Indianapolis Colts 2011 Draft Class Review

Continuing the reflections on a handful of teams’ draft choices:

1^st round, 22^nd overall pick: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but a quarterback is absolutely nothing without good protection. Just ask Marc Bulger. Castonzo was ranked as one of the best offensive lineman in the draft prior to the last week of April, and he could potentially start from week one, although the lockout may have hurt his chances on that front. Castonzo is a technically sound player, maybe the best in his class on that front, and if he hits the weight room hard this offseason he should be an excellent player for years.

2^nd round, 49^th overall pick: Ben Ijalana, OT, Villanova

Bill Polian continues his mission to bring a wry smile to Peyton’s face with his back-to-back selections of offensive tackles. Ijalana is more of a project than Castonzo is, but may be stronger, despite being a little undersized. His success is vital for Manning’s continued play in the NFL. Once he retires, the Colts will suffer immediately, even with the legendary Curtis Painter sitting behind Manning (…). Therefore, it’s for the benefit of everybody in Indianpolis if Peyton starts as long as possible. Ijalana could go a long way to extending Manning’s career, as could Castonzo.

3^rd round, 87^th overall pick: Drake Nevis, DT, LSU

Despite having a defensive line that sports two excellent defensive ends, the Colts ranked 25^th in rush defense last year. Nevis is a little undersized, but makes up for it with a lot of energy (I hate using that term. How many NFL players besides Richie Incognito and Randy Moss show little energy?) and good speed. He could do a good job penetrating opposing lines with a little more bulk and power. Look for him to do work as part of the rotation his first few years.

4^th round, 119^th overall pick: Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

The revolving door of Indy RBs gets a new panel with the addition of Carter. Carter has the stocky build of MoJo and the shifty cut and go-ness of Steven Jackson, but is nowhere near either player at this point. He looks to get a lot of touches immediately, especially if Joseph Addai pursues free agency. He could eventually pass up Donald Brown or whoever the hell is left as the premier back, and is the kind of player that I would draft in the later rounds of a fantasy draft.

6^th round, 188^th overall pick: Chris Rucker, CB, Michigan St.

Rucker has good speed at 4.54 and good size at 6’1” but lacks the technical prowess to start right away. He’s good at getting between the receiver and the ball, but only when he can stay with the receiver, as he has not yet come along far enough to stick with NFL WRs. Look for him to take a spin on the practice squad.

Overview

Solid draft focused on the trenches for the Colts. The success of the first two picks will have a good deal to do with how much longer Peyton Manning lasts in the NFL. Bill Polian obviously thinks that Drake Nevis will do something to help the Colts porous rush D, and he should make some plays coming off the bench his rookie year. Delone Carter is a good value pick in the fourth round, and he should see some playing time immediately. Lastly, Chris Rucker has good physical tools, but needs to be coached up a bit before he can play any posi