Indianapolis Colts 2021 NFL Draft grades: More juice for the pass rush
Day three of the 2021 NFL Draft continued with interesting selections for the Indianapolis Colts, when they decided to go quarterback in the sixth round, selecting Texas’ Sam Ehlinger. Ehlinger was another participant down in Mobile and showcased his leadership skills in front of teams and scouts.
While at Texas, Ehlinger was a playmaker for the Longhorns, taking shots downfield with his strong arm and making plays out of structure. He was a tough runner as well, picking up some yardage through contact and running behind his pads.
Ehlinger’s stock wasn’t very high because of his struggles with anticipation and mirroring his processing speed with his footwork, a disconnect that led to some late throws and bad interceptions.
The move is puzzling because of the Indianapolis Colts spending a fourth-round selection in 2020 on Washington quarterback Jacob Eason. Eason doesn’t have the mobility of Ehlinger but has the arm to threaten tight windows and looked better on the run in his time with the Huskies. It might signal that they aren’t ready to hand off backup duties to Eason. Maybe it’s to bring back a “Jacoby Brissett package” with Ehlinger.
Still, this pick was an odd selection with a developmental quarterback already in house.
Grade: D+