. I'm not doing all 225 scouting reports. I'm not doing every single bit of it, but I do do a lot of the team fits along with my colleagues at horseshoehuddle.com. And then we have a great team of writers doing the scouting reports. Again, I do mostly offensive line and maybe occasional other players here and there, but we have a lot of other really, really smart and talented writers working on it that do
Starting point is 00:05:06 quarterbacks and all the other positions. So I will definitely shout them out on social medias and make sure they're getting the proper love they deserve for their write-ups because they've done a great job over the years. I mean, last year we had Anthony Richardson as QB1 in that draft. And again, you guys can bash that all you want thinking that CJ Stroud might be better right now. But I know a lot of Colts fans who are really on that Anthony Richardson train right now who would agree, you know, quarterback one in that last year's class. So again, it's not just me doing all the write-ups. We have a big team of them.
Starting point is 00:05:35 And it's a really, again, really cool exclusive guide just for you Colts fans that it's written right to you Colts fans. So it's a really, really fun thing. And again, if you guys have any ideas for contests or stream suggestions and stuff like that, that you want to do for, you know, guide goals, what I do every single year is, you know, if we sell 50 guides, I do a live stream to hang out with you and do these things. We sell a hundred guides. I do some horrible challenge where I'm drinking coffee and doing some crazy stuff for y'all.
Starting point is 00:06:04 You guys know that I don't like coffee that much. So it's about putting me through the most torment possible. But if we hit some guide goals, again, DM me on social media, my DMS are always open. We can talk about potential, you know, again, guide sell goals and stuff that we could really go into and have some fun with. But Indie Draft Guide, again, pre-orders are up $8.99 with code DRAFTMIST, all caps D-R-A-F-T-M-A-S at checkout. Really fun thing. And because the Indie Draft Guide is dropping or the Indie Draft Guide pre-orders are dropping today, we really want to make this show today about the draft, about the Indianapolis Colts, especially what they're going to do in
Starting point is 00:06:43 round one. So coming up, we're going to talk about Colts options at pick 15. Who are some guys that I realistically like and guys who I think the Colts are going to like, because again, we just kind of know how Chris Ballard and the Colts operate at this point. Who are some guys that make a ton of sense for the Indianapolis Colts at pick 15, if they remain at that pick in this upcoming draft. But first get buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, because right now new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning a $5 bet.
Starting point is 00:07:15 That's $150 if your bet wins. Bet on all your favorite NBA players and teams with quick bets, live same-game parlays, exclusive props, and more. I know all you Indiana Pacers fans are excited for this last push here to the playoffs. Make sure you're betting on your Pacers to win every single game with FanDuel.com. Again, just visit FanDuel.com slash locked on and shoot your shot. FanDuel, official sportsbook partner of the NBA.
Starting point is 00:07:42 Already Colts fans, my draft nerds. Again, we got the push for the Indie Draft Guide out of the way at the top of the show. Now we are talking about the draft and the players that are in the draft. And we're going to talk about my personal cornerback one in this upcoming class. Again, I mostly write up offensive line. So I believe as of right now, this corner is cornerback two in our draft guide. But we'll see if I can move that grade a little bit, we'll see how much sway I have with those guys there. But, uh, Terry on Arnold, Alabama cornerback, I am a huge, huge fan of his. I think he probably goes top 10 in this next
Starting point is 00:08:15 class, but I do think if he's there at 15 for the Colts, that that's a player that definitely moves the needle for me. You know, Chris Ballard always mentioning mentions having blue players and red players on the draft board. Blue players are the players that are, you know, your top tier blue chippers that move the needle for your team. And red players are players who are effective and can make your team better. But the blue players are, you know, if they're on the board when you are picking, that is who you're taking. Like, it doesn't matter positional value. It doesn't matter all these other things. Your blue players are guys that change your franchise. And I think Terry on Arnold has a chance to be a blue player in the NFL. He's big, fast, physical player. He has that tier one
Starting point is 00:08:55 cornerback upside with his athleticism, a former five-star safety moved a corner and just got better and better every single game at cornerback. I mean, by the end of the year, I would argue that he was the best corner in football, which is what he can do with his physicality, with his athleticism, with how he moves in and within man coverage. A really, really good player, Terryon Arnold. I'm a huge, huge fan of everything he can do. And I think a big thing with him too is, you know, the Colts on a lot of third downs, they like to run cover three Mabel, which for me not having a diagram in front of me, what cover three Mabel is, is it's cover three zone match.
Starting point is 00:09:33 You're going to have your backside corner and your backside linebacker in straight man coverage. And then you're going to trust the rest of your guys on the other side, what your five defenders to match up with the three guys on the other side. So three by one set you're facing cover three zone match. You're going to have your backside corner who was Stefan Gilmore a couple years ago, who last year, I think they trusted Juju Brents a lot in that when he was healthy, maybe Kenny Moore sometimes on the backside, even because they just didn't have the guy they trusted back there. And then obviously your,
Starting point is 00:10:00 your EJ speeds or your Bobby O'Kara case. But I think Terry on Arnold is the type of guy where you can put him on that backside, that three by one. You can put him in man coverage back there to be physical, be aggressive with opposing wide receivers and get up right in their face and just take that player away. Because when we look at three by one sets in the NFL, that backside wide receiver is typically the top option. I mean, that's typically what the air raid offense does and what spread offenses do is
Starting point is 00:10:23 they put their number one option backside on a three by one and just have that guy isolated. So you need a corner who's up for the challenge, you know, a guy who can carry receivers deep, who can also pound them at the line of scrimmage, who can take them away over the middle of the field. I think Teron Arnold's that type of guy who can do those things. I think he's a great man coverage corner. I think he's hyper athletic. He can get up there. He can he can hit players. Maybe not the best feel in zone coverage as of right now,
Starting point is 00:10:48 but he would bring something that the Colts just don't have in their cornerback room. And that's what I'm looking for with this pick. So I think Terryon Arnold out of Alabama can be a blue chip player. And if he's there on the board at 15, I say run that card up there and get him here in Indy. The next player I have here is another blue chip player, a guy who, again, I know a lot of Colts fans are going crazy about potentially getting
Starting point is 00:11:09 him in Indy. A lot of mock drafts are getting this guy to Indy. And again, it might've seemed crazy a while back, but I really do think there's a real chance of this player being in there. And that is Brock Bowers, Georgia tight end, one of the most productive tight ends in the history of college football, two-time Mackey award winner, the only time there's been a two-time Mackey Award winner in the history of college football. I think he has his limitations as an inline blocker, but what the Colts do a really good job as with their tight ends is they have them blocking out in space a lot, especially that Kylan Granson kind of move tight end role so if you just envision brock bowers in that role you'll get a lot of split zone action where he's blocking the backside defensive end or the blacks
Starting point is 00:11:50 or the backside linebacker uh you also have a lot of opportunities where you know when you're running so much rpo and read option he a lot of his blocks will be like feigned blocks you know him being the backside of the split zone but him missing that block on purpose to pull out for the rpo action even the ball is not thrown you're doing your job of pausing that defensive end and creating that rush lane to the right side of the field. So, you know, you can kind of hide the inline blocking deficiencies while also getting the best possible of every single world when it comes to him being a pass catcher. I mean, with what the Colts do with their RPO game, with their tight end screen game, with their mesh action they run a lot of, I mean, Brock Bowers
Starting point is 00:12:29 could have a chance to be a thousand yard player here in Indy. I don't think we can say that about a lot of teams when it comes to drafting him and why I think, you know, he ultimately might slip a little bit is I don't think he's a scheme fit for everybody. I think you really need a team that's dedicated to living in the gun and kind of spreading defenses out, getting lighter boxes and letting him work against, you know, smaller defenders and just smaller personnel in the field. So when you're looking at like teams that are picking ahead of the Colts, you know, a team like the Chargers, for instance, you want to get under center and they want to run the ball. They want to be doing power runs all day long. They want big blocking tight ends. They want big blocking offensive linemen and a big running back who's
Starting point is 00:13:08 going to carry the ball 400 times a year. I don't think Brock Bowers makes sense for that type of team. It's just not really what works there with what Jim Harbaugh wants to do. But when you look at Brock Bowers fit in Indy or in Cincinnati, or even, I mean, Tennessee, I think is a threat in front of them because of Brian Callahan going there and what he just did in Cincinnati. But I think those are the teams that really work for Brock Bowers. So we'll see if a team in front of the Colts pulls the trigger. Again, Tennessee is a team to watch, I think, but I do think Brock Bowers makes so much sense for the Colts and what they can do with how they spread the ball out with how they, you know, operate out of pistol and out of the gun,
Starting point is 00:13:45 and how they limit his in-line opportunities to have to block bigger defenders. I think you can kind of hide the deficiencies while just exploiting the mismatches that he gives you as a pass catcher. So Brock Bauer's perfect fit in Indy. I've been talking about a lot how I just think that this really is the perfect fit in the entire draft for like any skill position player out there. So Brock Bowers, Andy,
Starting point is 00:14:06 I think is a great, great option. Moving from the blue chip players now to like high end red chip players or just red players who I think are going to make the Colts better. Again, these players might not be guys that, you know, are ultimately like the greatest players of all time. But I do think these are guys that really help your offense or help your team in general. And the first one is wide receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. Now,
Starting point is 00:14:29 I believe we talked about Brian Thomas Jr. quite a bit on this podcast so far this offseason, but big, fast, explosive weapon, 17 yards a catch last season, really exploded in the LSU offense. And his breakout kind of combined with Jaden Daniels, the Heisman winners breakout winners breakout both those guys broke out the same time and did some great things last year but when you look at what a Chris Ballard wide receiver is you know I'm not going to say Brian Thomas Jr. is as perfect to build a Ballard you know Chris Ballard wide receiver as an Alec Pierce type or as a Nico Collins type I think those were the two perfect Chris Ballard receivers. But I do think Brian Thomas Jr. is close. I think he's like a slight tier below those guys
Starting point is 00:15:10 when it comes to what he wants in a wide receiver. Because, you know, he might not bring like the blocking aspect of those two broad and bring the energy, but he brings the explosion, the speed, the size, the youth, the big plays. I mean, he brings so much of what Chris Ballard wants at the wide receiver position. And look, if they want an upgrade from Alec Pierce, if they are just saying, hey, you know,
Starting point is 00:15:32 Alec Pierce has been a solid player for us, but we just want something more. We want a potential blue player. If they think Brian Thomas Jr. is a blue player, then they can go with Brian Thomas Jr. there at 15, and I would not complain whatsoever. So I really do think he's an option there at 15 for the Colts, and I think he'd be a good player for India.
Starting point is 00:15:50 I think he'd be a great option for Anthony Richardson and would just take a top off the defense, and that's what you love from your wide receiver position. The last player I want to mention here with potential options at 15 is cornerback Quinion Mitchell, the guy who has just been killing it this offseason. I mean, if you're looking at a draft prospect who has had a perfect offseason so far, it is Quinion Mitchell. I mean, he finished the season strong, had a really great end of his
Starting point is 00:16:15 season here in college football for Toledo, and then goes into the offseason. He goes to the Senior Bowl. He solidifies himself as the best player at the Senior Bowl, just locking down receivers all week long in drills that are designed for wide receivers to win. He's locking these guys down. And as a result, I mean, he's been flying up draft boards. I know he had a lot of GPS times that were really high too at the Senior Bowl. So that just is a testament to his speed. I know there's been a lot of talk, you know,
Starting point is 00:16:42 since the beginning of this past season on how fast he is as a player. So fast, physical, competitive, dominated the Senior Bowl. I mean, again, 15 might be a stretch if he's going to be there at 15 because his stock is just flying up and up and up. And some of these other cornerbacks are just not matching his pace that he's moving up draft boards. So Quinion Mitchell, again, he's another player like Terry on Arnold, where if he's at 15, I'm very happy making that pick. I know we'd have a really young cornerback room here again, but you know, for guys like Quinnion Mitchell, for guys like Terry on Arnold, I think that's perfectly fine. These are two really, really good players that just make your defense better from day one.
Starting point is 00:17:19 But let me know what you guys think in the comment section, who are your favorite options at 15? Those are my top four. And something to keep in mind too with Chris Ballard is, you know, I think he's had what, four first round picks in his career with Indy, which is crazy because he's had seven drafts that he's been a part of, but four first round picks, three of those players, or all four of those players have been from power five conferences. Three of those players have been before their senior season. I thinkidi Pei was the only senior and he even had an extra year of eligibility but he declared early as well so all the guys have been early declarees into the draft they've all been guys who I think I don't think any of them
Starting point is 00:17:54 were at the senior bowl they've all just been younger explosive high-end athlete players so I mean that's something to keep in mind just something to keep in the back of your head I don't think four players is a perfect metric to go off of there, just something to keep in the back of your head. I don't think four players is a perfect metric to go off of there, but just something to keep in the back of your mind there. I think all these players kind of fit that Quinion Mitchell more in that Quidipe, like, Rakusen-type mold. But I do think all these players fit what Chris Ballard likes and what would really help the Colts get better from day one. But coming up, we're going to talk round one options still for the Colts. But we're going to talk about the option of, you know, Chris Ballard loves himself some tradebacks. I'm sure there will be some team that wants to come all the way up to pick 15 and take the player there.
Starting point is 00:18:32 So what are some options for the Colts that they say move back to pick 25, 26, 27? If they move back towards a later part of the first round, who are some options that fit the Indianapolis Colts in this draft? We're going to talk about that here in just a second. All righty, Colts fans, we are back. We are talking Indianapolis Colts draft. We're talking trade back options in round one. So again, if the Colts move off of pick 15, they're say picking at pick 25, 26, 27. Who makes the most sense for this Colts team? And I'm going to start this one off with a player that maybe isn't a positional fit for the Colts, but look,
Starting point is 00:19:10 I have been pounding the table for this guy. I think he has superstar potential. He's moving down draft boards because he's a little bit smaller than what most teams like, which again, I know that Chris Ballard is the type of guy who would move off a player for his size, but Johnny Newton,
Starting point is 00:19:24 Illinois defensive tackle. Again, he's slipping a player for his size, but Johnny Newton, Illinois defensive tackle. Again, he's slipping a little bit because the length and the height, but man, as somebody who has watched a bunch of offensive linemen this year, who's working through my write-ups for the draft guide on offensive linemen, anytime I turn on a game against Illinois, I see so many sacks and so many pressures from Johnny Newton. This guy is an animal. And look, the undersized stuff, it does show on film, but it's in the same way that you see like, again, I don't want to just throw this out too lightly here,
Starting point is 00:19:55 but like an Aaron Donald in the NFL or a Kalijah Cansey this past season from out of Pittsburgh and did some great things with the Buccaneers this year. Just one of those undersized guys where it's like, yeah, he's undersized and you see it sometimes. this past season from out of Pittsburgh and did some great things with the Buccaneers this year. Just, just one of those undersized guys where it's like, yeah, he's undersized and you see it sometimes like he gets moved a little bit in the run game. But the second that the ball snapped and it's a pass play,
Starting point is 00:20:15 he's destroying the guy in front of him. He is unblockable. It seems, I don't know what the overall stats look like in terms of pass rush win rate for him, but I just know every single game that I watched, I watched Penn State's offensive line against him. He dominated. He killed everybody in front of him. I saw Kansas' offensive line try to contain him. It didn't work. He was killing
Starting point is 00:20:34 everybody in front of him. Johnny Newton is awesome. He is a great player to watch. I think he's going to test out of his mind at the combine. And look, again, I know that the height and the length issues are going to turn some teams away from him. But this is a player who I think has superstar potential. For me, he's going to be a blue player in this draft. Like if I had blues and reds, I would put a blue on him because I think he's just that unblockable in the passing game. And he's a player that I would want on my team. And look, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, they're not going to stay in their twenties forever. They're not going to stay in their thirties forever. You know, they my team. And look, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, they're not going to stay in their 20s forever.
Starting point is 00:21:05 They're not going to stay in their 30s forever. You know, they're eventually going to retire. Grover Stewart could leave India as soon as this offseason here. And I think the Colts need to look to the future at the position alongside, you know, hopefully Adebore, Adetomi can, you know, develop and become a starter at three tech. But they don't have a one tech on the roster besides Grover. They don't have another run defending or even like top tier pass rusher
Starting point is 00:21:28 besides Tomi. So it's like, you got to hope that you can find some more guys there defensive tackle. And I think Johnny Newton can be that guy for Indy. So yeah, Johnny Newton, I'm a big fan of again, he goes by Johnny, I know you'll see some other name out there for him with his first name, but he wants to go by Johnny Newton. Fantastic player, fantastic player, great player to watch on film. I highly, highly recommend watching him. Illinois defensive tackle number four. You can't miss him. You cannot miss him whatsoever on film. Another player I want to throw out here, Minnesota safety, Tyler Newman, really, really strong college safety. Again, I don't think this is the strongest safety class in general, but I do think Newman is one of those guys that is worthy of first round discussion.
Starting point is 00:22:09 If you're talking late first round pick, really athletic player, great ball skills, really good physicality. And I do think he'd be a big upgrade for the Colts at their second safety position alongside Nick Cross or if they do bring back Julian Blackman alongside Julian Blackman. He's just, you know, Iman alongside Julian Blackman he's just you know I don't want to say he's like an Anton Winfield type because Anton Winfield is one of one best safety in football this past year but you know when I see a Minnesota safety balling out like he is I can't help but think of Anton Winfield and and what he did there as a college
Starting point is 00:22:38 prospect as well so Tyler Newbin great coming down the hill great getting vertical in the in the three man in the three-deep game and stuff like that too, and having that range to cover the whole field. I'm a really, really big fan of what he did this past season. And I love the ball skills. Look, ball skills are great at safety. The Colts did not have that many takeaways outside of Julian Blackman this past season. So give me more ball skills at safety with a guy who can also tackle and hit.
Starting point is 00:23:03 Tyler Newben, I think, would be a great fit for the Colts. And then, look, this next little bullet point I have here, I just put a bunch of different receivers because this is a really good draft for wide receivers. And I think the late first round, you can just get so many different wide receivers. It just depends on kind of your flavor there. I mean, Xavier Worthy is my guy, Texas wide receiver.
Starting point is 00:23:23 A.D. Mitchell, other Texas wide receiver, is a lot of other people's guy. Ladd McConkie from Georgia. You have Keon Coleman from Florida state, Xavier Leggett, I know has a lot of fans from South Carolina. These are a lot of really good wide receivers that the Colts could get there in the late first round. I mean, Roman Wilson from Michigan makes a lot of sense as well. I just, I just think, you know, pick your guy, pick your flavor, whatever flavor works best for you. If you want this hyper-athletic, probably the best athlete in the class, go with Xavier Worthy. You know, you can just do some things with him that you can't do with anybody else. If you want a smooth route runner who knows how to get open, A.D.
Starting point is 00:23:57 Mitchell. If you want Hunter Renfro, but with turbo boost, Ladd McConkie. You know, if you want Hakeem Butler, but actually a pretty decent prospect, then Keon Coleman. If you want Xavier, I don't even know Xavier. If you want DK Metcalf discounted, then, you know, Xavier Leggett, whatever you want, you know, these are different flavors that fit at wide receiver for your team. I think you can go, you know, you can't really go wrong with a guy like Shane Steichen as your offensive coordinator and hopefully Anthony Richardson as your quarterback. So just get another weapon in there with those guys. And I think there's a lot of great options late round one.
Starting point is 00:24:30 And, and look at the Colts do trade back from pick 15. I think wide receiver would be the really smart play to go in that late first round range. One more player I want to mention before we get out of here for today is cornerback TJ Tampa, Iowa state, a big physical explosive player with really high upside. Yes. He's a little stiff.
Starting point is 00:24:49 Yes. That kind of fits every Colts cornerback at this point, a little bit stiff, but I love his long speed. I love his physicality. I love his upside. This guy like Juju Brents, I think can be a really,
Starting point is 00:25:00 really good physical sticky corner. And look, if they want to commit to this cover three scheme with Gus Bradley, and you want to just reinforce Elysian Abum back here in Indy, just keep drafting big dudes, keep drafting big corners and go from there. And TJ Tampa really fits alongside Juju Brents and gives you a really big, strong, physical outside cornerback room. And again, that's something the Colts were kind of missing last year. They had Juju Brents, who was a big, lengthy, athletic, physical corner on the outside. But on the other side, Jalen Jones and Daryl Baker Jr. were just not great tacklers, not very physical. I mean, Jalen Jones wanted to be physical, but he
Starting point is 00:25:34 just, you know, he missed a lot of tackles. But TJ Tampa is a guy who will make those tackles. You'll hit guys. He's big. He's massive, athletic, does a lot of good things. I think a one-two punch of TJ Tampa and Juju Brents, while risky, is a really good outside cornerback room. But again, let me know in the comments section what you think with round one. Who fits the Indianapolis Colts? Before we get out of here today, again, Locked On has launched the first ever
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Starting point is 00:26:23 Again, really great stuff. 225 exclusive write-ups here covering the Indianapolis Colts, getting the team fits there for the Colts, and getting it right to you guys before the draft. And if you guys don't already, make sure you're following at LockedOnColts, at JakeArthurNFL, and at ZachHicks2 all on Twitter. Also subscribe to us on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts. We love your guys' ratings and reviews, and we'll catch you guys back here
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