What should the Colts draft first RB or LB?

[gacoop1]

I vote RB, especially the caliber of a Dalvin Cook who will impact your offense.

[Defjamz26]

RB if it's Cook. As far as LB I'm not sure there's one I'd take at 14/15. But there's plenty I'd take in the other rounds.

[Bravo]

If Cook or Fournette are available when the Colts pick. Either one needs to be your pick.

 

If not, then you need to draft a pass rushing OLB, then go ILB.

 

 

[Defjamz26]

35 minutes ago, bravo4460 said:

If Cook or Fournette are available when the Colts pick. Either one needs to be your pick.

 

If not, then you need to draft a pass rushing OLB, then go ILB.

 

 

What about DL? Malik McDowell is pretty good.

[WarGhost21]

I think where we're drafting is a perfect spot to pick up Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham. He is a rangy athlete with great coverage abilities and (needs a bit help with technique but) finished far and away first in the SEC in tackles with 125. He is exactly what we need in a TE dominant AFC to shut the big men down. I would still take him a bit earlier if we drafted earlier. He would become the core of our defense.

[SP_21]

BPA

[Valpo2004]

Pass rushing OLB should be first.  

 

If one isn't available then I would probably take an RB over a ILB.  

 

But you can't take an RB over a pass rusher.  Especially with Cole walking and Mathis retiring that has to be our first priority.  

[BCoop]

If Cook is available at 14-15, it's hard to imagine him not being BPA. I get the feeling he is going to go the Ezekiel Elliott route though and go much higher than currently mocked. I could see the both the Jags and Panthers picking him up at #4 or #8.

[pgt_rob]

I think the pick should be either Tim Williams, Takk McKinley, or Malik McDowell in the 1st round. We need to beef up the front defensive line with some guys that can get to the QB. Anyone of those guys I would love. 

[UKColt13]

Not necessarily LB depending on who's there, but definitely defense.

[PeterBowman]

depends on who's available.

 

if it's Cook I don't think you can pass that up.

 

if Cook and Fournette are both gone then there's lots of solid D players I'm sure that will be available...go that route.

[masnerj]

Let me just say that ILB probably will not be our pick in the 14-15 slot. There are two ILBs that I can think of: Foster and Cunningham. Foster will most likely go in the top ten (some have him top five even, which I find crazy). Cunningham probably isn't a top 15 pick value so that would be a reach if we draft him. If we want him (which I certainly do), we should trade down. Otherwise, Cook is a fine pick and fine value for that pick. 

[masnerj]

Pass-rushing OLBs are probably the most hit or miss (other than QBs of course) position in a typical draft. I severely doubt any of them will be a higher value than Cook at that pick if we are going strictly on pick number and pick value. However, if one somehow falls out of the top ten on draft day or something, I'd be willing to give it a shot. Better to take such a chance in the second or third round because there is a steep drop off after all the top ten folks are gone and its not worth "wasting" a 15 pick. 

[Vinatieri4]

It's hard to pass up a good running back talent, but Gore probably has a solid 1 year left in the tank. We don't need a home run hitter at RB.  Model the team after the Patriots!!! No more big name guys at skilled positions!!!

 

Get a Pass Catching Back for third down (??? Turbin as well?)

 

Get a short yardage back (Turbin for a year or two)

 

Get a first and second down back (Gore for a season)

 

I think that's what truly makes the Patriots great, sure they have Gronk and Brady, but historically speaking they don't spend the money on skilled positions, they spread it out on defense, and O line. We need to do the same. 

 

Unless if a once in a generation talent falls in your lap, then you have to take him, but other than that I don't see a point in taking a guy who could turn out to be the next Melvin Gordon so early in the first round.

 

[JMichael557]

Cook is ranked as the 7th best player. RB is a position of need. If he falls to 14/15 it would be difficult to pass on him is we rank Cook as high as everyone else. Dallas has a bad defense but adding Elliott actually helped the defense in that they were able to stay off the field. That being said if their is a defensive player that is as good at his position as Cook is as a RB then you go defense. In all likelihood Cook will not be available so the Colts will not have to worry about it.

[BPindy]

I'm hoping that Foster is somehow there. Although it would be tough passing on Cooks if he's also there

[Andrew Luck fan club]

The Colts defense has been record breaking terrible the past couple of years. idc if it's LB, CB, or DE we need defense!

[Track Guy]

Either or neither. Depends on the player. Just don't reach for a mediocre guy. There's good depth at both of these positions this year, so scoring good prospects on the second day should be very doable. I think this could be a good year to trade back a few spots too. 

[MasterCrief]

I think it's gonna depend on what happens in free agency, and how the draft unfolds before our pick. If we grab a pass rusher in free agency, like Melvin Ingram, that frees us up to take a more BPA approach in the first round and look harder at possibly going ILB or RB at 14/15. My top guys for the first are (in order): Derek Barnett, Solomon Thomas, Dalvin Cook, and Zach Cunningham, unless Reuben Foster falls to us (doubt it), in which case you've got to take him.

[MasterCrief]

20 minutes ago, 12to13 said:

The Colts defense has been record breaking terrible the past couple of years. idc if it's LB, CB, or DE we need defense!

If we go DL, I think we'd be better off getting a NT than a DE. We've got a couple guys that I think will be quality starters for us going forward at DE in Anderson and Ridgeway, but Parry has been abused in the run game. We need someone that can plug up the middle and eat up double teams (like Wilfork has done throughout his career).

 

Unless by DE you meant EDGE, in which case I agree completely.

[esmort]

Not a RB 

[Mr_486lo]

It really doesn't matter people. Given the pressing need on defense, I'm pretty sure we will draft heavy for it (defense). Whether we draft an explosive runningback or not, It's one pick. One pick that we need as well. We have holes in all three phases (in my Pagano voice). I say best player available. I'm still gonna be a Colts fan either way.

[stitches]

BPA. If we have BPAs of different positions in the same tier, I'd go EDGE>CB>ILB>RB

[CR91]

What if we had a dream scenario and Barrett fournette and cook were all available

[BOTT]

12 hours ago, SP_21 said:

BPA

What if it's a center?

[BOTT]

If it's a choice between the two....LB duh.

[BOTT]

9 hours ago, JMichael557 said:

Cook is ranked as the 7th best player. RB is a position of need. If he falls to 14/15 it would be difficult to pass on him is we rank Cook as high as everyone else. Dallas has a bad defense but adding Elliott actually helped the defense in that they were able to stay off the field. That being said if their is a defensive player that is as good at his position as Cook is as a RB then you go defense. In all likelihood Cook will not be available so the Colts will not have to worry about it.

Boy, Elliot gets waaayyy too much credit.

[riftastic28]

I say the colts should take cook and only cook. If he's isn't there take cam Robinson . I don't see a pass rushing OLB or ILB that will be there when we pick well one worth the 14th pick

[riftastic28]

4 minutes ago, BOTT said:

Boy, Elliot gets waaayyy too much credit.

Howard crushed it with a terrible line and he didn't play 4 games he finish 2nd in yards yet nobody mentions it

[SP_21]

40 minutes ago, BOTT said:

What if it's a center?

You got me  

[SP_21]

38 minutes ago, BOTT said:

Boy, Elliot gets waaayyy too much credit.

He only has the best line in the league. NBD...

 

Almost any competent back would be highly successful behind their OLine 

[NewColtsFan]

18 hours ago, gacoop1 said:

I vote RB, especially the caliber of a Dalvin Cook who will impact your offense.

 

I vote LB.

 

The best go in the 1st round.

 

You can still find a quality RB in the 2nd, or the 3rd, or the 4th round.    Some teams find a good RB later.

 

But our defense is very bad.     We need some high level talent.    We need playmakers.     We need difference makers.

 

Linebackers,  outside and inside.

 

Cornerbacks. 

 

Defensine lineman.

 

Safeties.      

 

You name it,  we need it.

[riftastic28]

All you have to do is watch the fsu and Clemson game . You'll see cook destroy that defense . Cook is a 3 down back Unlike gore . When gore is in the back field you know he's running . There is no element of surprise . With cook he might go out for a pass, Block or he's running it . He would help luck out tremendously keeping defenders on there toes. I also somewhere in the draft or maybe free agency I'd like a wide out 

[masnerj]

10 hours ago, Vinatieri4 said:

It's hard to pass up a good running back talent, but Gore probably has a solid 1 year left in the tank. We don't need a home run hitter at RB.  Model the team after the Patriots!!! No more big name guys at skilled positions!!!

 

Get a Pass Catching Back for third down (??? Turbin as well?)

 

Get a short yardage back (Turbin for a year or two)

 

Get a first and second down back (Gore for a season)

 

I think that's what truly makes the Patriots great, sure they have Gronk and Brady, but historically speaking they don't spend the money on skilled positions, they spread it out on defense, and O line. We need to do the same. 

 

Unless if a once in a generation talent falls in your lap, then you have to take him, but other than that I don't see a point in taking a guy who could turn out to be the next Melvin Gordon so early in the first round.

 

 

I have nothing against Gore, I love the guy to death and everything he has done in this league. BUT at this moment: Gore < Blount. Blount had 18 TDs this year I think. I don't think we should compare everything to the Patriots. Many many other teams have a young RB1 that help carry an offense: Elliot, Bell, Miller, Gurley, etc. If we pick Cook (which I think makes a lot of sense), it would not be a waste and would ultimately be a good pick IMHO. Would take pressure off Luck and the OL a little bit too. 

 

Cook is certainly worth the 15th overall pick. In fact, money plays no role in this argument....rookies are cheap and we would get him for cheap for 4-5 years. This is different that going out and spending 10 million on a RB1 this offseason. Also, many would argue that Gordon did fine this year and came back (Personally saved my fantasy team on multiple occasions haha).

[SP_21]

38 minutes ago, riftastic28 said:

All you have to do is watch the fsu and Clemson game . You'll see cook destroy that defense . Cook is a 3 down back Unlike gore . When gore is in the back field you know he's running . There is no element of surprise . With cook he might go out for a pass, Block or he's running it . He would help luck out tremendously keeping defenders on there toes. I also somewhere in the draft or maybe free agency I'd like a wide out 

Gore can catch we just don't use him in the passing game that much. That's all on the coaches and play calling. 

[Hoose]

50 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I vote LB.

 

The best go in the 1st round.

 

You can still find a quality RB in the 2nd, or the 3rd, or the 4th round.    Some teams find a good RB later.

 

But our defense is very bad.     We need some high level talent.    We need playmakers.     We need difference makers.

 

Linebackers,  outside and inside.

 

Cornerbacks. 

 

Defensine lineman.

 

Safeties.      

 

You name it,  we need it.

Thank you. YES! A historically awful Defense will continue to drag this team down until the ILB's, NT and pass rush are solved. Defense all day long. A couple of impact free agents.  Then use the draft to get the best defensive players available. Running back can be solved with a later pick. Until the Defense gets better, this team remains mediocre. 

[Vinatieri4]

12 hours ago, masnerj said:

 

I have nothing against Gore, I love the guy to death and everything he has done in this league. BUT at this moment: Gore < Blount. Blount had 18 TDs this year I think. I don't think we should compare everything to the Patriots. Many many other teams have a young RB1 that help carry an offense: Elliot, Bell, Miller, Gurley, etc. If we pick Cook (which I think makes a lot of sense), it would not be a waste and would ultimately be a good pick IMHO. Would take pressure off Luck and the OL a little bit too. 

 

Cook is certainly worth the 15th overall pick. In fact, money plays no role in this argument....rookies are cheap and we would get him for cheap for 4-5 years. This is different that going out and spending 10 million on a RB1 this offseason. Also, many would argue that Gordon did fine this year and came back (Personally saved my fantasy team on multiple occasions haha).

 

I would agree that we could use a better back than Gore, so we can agree on that. I guess my point/opinion is this:

 

In the first round I feel like you should use that pick on your biggest need / best player available.

 

 

So you have to ask the question:

 

Is running back our biggest need? And if NOT is Cook/any other back that much better of a talent than what we could get at OLB or even OL. 

[backshoulderfade]

I think if Cook is available you take him. Unless you have a guy like Garrett, Barnett or Allen available. I think Cook makes the Colts the best Offense in the NFL. Ideally I want to go D all day, but Cook is a great talent.

[WarGhost21]

LB is by far the better option in the first round. Let's look at some stats. Of the top 10 running backs in the league this year based on Fantasy football rankings, only 3 (Zeke, Gordon, and Ingram) were selected in the first round. Elliott is the only first round RB to make the 2017 Pro bowl. Among linebackers, 8 of the 10 Pro Bowlers were taken in the first round. If all of this still doesn't convince you that going for a LB in the first and a running back later, especially in this historically deep class of RBs, then I don't know what will.

[Colts_Fan12]

43 minutes ago, backshoulderfade said:

I think if Cook is available you take him. Unless you have a guy like Garrett, Barnett or Allen available. I think Cook makes the Colts the best Offense in the NFL. Ideally I want to go D all day, but Cook is a great talent.

The Colts won't have the top offense with Pagano and Chud.