Indianapolis Colts: 8 Late Round Targets in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Hunter Haas
The Indianapolis Colts do a lot of damage in the middle-to-late rounds of the NFL Draft. Let’s attempt to find some steals before Chris Ballard does.
A handful of the current Colts starters have been found in the later stages of the NFL Draft. Here is a list of those players, all selected after the first 80 picks:
Round 3, Pick 85 – S Julian Blackmon (2020)
Round 3, Pick 89 – LB Bobby Okereke (2019)
Round 4, Pick 109 – S Khari Willis (2019)
Round 4, Pick 144 – DT Grover Stewart (2017)
Round 6, Pick 211 – CB Isaiah Rodgers (2020)
Players such as Anthony Walker, Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Danny Pinter, Zaire Franklin, and Nate Hairston are all still rostered in the NFL and all were picked on day-three of the draft by Chris Ballard. Needless to say, the Indianapolis Colts view the middle rounds as the sweet spot of any draft.
Ballard is not shy about his affinity for Senior Bowl prospects, having used 16 of his 45 total picks on such prospects during his tenure in Indianapolis. It is a large reason why so many of his picks come in and contribute immediately. Most of them come into the league with droves of experience and a high floor.
After acquiring Matt Ryan, all indications are that the team will do everything in their power to secure an AFC South title in 2022. This means that they have to add guys that can come in and play instantly, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Colts dip into the Senior Bowl pool even more than usual.
Indianapolis Colts Late Round 2022 NFL Draft Targets
Some more free agent moves are sure to come, but Chris Ballard is good for at least two starting caliber players in each draft class so it’s fair to assume that they will find answers at cornerback, wide receiver, left tackle, and tight end by the time week one comes around.
I compiled a list of every pick that Ballard has made thus far, including official measurements and Combine workout times. I have a pretty good idea on what traits Indianapolis will be searching for in their late-round prospects. In this article I highlight eight of the best options, with the only requirement being that they must be projected to still be available after pick 80. Let’s see if we can find the steals!