So what's the outlook on Kelly after 12 games?

[DalTXColtsFan]

Does he look like he was worth the 18th-overall pick?

[TKnight24]

Yup

 

The entire starting 5 have lived up to their selections 

 

Statistically the Jets have stunk in terms of pass rush, but they still have 3 very talented DL and we held them to 1 sack 

 

There's not a team on the planet that wouldn't take Mo Wilkerson, Leonard or Sheldon

[BullsColtsFan1]

I think he's pretty darn good.  I think he's played quite well.  Every time I hear an announcer say defensive lines should exploit the Colts offensive line because it has 2 rookies(Kelly and Haeg) and a 2nd year player(Good), I shake my head and say to myself Kelly plays far better than a rookie. 

[PeterBowman]

notice how the interior of the line isn't a turnstile since he's been drafted. Sure there's been mistakes (he's a rookie and human) but overall he's a vast improvement over what they've had since Saturday retired and he'll only get better.  

[NorthernBlue]

Not gonna jump the gun and say he's gonna be an all pro, or a 10 year main stay or whatever. But so far, he's been great. Mistakes here and there, but he's a rookie. He's gonna get better. I thought he was excellent against the Jets.

 

Also noticed AC has been better recently. That'll certainly help the fortune of the rest of the line.

[Track Guy]

I've been down on some of the ways which Grigson address (or failed to address) the O-line, but Kelly and Mewhort were two moves that I really like. Those guys are good interior linemen. 

[Dustin]

He's above-average in pass pro and below-average run blocking. 

 

Impressive for a rookie but an average players overall. Definitely not worth such a high-draft pick so far. 

[UKColt13]

Looked good so far. Luck isn't constantly getting killed by A gap blitzes this year. 

[braveheartcolt]

17 minutes ago, Dustin said:

He's above-average in pass pro and below-average run blocking. 

 

Impressive for a rookie but an average players overall. Definitely not worth such a high-draft pick so far. 

Excluding Luck, getting an average player in the first round is a major success these days....

[PeterBowman]

9 minutes ago, braveheartcolt said:

Excluding Luck, getting an average player in the first round is a major success these days....

and he's just going to get better.....Center and LG are positions you just don't have to worry about now.

[braveheartcolt]

R. Kelly? I believe he can fly!

[Malakai432]

I like him, hopefully he makes a big leap from yr 1 to yr 2....

[PeterBowman]

5 minutes ago, braveheartcolt said:

R. Kelly? I believe he can fly!

just avoid the closets and pee lol

[1959Colts]

top ten center

[2006Coltsbestever]

For rookie standards he has been Good, hopefully he can get to the Very Good or Great level in a couple of years. I have loved the pick all along.

[tikyle]

44 minutes ago, braveheartcolt said:

Excluding Luck, getting an average player in the first round is a major success these days....

 

Are you saying overall (for any GM) or for Grigson specifically?

[Coffeedrinker]

Assuming Kelly continues to show the weekly improvement in the remain weeks as he has to this point in the season I would grade the Kelly draft as A-.  His line calls seem to be on the money, his technique is very good. His body positioning during his pass set is excellent and his leg drive during run blocking is top notch.

 

The negatives are is pass pro he still gets set up and then beat because NFL dlineman have much better hand use and savy then he saw in college (that can only be fixed with experience) and in run blocking he will lean a bit much at the waist and lose balance taking away his power.

 

But with the limited options at rush LB, no chance he would have lasted until the 2nd round and his good play and steady improvement it's hard to say much negative about the pick.

 

As a Michigan fan, I would have preferred Graham Glasgow but that's just me. 

[ColtsFanMikeC]

 

2 hours ago, DalTXColtsFan said:

Does he look like he was worth the 18th-overall pick?

 

Yes -- he will be our best lineman by opening day of next year (IMO). 

 

He has made minor mistakes, but for the most part he has played well. Hands down the best C Luck has had in 5 years in Indy.

[Superman]

Good player, worth the pick for the Colts, not a great value overall due to his position. But I think the Colts got a long term player at a position they've been struggling with for four years, so I'm going to shrug that off.

[richard pallo]

Outlook?  Fantastic.  And he's only going to get better.  He's probably top 10 now and he's only a rookie. The picked solved one of our biggest needs with an instant NFL ready starter.  Loved the pick.  And, for the most part.  Grigson's other picks are turning out to be solid starters who should get better as well.  Haag, Gaethers, Ridgeway, Green stand out.  Another great draft like this one and one or two solid FA's and the monster is Alive. 

[Andrew Luck fan club]

It was a needed pick and he's been solid in every way you'd want.

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

Good player, worth the pick for the Colts, not a great value overall due to his position. But I think the Colts got a long term player at a position they've been struggling with for four years, so I'm going to shrug that off.

Not saying they weren't in love with him but I feel like he was a safe pick and that's part of the reason it was made. And honestly Grigson needs to make more picks like that. Drafting guys that just make sense and aren't a guessing game. More Ryan Kelly's and less Werner's and Dorsett's.

[Superman]

16 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Not saying they weren't in love with him but I feel like he was a safe pick and that's part of the reason it was made. And honestly Grigson needs to make more picks like that. Drafting guys that just make sense and aren't a guessing game. More Ryan Kelly's and less Werner's and Dorsett's.

 

As much as I liked Nkemdiche, and as much as we could have used Spence or Jack, they needed to get a solid hit in the first round this year. Maybe not a home run, but at least get on base. Kelly was absolutely a safe pick, but that was needed this time.

 

And I think Kelly was a top 20 pick. I just don't like the positional value, big picture. They may have been able to trade back 5-10 picks and still gotten Kelly, but picked up an extra 3rd. Maybe not, no one knows how things would have changed, or if someone else would have taken Kelly in the meantime. They obviously really liked him, so they stayed put and got their guy. I can accept that.

[Creekside]

The Colts have gained 24 rushing 1st downs between the guards, which is 12th best in the league. They have also allowed only 2 negative rushes between the guards which is tied for 2nd best in the league.

[akcolt]

I wasn't a fan of taking a C at 18 but Kelly has been solid  at a position Grig's hadn't been able to fix since he arrived. If you need the 18th to finally fix that's what you do. 

 

The draft overall could have been better. A project in the 3rd and a reach in the 4th. That means 2 of the 5 picks in the top 125 we get nothing. Then taking a second C in the 7th a guy who offers no position flexibility. IMO Blythe puts in question the ability to construct a roster. Why would you spend the 18th over pick on a C then draft a C only in the 7th?

 

Morrison is another slow linebacker that can't cover lacks speed to play sideline to sideline. I couldn't find anyone who thought he was more than a late day 3 - UDFA prospect predraft. CB's Robinson and Hall and our choice at RB Howard Booker Dixon all sitting there.

 

We hear how we looked at Ferguson hard early day 3. It really makes you wonder how close this was to a disaster. You replace Haeg or Ridgeway with Ferguson things aren't ok. I'm concerned what direction we take in this years draft. I don't like the Clark pick. Maybe it turns to gold but we weren't in a spot to roll dice in the 3rd. Morrison and Blythe were just bad.

[pgt_rob]

He's not a sexy pick at #18 but a much needed one. I think Grigson was smart to grab him in the 1st because I would be afraid to take someone else and not work out. Just tired of seeing a crappy O-Line so I think it's worth the pick.

[Jackie Daytona]

1 hour ago, akcolt said:

I wasn't a fan of taking a C at 18 but Kelly has been solid  at a position Grig's hadn't been able to fix since he arrived. If you need the 18th to finally fix that's what you do. 

 

The draft overall could have been better. A project in the 3rd and a reach in the 4th. That means 2 of the 5 picks in the top 125 we get nothing. Then taking a second C in the 7th a guy who offers no position flexibility. IMO Blythe puts in question the ability to construct a roster. Why would you spend the 18th over pick on a C then draft a C only in the 7th?

 

Morrison is another slow linebacker that can't cover lacks speed to play sideline to sideline. I couldn't find anyone who thought he was more than a late day 3 - UDFA prospect predraft. CB's Robinson and Hall and our choice at RB Howard Booker Dixon all sitting there.

 

We hear how we looked at Ferguson hard early day 3. It really makes you wonder how close this was to a disaster. You replace Haeg or Ridgeway with Ferguson things aren't ok. I'm concerned what direction we take in this years draft. I don't like the Clark pick. Maybe it turns to gold but we weren't in a spot to roll dice in the 3rd. Morrison and Blythe were just bad.

I'd argue Ridgeway is not really a project at this point, does he have potential that is untapped?  yep..... but he is starting, and doing a decent job, as a 4th round pick..... he may have been labeled a project, but if you can start your first year and hold your own as a 4th round pick, you are doing pretty well.....  also, the Blythe pick?  it's a throw away pick, why not take a guy rated as a potential starter down the road at any position, regardless of your roster

 

[Jackie Daytona]

a 7th rounder is what really puts the question there for you on whether a guy can build a roster?  lol   Grigs has plenty of issues, a duplicate pick for value in the 7th isn't one of them..... hell, Polian drafted 3 Centers in one draft.....   guess he's a horrid team builder by your standards

[Jackie Daytona]

spent a 2nd, 6th, and a 7th on Pollack, Justice, and Richard...a travesty I tell you

[Jackie Daytona]

That entire draft sucked though, outside of Garcon in the 6th, so you may be on to something

[AZColt11]

I think he had a rough time vs. the Jets but overall about what I expected, solid if not spectacular but not a guy I have to worry about every week.  He's making some mistakes but I think his play overall had made up for those errors.  Liked the pick from the get-go and still liking it.  He will only grow from this year and I think he will become what we all hoped for next season.

[Defjamz26]

I gotta say though, the Kelly pick and his performance this far kind of proves what a lot of people here have said which is that the best way to address the line is with high draft picks. Castonzo, Mewhort, and Kelly are 1st and 2nd round picks. Clark in the 3rd and Haeg was underrated in the 4th round. If Haeg and Clark end up working out and eventually starting at RG and RT, it'll even further prove the point.

[AZColt11]

1 minute ago, Defjamz26 said:

I gotta say though, the Kelly pick and his performance this far kind of proves what a lot of people here have said which is that the best way to address the line is with high draft picks. Castonzo, Mewhort, and Kelly are 1st and 2nd round picks. Clark in the 3rd and Haeg was underrated in the 4th round. If Haeg and Clark end up working out and eventually starting at RG and RT, it'll even further prove the point.

I don;t think those high picks guarantee anything certainly but I do think the odds go up that they will work out with higher picks.  For every one of the low round guys who are in the HOF I could probably show you 4 or 5 who were high picks who made it.

[akcolt]

3 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

I gotta say though, the Kelly pick and his performance this far kind of proves what a lot of people here have said which is that the best way to address the line is with high draft picks. Castonzo, Mewhort, and Kelly are 1st and 2nd round picks. Clark in the 3rd and Haeg was underrated in the 4th round. If Haeg and Clark end up working out and eventually starting at RG and RT, it'll even further prove the point.

We got Haeg in the 5th we spent our 4th round picks on Ridgeway and Morrison

[lollygagger8]

Kelly has been pretty dang good for a rookie. 

 

I'm glad Grigs finally hit on another first rounder not named Luck. 

[Gavin]

16 hours ago, Dustin said:

He's above-average in pass pro and below-average run blocking. 

 

Impressive for a rookie but an average players overall. Definitely not worth such a high-draft pick so far. 

^ This pretty well sums it all up. Solid player but has not proven to be worth such a draft pick yet

[pgt_rob]

1 hour ago, Gavin said:

^ This pretty well sums it all up. Solid player but has not proven to be worth such a draft pick yet

 

More proven than Dorsett.

[Gavin]

21 minutes ago, pgt_rob said:

 

More proven than Dorsett.

Dorsett still went right around where most had him going. Late first to top of 2nd. The reality was he was raw coming out and. Other more polished receivers went after him.....Tyler Lockett for example. I wanted Kikaha or Kendricks. I do think there has been plays where he has been open and Luck simply did not get him the ball though

 

 

It is what it is. No point and complaining about it now

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Id rather have a guy like Kelly than a guy like Dorsett . Someone who does his job phenomenally while many people still question his value at #18. Rather than a guy who's stunk up the joint for 3 years yet still has most experts on the forum defending and propping him up at every turn  because of "measurables/potential" . 

 

 

Kelly is pretty good. And will be very, very good in no time at all. 

[pgt_rob]

1 minute ago, Gavin said:

Dorsett still went right around where most had him going. Late first to top of 2nd. The reality was he was raw coming out. Other more polished receivers went after him.....Tyler Lockett for example. I do think there has been plays where he has been open and Luck simply did not get him the ball though

 

I'm just getting at is that we needed a Center that will be better than what we've had previously. We got him at #18 to solidify that position for years to come and he will only get better. Might not have been BPA, who knows, but we got a player that was needed for years now. Pretty good start for a rookie.  I don't get why people are saying he's not worth a high draft pick so far. I guess they're okay with Luck getting pounded within seconds the last few years straight up the middle. The pick helps us right away, and it would have been much much more of a guessing game had we not drafted Kelly. Who else was there that's playing just as well?