The 2020 NFL Draft is only a few days away, which means that The Game Haus will be doing draft profiles for every team. Each NFL team will be evaluated heading into this year’s draft including what their needs are and who they could be targeting. The Indianapolis Colts are the subject of today’s profile.
Summary
The Colts started their season with one of the most shocking pieces of sports news of the last 20 years. Andrew Luck, seemingly fed up with the grind of the NFL and the injuries he suffered over his too-short career, retired suddenly before the regular season began.
This announcement catapulted Jacoby Brissett into the starting role. He held his own, but was not transcendent by any means. The offensive line continued to be one of the best in the NFL, T.Y. Hilton continued to struggle through injuries and Adam Vinatieri took a surprising step backwards, potentially signaling the end of his storied career.
Indianapolis finished 7-9, good for third in the AFC South. After a mediocre year, they managed to sign Phillip Rivers after the Los Angeles Chargers parted ways with him. A stop-gap option for sure, but still a step up if he returns to form.
They also traded for the 49ers’ defensive line star DeForest Buckner, which robs the Colts of their first round selection. A smart trade, considering they had trouble getting to the quarterback last season and would have likely spent their first rounder on a defensive lineman anyway. Instead of taking a chance on a prospect, they chose to get a proven talent.
2020 NFL Draft Picks
The Colts have seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
First Round (no picks)
Second Round (two pick) – No. 34, No. 44
Third Round (one pick) – No. 75
Fourth Round (one pick) – No. 122
Fifth Round (one pick) – No. 160
Sixth Round (two picks) – No. 193, No. 197
Seventh Round (no picks)
Team Needs
Wide Receiver – The Colts really do not have a number two option at receiver after T.Y. Hilton. With 2020 being such a deep draft at receiver, now is the time to get one whenever they feel they are getting good value.
Tight End – Eric Ebron left in free agency, which makes Jack Doyle number one on the depth chart at tight end. Considering how much Phillip Rivers loved to throw to his tight ends in San Diego/Los Angeles, getting another target at the position would not go amiss.
Quarterback – As great as Phillip Rivers is, he is near retirement and is only signed to a one year deal. Jacoby Brissett remains on the roster, but his ability to be a full-time starter is still in question. 2020 may be the year for the Colts to go get their next quarterback if they like one that falls to them.
2020 NFL Draft Targets
Second Round:
Pick No. 34: Laviska Shenault, Jr., WR, Colorado
Shenault, Jr. is on many teams’ draft boards, and has come up in more than a few of our draft profiles. That proves two things; he is highly touted and this draft may be chaos when it comes to the absolute deluge of good receivers available.
The former Buffalo is bigger than T.Y. Hilton, and would prove to be a threat if lined up on the other side of the field. He had ten total touchdowns in college and eclipsed 1,000 yards in 2018 at Colorado. It is up in the air whether or not Shenault will be available here. If not, other targets are Denzel Mims and Jalen Reagor.
Pick No. 44: Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
Depending on the runs happening at either of these positions, the Colts’ quarterback and wide receiver selections could be flipped. Considering the rise of Jordan Love, it makes sense that QB Jacob Eason will be available in the middle of the second round, however.
Jacob Eason could be the Colts’ quarterback of the future. (Photo courtesy of latimes.com)
As stated above, Rivers is a Band-Aid for the franchise. He likely will not play for more than three more years, if he even remains with the Colts after the one-year deal he signed in the offseason. Also, their roster talent is too great to expect they will be in play for a top-level quarterback next year. Indianapolis may need to take who they can get in this draft.
Eason is a raw talent, but he did throw for 23 touchdowns to only eight interceptions in 2019. His 3,132 were good, considering the talent at Washington, but did not rank in the top 150 of al qualified college quarterbacks. Given time and work, Eason could very well be the next in the line of great Colts quarterbacks.
Third Round:
Pick No. 75: Harrison Bryant, TE, FAU
Bryant is a huge tight end out of Florida Atlantic University. At 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, he is an overpowering receiving threat who can also block at a high level.
He had over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. With a yards per catch average of 15.4, he clearly has some speed and elusiveness that will serve Phillip Rivers well. 2019 was by far his most productive year, which is a good thing considering it was his last year of college eligibility.
After Ebron’s departure, pairing Jack Doyle with a multi-faceted tight end like Bryant could be just what the Colts need. He needs polish like a lot of third round picks, but the value is just right.
Featured Image courtesy of Sportslogos.net
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