Colts hammer defensive needs in this seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft

2021 NFL mock draft: Round 3, 85th overall

With starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo announcing his retirement, the Indianapolis Colts now have a massive hole at the position that must be addressed this offseason. They may look to attack that need in the first round but going with a veteran free agent option coupled with an interesting prospect in the middle rounds is also a strong path to potential success.

Brady Christensen has good movement skills up front, mirroring opposing edge rushers well and doing a great job of attacking the second level in the run game. He is also an extremely smart offensive lineman who understands the blitz game well, commonly putting himself in a position to protect his quarterback on a consistent basis.

Indianapolis needs to make improvements at the left tackle position and Christensen is a gifted player who is worth the investment in this range.

2021 NFL mock draft: Round 4, 118th overall

DeForest Buckner has been wreaking havoc on the inside of the Colts’ defense but the team still needs to add impact depth on the interior defensive line. In the fourth round of this 2021 NFL mock draft, Indy finds some impact depth at the position with the selection of Alim McNeill.

McNeill is quick off of the ball and explosive through the line of scrimmage. He shines as a one-gap penetrator, showing the ability to make plays in the backfield as both a pass rusher and run defender. McNeill also shows the ability to sink in and anchor at the line of scrimmage. He attacks double teams well and can hold two-gap responsibility at an extremely high level. Simply put, McNeill is a gifted player who would fill an important position of need for the team.