NFL’s most underrated: Colts OT Anthony Castonzo
Protecting the blind side of the best young quarterback in all of football isn’t an easy job, but Indianapolis Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo has been up to the task.
Not having missed a start since Luck came into the league in 2012, Castonzo has proven over the last few years to be an iron man as well as one of the best left tackles in the NFL. Leading the league in pass protection snaps last season (770), and gave up just two sacks and nine hits in that time.
With Luck’s ability to scramble around and move, that kind of efficiency is exactly what the Colts need for their aerial attack to truly take flight. As good as he is at pass blocking, Castonzo received a pretty average grade as a run blocker last year by Pro Football Focus, but in over 1,100 snaps, he committed just six penalties and allowed 22 hurries on Luck.
The former 22nd overall selection out of Boston College had to shed a bit of a bust label early on, and he has done so in a big way these last couple of seasons, developing into one of the most underrated players at his position in the NFL. If you ask his Colts teammates, they’ll probably tell you Castonzo has been a major Pro Bowl snub over the last two seasons.
Oddly enough, over the last two seasons Castonzo has been very solid in either pass blocking or run blocking, but not both in the same year. In 2013, he was given a negative grade in pass protection. In 2015, he will hopefully be able to put it all together for an elite level season and give the Colts a reason to pay him upwards of $11 or 12 million per season.
The 6-7 Castonzo has incredibly long arms and less than 15 percent body fat, which is one of the reasons he was featured in ESPN’s Body issue this summer. With his size, quickness, athleticism, and length, it’s going to be hard for pass rushers to get to Andrew Luck coming off of his blind side.
Castonzo is getting better and better, and as he continues to perfect his craft, he’s not going to remain underrated for long.