Grade the draft!

[The Peytonator]

I'm pretty pessimistic about this draft.

 

Ryan Kelly - Should be a good center, but drafting him that early he better be an All Pro for several years of his career. I said it plenty of times before that using a mid first round pick on a center is just bad value.

 

TJ Green - Terrible draft pick. The guy had the worst QB rating against him out of all draft eligible safeties. He is a project player taken in the second round. There is no other way to spin it, this was a terrible decision. They drafted a guy based on his length and speed, it sure wasn't based on his ability.

 

La'Raven Clark - Meh. Gave up a lot of pressure as a tackle. He'll have to move to guard. Where's the pass rush? Would have liked Joe Schobert here.

 

Hassan Ridgeway - Okay with this pick. Getting decent value in the middle rounds. Would have went with Billings myself but oh well. 

 

Antonio Morrison - More terribleness. Pagano/Grigson obviously don't want their LBs to be able to cover. He is a guy you draft in the seventh, especially with his injury history. 

 

Joe Haeg - More meh. Where's the freakin' pass rush? 

 

Trevor Bates - Oh there's the pass rush. Great job Grigson. The only thing you've done to fix our worst position last year, is cut the only young potential we had (Newsome), cut one of your previous mistakes (Werner), lower the cap hit of another mistake (Cole), and draft some nobody in the seventh round. I hope all you people that are praising this draft are happy next year when our best pass rushers are two geriatrics who were already non-existent last year.

 

Austin Blythe - Hey a pick I don't hate. I'd hate it less if Grigson didn't completely waste this entire offseason already.

 

Go ahead everybody, say that I'm a bad fan. Apparently everyone has confidence in Grigson's ability to scout linemen, despite the many misses he's had in his four years here; McGlynn, Satele, Thornton, Holmes, Harrison, Herremans.....whatever. He's drafted one good lineman. The line wasn't even the worst problem thanks to his one good pick and two of Polian's picks, that distinction goes to the entire defense not named Henry Anderson and Vontae Davis. We let our best LB leave. The only good move on that side of the ball has been letting another one of Grigson's mistakes in the form of Greg Toler see the door. 

 

I wonder if you people will finally want Grigson gone next year when we go 8-8 again.

[JR Indy]

Looking at what the Colts done this year.  I give them an A for who they are drafting in. Andrew has proven if you give him time/protection, he is good enough to pick you apart.  Could the Colts address everything? No, but what they did address is the O-line.  The AFC South is going to be pretty tough next year.  Will the Colts take the division next year, I hope so, but there will be no more 30 and 40 point blow out because of a weak O-Line.

[JPFolks]

17 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

How do you know he wasn't the BP to the colts??? I don't get where people make these ridiculous ststements. And it's also very hard to win with out a good front 5 on offense. It's also especially important to have a good front 5 on offense to protect your most valuable asset, the face of your franchise. Whom if we loose him, we are going nowhere at all. So you can have your possibly decent pass rusher all you want. I'd rather take a piece that is very good at his position, the best in this class and as close to a sure bet as you can get at the position and in the draft. Also a very important position up front on offense who can go a long ways in ensuring that our most valuable asset who means the most to this team is protected and able to stay healthy. That's of HIGH importance in my book.

The trick to this is BPA means something different to everyone and can be manipulated in many ways.  For example, if they decided we will only consider BPA in these XY or Z position groups as relevant in each round. Obviously we weren't going to draft a QB and the same logic could have been used to eliminate a large number of position groups.  That would leave, say, Guards, Centers, ILB S, CB, DTand Rush for example but changing depending on the round/range as well as who we already drafted.  Perhaps in that limited range of BPA, Kelly was easily at the top.  Remember Polian had Kelly as the 4th best player at ANY position in the draft, so it's not hard at all to believe Kelly was the BPA when the Colts picks on their board which may easily have been completely different than any other board in the NFL and likely was. 

 

My concerns over our picks are health and development.  They don't seem to be the healthiest guys we could take nor the most developed and it seems like we need at least 3 sure immediate starters and 2 STers minimum for this to be a positive draft and depending on health or readiness, that seems in question.   I am happier than I feared I might be after the fact.  But now it's up to the coaches and training staff to coach em up and keep them healthy.  

[Surge89]

A.

 

Why? Because we devoted resources to the trenches where football is won and lost.  It's about time we've had a draft like this.  The safety and linebacker is meh but it all is moot if Kelly, Clark, and Ridgeway all become high level players.

[jameszeigler834]

1 hour ago, 1959Colts said:

I gave it a D.  Ryan Kelly seems to be the only player who will step in right away to help in 2016.

All the other players appear to be longer term, developmental types.

I disagree with that grade you have to develop everybody you draft I think that we got a lot of guys who could and probably will play a huge role this season I give this draft at best an A- and at worst a B+.

[chad72]

Since there is no B+, I gave it a B. I feel that at least a couple of OL will end up contributing this year and we will have ST contributions from both Bates and Morrison. I do not think we got 3 starters for this year but feel we would be getting at least 3 starters by the time next season comes around. 

[weslo1812]

4 minutes ago, The Peytonator said:

I'm pretty pessimistic about this draft.

 

Ryan Kelly - Should be a good center, but drafting him that early he better be an All Pro for several years of his career. I said it plenty of times before that using a mid first round pick on a center is just bad value.

 

TJ Green - Terrible draft pick. The guy had the worst QB rating against him out of all draft eligible safeties. He is a project player taken in the second round. There is no other way to spin it, this was a terrible decision. They drafted a guy based on his length and speed, it sure wasn't based on his ability.

 

La'Raven Clark - Meh. Gave up a lot of pressure as a tackle. He'll have to move to guard. Where's the pass rush? Would have liked Joe Schobert here.

 

Hassan Ridgeway - Okay with this pick. Getting decent value in the middle rounds. Would have went with Billings myself but oh well. 

 

Antonio Morrison - More terribleness. Pagano/Grigson obviously don't want their LBs to be able to cover. He is a guy you draft in the seventh, especially with his injury history. 

 

Joe Haeg - More meh. Where's the freakin' pass rush? 

 

Trevor Bates - Oh there's the pass rush. Great job Grigson. The only thing you've done to fix our worst position last year, is cut the only young potential we had (Newsome), cut one of your previous mistakes (Werner), lower the cap hit of another mistake (Cole), and draft some nobody in the seventh round. I hope all you people that are praising this draft are happy next year when our best pass rushers are two geriatrics who were already non-existent last year.

 

Austin Blythe - Hey a pick I don't hate. I'd hate it less if Grigson didn't completely waste this entire offseason already.

 

Go ahead everybody, say that I'm a bad fan. Apparently everyone has confidence in Grigson's ability to scout linemen, despite the many misses he's had in his four years here; McGlynn, Satele, Thornton, Holmes, Harrison, Herremans.....whatever. He's drafted one good lineman. The line wasn't even the worst problem thanks to his one good pick and two of Polian's picks, that distinction goes to the entire defense not named Henry Anderson and Vontae Davis. We let our best LB leave. The only good move on that side of the ball has been letting another one of Grigson's mistakes in the form of Greg Toler see the door. 

 

I wonder if you people will finally want Grigson gone next year when we go 8-8 again.

First off do you forget who we now have as our Our O line line coach who I'm sure had much imput into the linemen we selected. The guy knows a thing or two about Offensive linemen. You act if grigs makes the picks based solely off his scouting and his information. AND that's faaaaar from the truth. 

 

And to try and say there is no ability in Green is rediculous. He's got HUGE ability...especially physically. He's new to the position and still learning. A guy who with more coaching can turn into a great rangy saftey. Physically he is a blue chip player.

 

Also our offense was a laaaarrge part of the reason our defense looked as bad as it did last year. Constant 3 and outs giving the opposing offenses more possessions and making our defense stay on the field alot longer than they should have to thereby wearing them down. Also the costly turnover's in our own zone giving them short fields. And what was a large reason behind this...hmmmm maybe our horrible offensive line. And our offensive coordinator for the first half of the season. Our Defense actually kept us in a number of games and gave us a chance. People don't realize or remember for some reason how much pressure was on them for about 12 outta 16 games. Yes there are definitely holes and our defense isn't great by any means but from what I watched and know they are far from horrible.

 

And how important is it to you to protect our most valuable player who means everything to our franchise? Because that's very likely what Kelly goes a long way in doing for us. Also helping our offense be able to perform to its potential. And there were reports out there that on some boards Kelly was a top 20 prospect.

[SteelDragon]

I give it an "A". Could easily turn out to be my second favorite Grigson draft.

I love that 5 out of the 8 were lineman (offensive and defensive). We need big uglies! 

I wonder how much input the coaching staff got into the draft process.  

[Tracy Denton]

6 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

First off do you forget who we now have as our Our O line line coach who I'm sure had much imput into the linemen we selected. The guy knows a thing or two about Offensive linemen. You act if grigs makes the picks based solely off his scouting and his information. AND that's faaaaar from the truth. 

 

And to try and say there is no ability in Green is rediculous. He's got HUGE ability...especially physically. He's new to the position and still learning. A guy who with more coaching can turn into a great rangy saftey. Physically he is a blue chip player.

 

Also our offense was a laaaarrge part of the reason our defense looked as bad as it did last year. Constant 3 and outs giving the opposing offenses more possessions and making our defense stay on the field alot longer than they should have to thereby wearing them down. Also the costly turnover's in our own zone giving them short fields. And what was a large reason behind this...hmmmm maybe our horrible offensive line. And our offensive coordinator for the first half of the season. Our Defense actually kept us in a number of games and gave us a chance. People don't realize or remember for some reason how much pressure was on them for about 12 outta 16 games. Yes there are definitely holes and our defense isn't great by any means but from what I watched and know they are far from horrible.

 

And how important is it to you to protect our most valuable player who means everything to our franchise? Because that's very likely what Kelly goes a long way in doing for us. Also helping our offense be able to perform to its potential. And there were reports out there that on some boards Kelly was a top 20 prospect.

I think a lot of fans seem to think that draft picks will instantly upgrade your team, There has always been a saying that you draft for tomorrow...not today.

[Coltfreak]

1 (18). Ryan Kelly, C.  Starter

2 (57). T.J. Green, S,   Special teams 

3 (82). Le'Raven Clark,  possible starter 

4 (116). Hassan Ridgeway, DT  rotational 

4 (125). Antonio Morrison, Special teams 

5 (155). Joe Haeg, OT, Backup 

7 (239). Trevor Bates, Special teams 

7 (247). Austin Blythe,  backup

 

 it sure what everyone is so excited about.   Unless we are starting 2 centers and 4 tackles.  We gained a bunch of possible backups  when we could have gotten starters at other positions 

C

[weslo1812]

Just now, Tracy Denton said:

I think a lot of fans seem to think that draft picks will instantly upgrade your team, There has always been a saying that you draft for tomorrow...not today.

Yep!!! And really alot of folks are upset because we didn't address pass rush with a supposed immediate impact guy. But being honest there were maybe only 3-4 guys as far as Pass rusher goes that will have any immediate impact. And there is a good chance it won't be a real big big impact. If we did take one of them...they likely would have needed some development in some way. There wasn't really a real polished immediately NFL ready guy. I think alot of people were over valuing the pass rushers in this class just because it's a big need for us and they want a pass rusher so they can feel like we've fixed our problem. Yet like I said just about all of them are far from a guarantee. 

[Samu-Rye]

I love the potential of this years draft class. As far as grading,I don't have a clue how they will work out. So for now I will be hopeful, and trust in the coaching staff.

[Stephen]

the draft is a b for me. My only complaint is I would have liked a better pass rusher but atleast Luck may have Brady time in pocket.

[Tracy Denton]

3 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

Yep!!! And really alot of folks are upset because we didn't address pass rush with a supposed immediate impact guy. But being honest there were maybe only 3-4 guys as far as Pass rusher goes that will have any immediate impact. And there is a good chance it won't be a real big big impact. If we did take one of them...they likely would have needed some development in some way. There wasn't really a real polished immediately NFL ready guy. I think alot of people were over valuing the pass rushers in this class just because it's a big need for us and they want a pass rusher so they can feel like we've fixed our problem. Yet like I said just about all of them are far from a guarantee. 

AND...there was not one pass rusher that would take snaps away from Mathis...but would have liked to have someone who Mathis could groom...maybe UDFA ??

[weslo1812]

1 minute ago, Tracy Denton said:

AND...there was not one pass rusher that would take snaps away from Mathis...but would have liked to have someone who Mathis could groom...maybe UDFA ??

Well Bates looks to have to some potential. And I just now saw that it looks like we landed Maggit for Tennessee as an UDFA who has been held back by injuries the last two years but has game wrecking ability. 

[Ehrman.Dutton.Cook.Barnes]

  I'm no Grigson fan, but I have to say he picked all the right positions, did he get all the right players?

[Track Guy]

18. Ryan Kelly: Really liked the pick. Instantly changes our O-line, potential to become a pro bowler, although let's not put the cart too far ahead of the horse. Not a premium position, but a really good prospect at a position of desperate need. I think he was the top player available for the Colts. A

 

57. T.J. Green: High risk high reward type of pick. The guy has excellent traits. Height/weight/movement ability all excellent. The question is, how well can he cover? Safety was a big need, and we were addressed it early. Can't say I'm super confident about him, but he could be a real difference maker if his instincts and coverage skills are up to par. B-

 

82. Le'Raven Clark: Another kind of gamble on traits. I re-watched some of his tape, he looked shaky against LSU. He has good length - which although while this is a helpful feature to have in a tackle - it is somewhat overrated. He is athletic. He comes from a weird offense and mechanics need some work. His strength just decent right now - not overwhelming, but enough to stand up to a bull rush pretty effectively. Bottom line is that he has the quick feet to play tackle in a scheme using zone concepts, and there are only so many of those guys around, so I can't grade this too low even if I think he really needs to be coached up on technique. C+

 

116. Hassan Ridgeway: Athletic big man on the D-line. Moves well laterally. Gives great pass rush production for a D-lineman. Great value in the 4th round. Worry about the fact that he's had nagging injuries, but really like the player. A-

 

125. Antonio Morrison: Really heavy hitting linebacker. I seem to remember someone - I think maybe it was Derek Henry - was named to ask who hit him the hardest in a game in his college career, and he named Antonio Morrison. Seems like he'll probably be limited in coverage at the next level. I'm not sure we needed another player with this general profile but I haven't watched enough tape on him to feel too confident about grading this pick, but I'll try based on what I know currently. C 

 

155. Joe Haeg: Really good value here in the 5th round. I thought he would slip into the end of day 2. He has good feet in pass protection. Needs to muscle up a bit and work on run blocking. Has the natural athleticism to play tackle in a scheme using zone concepts. Like Clark, probably not a starter this year either, but you don't expect a day 1 starter from a 5th round pick. A 

 

239. Trevor Bates: Interesting small school prospect. Plays at a lower college level but put up good numbers and looks like he moves well on tape. Ran a really good 3 cone drill time at his pro day. Has enough size and speed to check the boxes. Position of need. Haven't gotten to watch too much of him so assigning a grade is tough, but he looks pretty promising for a 7th rounder. B 

 

248. Austin Blythe: Short armed center who might struggle in pass protection at the NFL level. Was straight up dominant at run blocking for Iowa. Total beast on the college level. Could be a really nice back up. Good value in the 7th round, I viewed him as a guy who based on his tape deserved to go higher than this. B+

 

Overall:

 

The Colts made a strong effort to address the thing that mattered most: the offensive line. The huge problem that this team had last year was one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL. They added a day 1 starter at what was previously the weakest position on their O-line. We have much better depth on the O-line and a brighter future. We'll need it given how much stronger the defenses in our division are looking.

 

The disappointment is the lack of attention to adding edge rushers. Just 1 project guy in the 7th round is not what some wanted to fill our 2nd largest need. Luckily our (hopefully) improved running game given our investment into the O-line will help our defense to an extent. We added a safety that will challenge for starting time and a defensive lineman that will at least be an impactful rotational player.

 

Anyone who thinks they can accurately grade a draft immediately after it happens is out to lunch. But if I attempt to do so today, and how I think of it in my own mind at this very moment - I'm pretty much a fan.

 

B+

[Dark Superman]

B-

Love the competition we will now have during TC with the offensive line. I like the T.J Green pick, he could be the play-maker in the secondary that the Colts have lacked for years at the safety position, as long as he can improve his tackling skills. Morrison looked impressive.

 

Still never rule out a possible trade of some sort within the next few months for a pass rusher. Ryan Grigson has never been shy about making a move for a player. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[GoColts8818]

1 hour ago, VaAllDay757 said:

People still not satisfied with the picks lol ridiculous 

I wander how of those unhappy have critized Grigson in the past year for not getting an oline to protect Luck.  

[akcolt]

 

I am not a huge fan of the draft. We draft 4 OL 2 that only play C. We don't get a pass rusher or a #2 CB instead an injuried ILB who can't cover. 

 

I came to terms with Kelly not what I wanted at 18 not good value but he should fill the biggest hole on the team. Let's hope his not just another Bama overhyped bust. A C at 18 better be great. 

 

Green and Clark day 2 I don't see helping right away. Fackrell or Jenkins in the 3rd would have made more sense to me. Green?He had first round support I'm trusting them here. We needed a FS. 

 

Day 3 we had could have raised the grade. Started well Ridgeway over Billings isn't what I would have done but those are the 2 guys I would have looked at.

 

Then Morrison I just don't get it with Robinson sitting there. A day 2 talent grab him it totally changes this draft. Don't like the risk then Judon is there. Booker is there Burbridge too. Caundy anyone but Another ILB that can't cover. 

 

Haag in the 5 would be great if we didn't take Clark in the 3rd. I'd prefer Hasg here and OLB in the 3rd Sims and Holmes are who I'd have looked with Clark on board.

 

It's hard to complain about a 7th but Blythe  is a C nothing else. We did that at 18. I thought Walker or Peekins even Coprich make more sense.,

 

 

[GoColts8818]

25 minutes ago, akcolt said:

 

I am not a huge fan of the draft. We draft 4 OL 2 that only play C. We don't get a pass rusher or a #2 CB instead an injuried ILB who can't cover. 

 

I came to terms with Kelly not what I wanted at 18 not good value but he should fill the biggest hole on the team. Let's hope his not just another Bama overhyped bust. A C at 18 better be great. 

 

Green and Clark day 2 I don't see helping right away. Fackrell or Jenkins in the 3rd would have made more sense to me. Green?He had first round support I'm trusting them here. We needed a FS. 

 

Day 3 we had could have raised the grade. Started well Ridgeway over Billings isn't what I would have done but those are the 2 guys I would have looked at.

 

Then Morrison I just don't get it with Robinson sitting there. A day 2 talent grab him it totally changes this draft. Don't like the risk then Judon is there. Booker is there Burbridge too. Caundy anyone but Another ILB that can't cover. 

 

Haag in the 5 would be great if we didn't take Clark in the 3rd. I'd prefer Hasg here and OLB in the 3rd Sims and Holmes are who I'd have looked with Clark on board.

 

It's hard to complain about a 7th but Blythe  is a C nothing else. We did that at 18. I thought Walker or Peekins even Coprich make more sense.,

 

 

Kelly was projected as a Center who could play guard.  In fact other than the seventh round pick all of the line men Grigson took could play multipal positions.

 

They signed a number two corner in Robinson.  They also have Butler in the Nickel slot and the Smith kid they drafted high last year.  Corner was not a pressing need still the kid they took in the second round could play corner in a pinch.

 

The middle linebacker is a bit of a gamble but if he pans out he could be a run stuffer.

 

Green will probably compete with Geathers for the other starting safety spot with Adams and provides depth.  Something the Colts had none of at safety.  Also he should be able to step in for Adams when he's done which is probably a year or two away at most.  

 

Here's the thing about the Colts they went into the draft wth really four NFL level players on it.  AC and Mewhort were locked in on the left side.  Reitz is really a high level backup more than a starter and Good is still a work in progress.  So they drafted their center which they needed in the worst way and two other guys who can challenge for starting spots and provide depth.  Blythe probably means Holmes and Harrison could both be gone and since we know both stink I am not against that.

 

i am not going to complain about the OLBer too much in the seventh round.  He provides a little depth behind Mathis, Cole, and Walden.  Since they have those three guys they can spend a year trying to develop him.  He's a lot like Good last year, the Colts something in him that will probably need to be developed.

[MTC]

2 hours ago, BlueCollarColts said:

So now that the draft is over, what would you guys give our draft? I'm personally saying a B, as I think we really added a lot of talent to the trenches on both sides, and everyone is used to hearing the saying the game is won in the trenches. 

 

Here is a list of our picks if you need a refresher:

Round 1:

C Ryan Kelly

 

Round 2:

S T.J. Green

 

Round 3:

OL Le'Raven Clark

 

Round 4:

DT Hassan Ridgeway

ILB Antonio Morrison

 

Round 5:

OL Joe Haeg

 

Round 7:

OLB Trevor Bates

C Austin Blythe

 

Individual grades:

 

Ryan Kelly: A

- Like I've mentioned before, I would have preferred Shaq Lawson, but Ryan Kelly is still a beast center. He'll be here for the next decade protecting Luck.

 

TJ Green: B

- I like TJ Green's upside. Very fast and athletic player who needs to improve his coverage and tackling (which I believe can be doable) 

 

Le'Raven Clark: B

- Le'Raven Clark was projected as a late first-second round pick. Great value and hopefully he can become our right tackle for the future. 

 

Hassan Ridgeway: A

- Fantastic value. Ridgeway needs some coaching, but he can really develop into a good nose tackle with passing rushing ability.

 

Antonio Morrison: B

- I love Antonio Morrison. He's a reach at the fourth round, but he's extremely talented. One of my late round gems pre-draft. Love his motor. Character is a question. Agree with the Vontaze Burfict comparisons.

 

Joe Haeg: B

- Again, another value pick. Was projected as a 3rd or 4th roudner. Haeg will develop into a solid swing tackle for us. Very athletic and did a good job protecting Carson Wentz in college.

 

Trevor Bates: INC

- Honestly no nothing about him.

 

Austin Blythe: B

- While he is undersized as a center, he is very strong and has great body control. Definitely will start as backup center.

 

 

UDFA's that I like that could make the 53:

 

RB Josh Ferguson

DE Ron Thompson

LB Curt Maggitt

 

 

 

[Narcosys]

3 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

I gave it a D.  Ryan Kelly seems to be the only player who will step in right away to help in 2016.

All the other players appear to be longer term, developmental types.

 

In a time long ago, that's what draft players were...

[Lawrence Owen]

Round 1:

C Ryan Kelly: A

Think he might have been able to trade back, but why risk it?

 

Round 2:

S T.J. Green: A-

Kid will be a ball hawk stud if it is in front of him, and he's not afraid to get 'dirty' in the trenches.

 

Round 3:

OL Le'Raven Clark: B-

 i Get he has potential to be a great o-lineman, but this is where we could have gotten a RB or DE/OLB

Round 4:

DT Hassan Ridgeway: A

This kid, if he stays healthy and can improve his conditioning, is going to be a monster.

 

ILB Antonio Morrison: C+

early on I would have given a D-, but after deep research, I realize he was been hampered by 2 knee surguries, and infections that has seriously limited his performance.

 

Round 5:

OL Joe Haeg: A-

Excellent pass blocker who's biggest flaws are weight and strength, both can be fixed.

 

Round 7:

OLB Trevor Bates: A for effort

Colts went to another small program and got a guy whom could possibly fill a direct need (this time in pass rush)

C Austin Blythe B

If anything, he can back up Kelly and we can give Harrison back to the pee-wee league we drafted him from.

 

Trade: A-

Was short a pick coming into the draft, ended up +1 because of trade, and from the sounds of it, it did not even change whom Colts took anyhow.

 

Overall: A-  I haven't seen a draft i liked more than this one......not in the terms of need/value.

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 hours ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

The C position isn't a premium position. C was a need but it wasn't BPA. Grigson basically admitted that he doesn't draft BPA. His mind was already made up months ago. You can find good centers in later rounds. You can win without a probowl C. Pass rush, ILB, and CB are premium positions. You can't win a superbowl without great players in the front 7. 

I honestly think Grigs will look for Pass Rushers in next years Draft. It was either do it this year and ignore protecting Andrew or load up on O.Lineman and protect Andrew. After last season I think that was enough to scare Grigs/Irsay/Pagano with what was going on with Andrew.

[Gavin]

Quote

 

My grades are based on PFF's 1-100 scale converted to a letter grade

 

Pick 18-Ryan Kelly- C Grade 88-A- . Pro Bowl potential. He was going to be the pick if he was there at 18 I think almost no matter what. Better run blocker than Pass protector at this point I think though solid at both. Struggles adjusting to stunts at times

 

Pick 57-TJ Green- S Height/Weight/Measurables Safety and based on all that I love the upside. He has some good tape. He makes plays but is very raw and has a lot of bad tape. Grade D-65 Backup Preferred: Shilique Calhoun OLB/DE

 

Pick 82-Le'raven Clark- T Grade D 67 High end backup. Much better run blocker than pass protector at this point....Ridgeway would have been here for me

 

Pick 116- Hassan Ridgeway- D Lineman Grade 85 A. Pro Bowl potential D Lineman in my opinion. Struggles with stamina at times and has durability concerns. Preferred: RB Tyler Ervin

 

Pick 125- Antonio Morrison 2 down Linebacker- LInebacker Grade 68 D Preferred: Dean Lowry D Lineman

 

Pick 155- Joe Haeg- OT Grade 65 D. Backup Preferred: Christian Westerman

 

Pick 239- Trevor Bates- LB Grade D 63 Backup Preferred: Victor Ochi

 

Pick 248 Austin Blythe- C Grade 78 Starter Potential...Preferred: Ill take this pick and run

 

Combined score: 579...Divided by 8 picks: 72.3 C-

 

A couple nice picks in my opinion: Blythe was a solid late round pick, Ridgeway can possibly develop into a starter and pay off huge. My hope is Ryan Kelly will develop into a Pro Bowl caliber Center I think in a couple years. A few picks based on upside here with I think better players on the board.  Anyway Im excited for the season to start now! However, Used right I really like Greens potential if he can clean a few things up...But again to many things he has to clean up for a 2nd round grade to me......And that PFF Grade though it is not the end all be all.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BlueCollarColts]

57 minutes ago, akcolt said:

 

I am not a huge fan of the draft. We draft 4 OL 2 that only play C. We don't get a pass rusher or a #2 CB instead an injuried ILB who can't cover. 

 

I came to terms with Kelly not what I wanted at 18 not good value but he should fill the biggest hole on the team. Let's hope his not just another Bama overhyped bust. A C at 18 better be great. 

 

Green and Clark day 2 I don't see helping right away. Fackrell or Jenkins in the 3rd would have made more sense to me. Green?He had first round support I'm trusting them here. We needed a FS. 

 

Day 3 we had could have raised the grade. Started well Ridgeway over Billings isn't what I would have done but those are the 2 guys I would have looked at.

 

Then Morrison I just don't get it with Robinson sitting there. A day 2 talent grab him it totally changes this draft. Don't like the risk then Judon is there. Booker is there Burbridge too. Caundy anyone but Another ILB that can't cover. 

 

Haag in the 5 would be great if we didn't take Clark in the 3rd. I'd prefer Hasg here and OLB in the 3rd Sims and Holmes are who I'd have looked with Clark on board.

 

It's hard to complain about a 7th but Blythe  is a C nothing else. We did that at 18. I thought Walker or Peekins even Coprich make more sense.,

 

 

The reason we didn't get a #2 CB is because we weren't looking for one. Patrick Robinson was signed for that role, Smith and Butler will compete for the 3rd CB role. 

[AZColt11]

Solid B with higher potential.  Why?  Because if they didn't hit on anything but the OL position it's a win for the Colts.  Any of the other positions hit and its gravy really.  And I think they hit on the OL.  Only time will tell but I like those guys they got.  This could turn out to be a great draft if Green or Ridgeway turn out to be good.

[braveheartcolt]

Z. I'm furious we didn't get a premier pass rusher. Grigson should have called alll the other GM's and told them  ot to take any, so we got first dibs on the best. What was he thinking.

[AZColt11]

4 minutes ago, braveheartcolt said:

Z. I'm furious we didn't get a premier pass rusher. Grigson should have called alll the other GM's and told them  ot to take any, so we got first dibs on the best. What was he thinking.

Love your sarcasm there.

[pgt_rob]

Hard to tell, just like Jvan said. But our offensive line was below average for the past couple seasons. Luck is getting pounded out there and we haven't been able to run the ball effectively. I like the O-Line heavy draft and I hope we got some guys that will stick and drastically change our line into something that is above average. I know Luck is probably very happy to have these guys. I don't know about you but I'm sure Gore is happy as well. He wasn't too thrilled with the performance last season, who can blame the guy. But that's the NFL life sometimes.

[Coltfreak]

1 hour ago, BlueCollarColts said:

The reason we didn't get a #2 CB is because we weren't looking for one. Patrick Robinson was signed for that role, Smith and Butler will compete for the 3rd CB role. 

If you didn't like Toler you won't like Robinson. Rick Venturi said he is not going to be any better than Toler and CB should have been high on the Colts need list

 

[Dark_Indy]

So, a B- from me.

I said before the draft if we went 6 of line I would be happy. Outside of Ridgeway and theven 4 olinemen, I'm a bit confused. I would have gladly traded green and morrison for either Spriggs or Whitehair. (Not traded with the Packers) other than that, Gregson did well. He really got aggressive with protection

For luck and the run game.

[akcolt]

1 hour ago, BlueCollarColts said:

The reason we didn't get a #2 CB is because we weren't looking for one. Patrick Robinson was signed for that role, Smith and Butler will compete for the 3rd CB role. 

They should be looking for a CB that can play outside. We only have 3 on the roster Davis Robinson and Brown. Davis is the only on to play consistently at a high level.  

 

Robinson has been wildly inconsistent going back to his time at FSU. There are many that believe he is better suited to play in the slot. Maybe he can flip the switch like Vontae.

 

If Robinson becomes a solid #2 we still have nothing behind him. I think rolling the dice on a day 2 talent like the kid from LSU Robinson makes more sense than Morrison. His body couldn't  hold up in college. He's had 2 knee surgeries  What's his ceiling ? A 2 down LB boy those are tough to come by. Robinson from LSU has the length, athelitism and instincts to be great press corner. 

[Superman]

Kelly, B+ -- Not an A because of the positional value, but after spending the last two weeks really thinking about who might be left at #18 and how they'd fit the Colts, it's hard to see a better player who would have a bigger impact being selected. The only exceptions are players with major injury concerns or major character concerns -- Lawson, Jack, Nkemdiche, Spence -- and the staff wasn't going to take a risk with this pick. They got the closest thing to a sure thing you can get in the draft, IMO, and I'm happy with this pick. (William Jackson III would have been a good pick here, but I think Kelly will have a much greater impact on the team.)

 

Green, B -- I'm evidently one of the few who likes him. He's tough, physical, aggressive, outstandingly athletic, has great size, and a ton of potential, yet with the right usage, he can play right away. His rough edges are all technical, IMO, and the Colts have a good set of DB coaches and some veterans who can help him. He has position versatility, but in our scheme he's a safety, and if he improves technically, he can be the kind of safety who steps down and covers good TEs and slot receivers. He can also be a "WOW" playmaker. (I would have been okay with Darian Thompson in this draft, who is great at playing the ball, but he doesn't have Green's athleticism. I also would have loved to take Reed instead of trading down.)

 

Clark, C -- Great length and movement, but unrefined and lacking strength. He'll need a lot of coaching -- Philbin has his work cut out -- and he probably needs at least a year of NFL strength training, before he's ready to play a major role. Some people think that if a tackle isn't ready to play, he can just kick inside to guard, and that's just not true. Clark in particular has a tackle-only skill set, and to play him at guard would be a disaster. He could play RT in a pinch in 2016, but he really won't be ready to play until 2017, IMO. Anything else would be a pleasant surprise. (Jordan Jenkins was the very next pick, who I think is more pro ready and would have added a potential pass rusher.)

 

Ridgeway, A -- Rotational DL right away, potential Pro Bowler in the future. He can play every position in our scheme, he's good against the run, he has some explosion and wiggle to penetrate and pressure the QB, and he plays his butt off. The only thing I can nitpick here is that he needs to work on his stamina, but the Colts rotate DL often anyways, so if he's a 20 snap/game guy at first, that's okay. (Sheldon Day was gone, but Ridgeway has better size anyways. CB Juston Burris went a couple picks later, and would have been a nice grab. Billings went six picks later, and probably would have been considered the steal of the draft, but I'm not that big of a fan. I'm happy with Ridgeway.)

 

Morrison, D -- With the extra 4th from GB, they took an undersized, athletically challenged ILB who I think fits the mold of the guys that have been torched in the middle of the Colts defense for the last four years. He's a phone booth guy who loves to hit and is always around the ball, and probably plays faster than his timed speed. He also sounds like a warrior who just loves to play the game. He's probably better than I think he is, but I'm not a fan of the pick. (Kenneth Dixon and Devontae Booker went a few picks later, and they would have been nice pickups. I even think Dak Prescott would have been a great value here, as the last draftable QB on the board, IMO.)

 

Haeg, B+ -- Good long term prospect at either tackle spot, with the ability to play inside in the future. Like Clark, he needs to get stronger, but he has better technique right now, IMO -- hands and leverage, not that he can't improve at both. I like his prospects. (Brothers, Westerman, Reader and Collins would have been nice. I'm okay with Haeg.)

 

Bates, B -- Pass rush ability from an edge guy who has nice athleticism. Small school guy who I can't find any reliable stats on, but his highlights and workout numbers suggest he has some NFL traits. Probably not the kind of #thundercat Mathis was asking for, but with Mathis being a smallish guy from a small school himself, maybe this is the place for Bates.

 

Blythe, A -- Nice snag of a guy who would have had 32 UDFA offers just because of the school he went to, an overachiever who plays with good technique and takes coaching very well. Philbin reportedly loves the guy and was excited about getting him, and he's probably as pro ready as any center that went ahead of him.

 

Averages out to a 3.0, a exact B. I was inclined to go with a B-. This was a weird draft even before it started, and the first round was ridiculous. The Colts did a good job getting an immediate starter in the first round, a no-doubter kind of guy. Everyone else, except Morrison, seems like they have starter/contributor potential. I wish there was some more athletic defensive front guys in the first five rounds, but there weren't a lot of exciting edge guys or ILBs outside of the top 50. 

 

If just a couple of these OL picks work out, the Colts offense has what it needs to be balanced and explosive.

[akcolt]

2 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

Kelly was projected as a Center who could play guard.  In fact other than the seventh round pick all of the line men Grigson took could play multipal positions.

 

They signed a number two corner in Robinson.  They also have Butler in the Nickel slot and the Smith kid they drafted high last year.  Corner was not a pressing need still the kid they took in the second round could play corner in a pinch.

 

The middle linebacker is a bit of a gamble but if he pans out he could be a run stuffer.

 

Green will probably compete with Geathers for the other starting safety spot with Adams and provides depth.  Something the Colts had none of at safety.  Also he should be able to step in for Adams when he's done which is probably a year or two away at most.  

 

Here's the thing about the Colts they went into the draft wth really four NFL level players on it.  AC and Mewhort were locked in on the left side.  Reitz is really a high level backup more than a starter and Good is still a work in progress.  So they drafted their center which they needed in the worst way and two other guys who can challenge for starting spots and provide depth.  Blythe probably means Holmes and Harrison could both be gone and since we know both stink I am not against that.

 

i am not going to complain about the OLBer too much in the seventh round.  He provides a little depth behind Mathis, Cole, and Walden.  Since they have those three guys they can spend a year trying to develop him.  He's a lot like Good last year, the Colts something in him that will probably need to be developed.

Kelly and Blythe are C's and Reitz graded out as a top 15 RT last year. He's better than a back up I'm not sure why everyone wants to bench the guy. He could win the starting job at any position but LT and C this year in camp. Clark needs time IMO.

 

We may have signed our #2 CB in Robinson? He would have to play more consistently than he ever has for that to be true. Even so we only have Brown behind him. I think the LSU CB Robinson has a much higher ceiling than Morrison if we want to roll the dice with that pick Robinson is my pick. Judon and Booker, Dixon were there too. I didn't like pick. I'm not sure we signed the long term answer for #2 CB.

 

I like the draft for the most part. I like most of the players . I think we had a shot to get a good OLB and didn't. We took Clark instead.  He has the tools to be good don't see much help this yr

 

Then we took a walking injury 2 down LB instead of a CB with a ton upside. Those are the only 2 guys I have issue with. I really dislike Morrison in the 4th. 

 

This draft grade is going to be decided on how good Kelly turns out The board has him in the HOF without playing a down hope they are right.  

[ReMeDy]

5 hours ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

I gave it a D. Ryan Kelly was a solid pick but it wasn't a premium position. Grigson passed on Lawson who was one of the best pass rushers in the draft. Green was a reach as well. There was better players available. Overall, I'm very disappointed in Grigson for not drafting any blue chip defensive players. 

 

No, I think the 1st pick was crucial. I understand we missed a great D-Line player, but Center is a position we have been sorely lacking ever since Jeff Saturday left. We needed a young, experienced, and versatile o-lineman who will hopefully grow with Andrew Luck throughout the entirety of their two careers, similar to what Peyton did with Saturday.

We needed o-line help NOW, otherwise we might not have a QB. Andrew Luck was getting killed out there. I'm seriously worried about Luck's long-term prospects when he has internal kinds of injury issues and him saying he's still not 100% yet.

[weslo1812]

29 minutes ago, Superman said:

Kelly, B+ -- Not an A because of the positional value, but after spending the last two weeks really thinking about who might be left at #18 and how they'd fit the Colts, it's hard to see a better player who would have a bigger impact being selected. The only exceptions are players with major injury concerns or major character concerns -- Lawson, Jack, Nkemdiche, Spence -- and the staff wasn't going to take a risk with this pick. They got the closest thing to a sure thing you can get in the draft, IMO, and I'm happy with this pick. (William Jackson III would have been a good pick here, but I think Kelly will have a much greater impact on the team.)

 

Green, B -- I'm evidently one of the few who likes him. He's tough, physical, aggressive, outstandingly athletic, has great size, and a ton of potential, yet with the right usage, he can play right away. His rough edges are all technical, IMO, and the Colts have a good set of DB coaches and some veterans who can help him. He has position versatility, but in our scheme he's a safety, and if he improves technically, he can be the kind of safety who steps down and covers good TEs and slot receivers. He can also be a "WOW" playmaker. (I would have been okay with Darian Thompson in this draft, who is great at playing the ball, but he doesn't have Green's athleticism. I also would have loved to take Reed instead of trading down.)

 

Clark, C -- Great length and movement, but unrefined and lacking strength. He'll need a lot of coaching -- Philbin has his work cut out -- and he probably needs at least a year of NFL strength training, before he's ready to play a major role. Some people think that if a tackle isn't ready to play, he can just kick inside to guard, and that's just not true. Clark in particular has a tackle-only skill set, and to play him at guard would be a disaster. He could play RT in a pinch in 2016, but he really won't be ready to play until 2017, IMO. Anything else would be a pleasant surprise. (Jordan Jenkins was the very next pick, who I think is more pro ready and would have added a potential pass rusher.)

 

Ridgeway, A -- Rotational DL right away, potential Pro Bowler in the future. He can play every position in our scheme, he's good against the run, he has some explosion and wiggle to penetrate and pressure the QB, and he plays his butt off. The only thing I can nitpick here is that he needs to work on his stamina, but the Colts rotate DL often anyways, so if he's a 20 snap/game guy at first, that's okay. (Sheldon Day was gone, but Ridgeway has better size anyways. CB Juston Burris went a couple picks later, and would have been a nice grab. Billings went six picks later, and probably would have been considered the steal of the draft, but I'm not that big of a fan. I'm happy with Ridgeway.)

 

Morrison, D -- With the extra 4th from GB, they took an undersized, athletically challenged ILB who I think fits the mold of the guys that have been torched in the middle of the Colts defense for the last four years. He's a phone booth guy who loves to hit and is always around the ball, and probably plays faster than his timed speed. He also sounds like a warrior who just loves to play the game. He's probably better than I think he is, but I'm not a fan of the pick. (Kenneth Dixon and Devontae Booker went a few picks later, and they would have been nice pickups. I even think Dak Prescott would have been a great value here, as the last draftable QB on the board, IMO.)

 

Haeg, B+ -- Good long term prospect at either tackle spot, with the ability to play inside in the future. Like Clark, he needs to get stronger, but he has better technique right now, IMO -- hands and leverage, not that he can't improve at both. I like his prospects. (Brothers, Westerman, Reader and Collins would have been nice. I'm okay with Haeg.)

 

Bates, B -- Pass rush ability from an edge guy who has nice athleticism. Small school guy who I can't find any reliable stats on, but his highlights and workout numbers suggest he has some NFL traits. Probably not the kind of #thundercat Mathis was asking for, but with Mathis being a smallish guy from a small school himself, maybe this is the place for Bates.

 

Blythe, A -- Nice snag of a guy who would have had 32 UDFA offers just because of the school he went to, an overachiever who plays with good technique and takes coaching very well. Philbin reportedly loves the guy and was excited about getting him, and he's probably as pro ready as any center that went ahead of him.

 

Averages out to a 3.0, a exact B. I was inclined to go with a B-. This was a weird draft even before it started, and the first round was ridiculous. The Colts did a good job getting an immediate starter in the first round, a no-doubter kind of guy. Everyone else, except Morrison, seems like they have starter/contributor potential. I wish there was some more athletic defensive front guys in the first five rounds, but there weren't a lot of exciting edge guys or ILBs outside of the top 50. 

 

If just a couple of these OL picks work out, the Colts offense has what it needs to be balanced and explosive.

Curious what your opinion is of getting Maggit in UDFA? What do you think of his potential as a pass rusher?

[Carlos Danger]

I'm an incurable optimist... This draft could have gone down any number of ways, but we got who we got. (yeah, i'm using "we" in this post. no I don't work for the team [never gets old])

 

Grading drafts this early is silly... Mostly we are grading positions. I like this draft for the precise reason that makes some people hate it: it looks toward the future and it puts the onus on the coaches to do their jobs at a high level. 

 

As an optimist, I feel inclined to say that I believe that Andrew Luck is worth 8 wins on his own, with no rookie class or second year improvements from last year's class. Fill the roster with UDFAs and we are .500 with a healthy #12.

 

We can't build a perrenial SB contender with one draft. Next year's crop of RBs and edge guys will be sooooo much better than in this draft and both of those positions have high impacts as rookies compared to the O-Line talent that we drafted and desperately needed.

 

Guys like Clark and Green could be balling out like mad in 2017 and it won't surprise me... That's why they were drafted... to build a team that can win multiple Lombardi Trophies in Andrew's prime, not just to plug up 2016's numerous roster holes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NewColtsFan]

 

I think this COULD turn into the Colts best draft of the Grigson/Pagano era....

 

But the key will be Green,  who the Colts said was a "top-30" player...    in other words, a 1st round pick,  and Clark,  who the Colts said was a near 1st round talent.

 

If those two eventually become what the Colts THINK they can become,  then this is a great draft.    If not,  the Colts will suffer as a result.

 

As for Morrison,  who Superman and others are not happy with....    take a look at the Day Three press conference.      Grigson and Pagano think they stole him.     Apparently,  Morrison was flat on his back for nearly 6 weeks this winter with a bad staff infection.      4 days before his Pro Day,  the port was removed from his chest.    He was told NOT to perform at this pro day.      He did not listen.      The Colts view him as a guy who plays much, MUCH faster than he times.      They are head over heals in love with the guy.