What Do We Do With a Top 5 Pick?

[dw49]

1 hour ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

I sure hope so I'd love to somehoiw get the 1st lol 

 

 

I think in a "normal" year , we would have a great shot at it. This year you have 2 teams with no wins and another with just one. Pretty unusual going into week 8. At least SF and Clve play each other.

[OLD FAN MAN]

6 hours ago, rockywoj said:

I am not as optimistic as you are, for the rest of this season.  Right now, to my chagrin, the Colts are looking like a bottom five team.

i concur

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, bananabucket said:

 

The problem is the lack of top talent in this draft class (as it looks right now).  Barkley is alone at the top as far as slam dunk top 5 guys go.  And I'd take him in a heartbeat if possible.

I think he's the best player in this draft and no one is even close. My problem is our line. It wasn't until 2014 when the Cowboys had acquired Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin that Murray was finally able to break out. But by that point he was already near the end of his contract. That'll be Barkley for us unless we fix the line. We need a new starter at every OL position except center. It'd be great if we could trade someone for an extra first and take Barkley while getting an OL to go with him.

[Dingus McGirt]

3 hours ago, BProland85 said:

 

I think you have to tease that in order to get the most in a trade down, but ultimately no, this team would be stupid to actually draft a QB with their 1st rounder and keep him. 

Might have to...

[OLD FAN MAN]

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

We likely will be drafting top-5...

 

If we do, I'd trade back a little (3-5 spots), collect whatever picks we can get and then draft a top O-tackle.

 

We can sign a guard or two in free agency.

 

But we're back in the business of addressing the line.    We can't have Luck miss the entire season, which he likely will do, and have him return next year with the line still a problem.    It must be fixed.

 

The problem is I don't see a great tackle in this year's draft.   A few good ones, but I'm not sure yet about great.   Of course it's still early in the process so we will see.

 

But the O-line must be the priority.   No way around it.

i concur

[aaron11]

4 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Might have to...

wont be popular, but i dont think we should rule that out at this point either

[zibby43]

4 hours ago, BProland85 said:

 

I'd even be okay with trading back 5 or more spots, and then selecting stud OG Quenten Nelson from Notre Dame, if they feel he is the best OL player available. Really, anywhere outside of Kelly at OC is a need on the OL. 

 

If I could like this 100 times, I would.

 

Q. Nelson is an absolute stud.

 

How great would it be to be able to get him AND Mike McGlinchey (LT) and have them play next to one another on the left side of the line?  Would allow AC to go to RT.

 

Mike, Q., Ryan, and AC would be an incredibly solid foundation to build on.

[Catloaf]

Round 1 should be a LB, round 2 probably also a LB or OL, round 3 either OL / LB / WR.  Get rid of Moncrief because he's unfortunately useless most of the time, bring in someone like Jeffrey to fill the void while we get a new WR up to speed alongside TY and Rodgers.

 

At least we have a decent RB now and a good defensive line, and (hopefully) Hooker will return to form and we can bring in a CB in free agency or something if Davis is gone.

 

Still so many needs, I don't think next season will be successful either... 2019 may be our first real shot of even top two of the division, provided we tank again next season.

[crazycolt1]

10 minutes ago, zibby43 said:

 

If I could like this 100 times, I would.

 

Q. Nelson is an absolute stud.

 

How great would it be to be able to get him AND Mike McGlinchey (LT) and have them play next to one another on the left side of the line?  Would allow AC to go to RT.

 

Mike, Q., Ryan, and AC would be an incredibly solid foundation to build on.

AC is not a RT. I don't understand why some keep saying that?

[Track Guy]

7 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

First of all I'll have to say that I finally get it now. I've talked in the past about how great it would be if the Colts got a top 5 or top 10 pick, but seeing the Colts picking number 4 overall in most mock drafts is weird. It feels so wrong. 

 

But with that being sad, it seems like this is the year where talks of the Colts being one of the worst teams in the NFL may actually have some merit to it. A top 5 pick actually seems highly likely. The question is, what do we even do with that pick? So many needs. The can't miss prospect is a RB yet we have no line for him to run through. There probably isn't a top 5 worthy OT either. Trade down but IDK which QB is worth jumping into the top 5 for. Darnold may go back to school but has disappointed regardless. Rosen could be the 1st QB off the board. And no one is taking any of the other guys that high. What are your thoughts? New HC and staff are coming in with likely the highest pick since 2012. 

 

My thought would be trading back would be idea - Especially if we could pick up an extra first rounder in 2019 in the process. Say for example, we're picking 5th overall - I'd be willing to trade back substantially deeper in the 1st to pick up an extra 2018 2nd rounder and a 2019 first rounder. Especially because the guys who are projected as the top talents this draft are QBs, and RB, and a S. If there was some kind of electrifying pass rusher or a lights out blind side tackle - I'd just the guy. But since that's not the case, I think trading back would be good.

 

Every draft season it seems like I'm dying for us to improve our running game personnel, and this year is no different. I'd at some point in the first 2 rounds definitely look to add an O-lineman who can step in day 1 and play well. This year there are a couple guards who I think fit that bill - Quenton Nelson and Will Hernandez. I also think we desperately need help at inside linebacker. I'd particularly like to see us add an athletic 3 down player at the position - perhaps even 2 of them. The names of 1st/2nd round guys that are on my radar at the position right now are Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, and Rashaan Evans. Lastly, I'd like it if we added a rotational pass rusher who had the potential to grow into a starter - maybe sometime on day 2. The names that pop into my mind at this stage are Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Jaylon Ferguson. 

[zibby43]

6 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

AC is not a RT. I don't understand why some keep saying that?

 

Make me a case as to why he can't be.  I don't understand why you say he couldn't be?

 

Mike McGlinchey, the current LT at Notre Dame, and one of the best LTs in the country, started his career at RT and made the switch.

 

And it's a little bit more difficult to switch from RT to LT.

 

[crazycolt1]

5 minutes ago, zibby43 said:

 

Make me a case as to why he can't be.  I don't understand why you say he couldn't be?

 

Mike McGlinchey, the current LT at Notre Dame, and one of the best LTs in the country, started his career at RT and made the switch.

 

And it's a little bit more difficult to switch from RT to LT.

 

Make me a case why he would be better at RT?  What a college player does have exactly zero to do with AC.

AC gets a bad rap in here but he is always rated pretty good in all the sites. Why mess with a good thing?

Just draft the best player in the draft and move on. It works for all the teams who are in the mix year to year.

[zibby43]

5 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

Make me a case why he would be better at RT?  What a college player does have exactly zero to do with AC.

AC gets a bad rap in here but he is always rated pretty good in all the sites. Why mess with a good thing?

Just draft the best player in the draft and move on. It works for all the teams who are in the mix year to year.

 

It's not what the college player, in this case, McGlinchey has to do with AC.  How could you miss that argument? 

 

It's about the fact that position changes happen along the OL.  They happen all the time. 

 

At RT, AC wouldn't have to face opposing teams' best pass rushers on a constant basis.  He's getting older.  He's going up against guys that are younger and more explosive. 

 

AC is serviceable, but he's nowhere near the elite LTs in the league.  And in recent years, he has become very inconsistent. 

 

McGlinchey could come in and play LT right away, and you don't just throw away someone like AC.  He as value at RT, and he may even excel there.  Which is why, if the Colts draft an elite LT, the likelihood is that AC would be moved to the RT position, until they could draft a young replacement there.

 

This isn't rocket science.  This happens in the league every year.

 

 

[icf]

The higher the pick the better.....worst thing this team can do is win a few games and finsh out of the playoffs but with a 12ish type pick.  

[crazycolt1]

1 minute ago, zibby43 said:

 

It's not what the college player, in this case, McGlinchey has to do with AC.  How could you miss that argument? 

 

It's about the fact that position changes happen along the OL.  They happen all the time. 

 

At RT, AC wouldn't have to face opposing teams' best pass rushers on a constant basis.  He's getting older.  He's going up against guys that are younger and more explosive. 

 

AC is serviceable, but he's nowhere near the elite LTs in the league.  And in recent years, he has become very inconsistent. 

 

McGlinchey could come in and play LT right away, and you don't just throw away someone like AC.  He as value at RT, and he may even excel there.  Which is why, if the Colts draft an elite LT, the likelihood is that AC would be moved to the RT position, until they could draft a young replacement there.

 

This isn't rocket science.  This happens in the league every year.

 

 

Not to be too negative but the draft never goes the way fans think they do once you get past the first couple of picks. We can all have opinions but that is all they are.

As it stands right now there will be players who will move up and down draft boards as the bowl games gets closer. The GM's staff look at totally different things that fans do.

This thread IMO is way too pre mature to get a good idea on how thing MIGHT turn out.

[JohnnyUnitas19]

EASY....A stud offensive lineman.......Connor Williams

[Fluke_33]

Will we be a 34 or switch to a 43 next year?  Pass rusher is top priority but may need to focus on de or olb.  

 

Get a ol in the second.  You can find ilbs later 

[The Peytonator]

13 minutes ago, zibby43 said:

 

It's not what the college player, in this case, McGlinchey has to do with AC.  How could you miss that argument? 

 

It's about the fact that position changes happen along the OL.  They happen all the time. 

 

At RT, AC wouldn't have to face opposing teams' best pass rushers on a constant basis.  He's getting older.  He's going up against guys that are younger and more explosive. 

 

AC is serviceable, but he's nowhere near the elite LTs in the league.  And in recent years, he has become very inconsistent. 

 

McGlinchey could come in and play LT right away, and you don't just throw away someone like AC.  He as value at RT, and he may even excel there.  Which is why, if the Colts draft an elite LT, the likelihood is that AC would be moved to the RT position, until they could draft a young replacement there.

 

This isn't rocket science.  This happens in the league every year.

 

 

 

 

Von Miller, Justin Houston, Cameron Wake, JJ Watt, and Cameron Jordan all line up almost exclusively on the left side of the defense. This notion that the defense’s best pass rusher is always on the right side is patently untrue. If everybody’s best OT is the LT, why would defenses want to match up their best guy against him? If I had Von Miller on my defense and you told me he could go against Tyron Smith or La’el Collins every snap who do you think I’m gonna match him up against? 

[stitches]

10 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

We likely will be drafting top-5...

 

If we do, I'd trade back a little (3-5 spots), collect whatever picks we can get and then draft a top O-tackle.

 

We can sign a guard or two in free agency.

 

But we're back in the business of addressing the line.    We can't have Luck miss the entire season, which he likely will do, and have him return next year with the line still a problem.    It must be fixed.

 

The problem is I don't see a great tackle in this year's draft.   A few good ones, but I'm not sure yet about great.   Of course it's still early in the process so we will see.

 

But the O-line must be the priority.   No way around it.

I was wondering - is there some data about O-linemen performance in their rookie years? What I'm thinking is - if we want to fix the O-line right away, can we really rely on a rookie, even though talented, to play great right from the start?

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

I was wondering - is there some data about O-linemen performance in their rookie years? What I'm thinking is - if we want to fix the O-line right away, can we really rely on a rookie, even though talented, to play great right from the start?

 

I'm sure there is data, but I suspect it's the NFL types that have it...

 

But I'd note this...

 

Castanzo, Mewhort and Kelly all started as rookies and all played acceptably well.

 

So a top tackle should -- in most cases -- be able to start as a rookie.    I think we can find him.

 

The stabilizing force should be the veteran  guard(s) we sign.    That should help firm things up.     I really do think we can fix this in the coming off-season.

 

 

[ReMeDy]

7 hours ago, BR-549 said:

ala Malik Hooker

 

Bob Sanders 2.0.

[crestmount]

Has to be O-line.  Something we should have been doing from when Luck was drafted.  I would also look at trading Vontae for picks.

[Case]

Denzel Ward, Cornerback Ohio State

 

[zibby43]

8 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

Not to be too negative but the draft never goes the way fans think they do once you get past the first couple of picks. We can all have opinions but that is all they are.

As it stands right now there will be players who will move up and down draft boards as the bowl games gets closer. The GM's staff look at totally different things that fans do.

This thread IMO is way too pre mature to get a good idea on how thing MIGHT turn out.

 

All of what you just said above?  I totally agree with.

 

That said, this is a message board, so we gon' message.  Or something like that. 

 

I do know one thing, Ballard was recently at the ND/USC game.  And Ballard wasn't the only one from the organization there. 

 

With the Colts' o-line woes and the fact that ND has 2 of the best offensive linemen in the country, 2 guys that are 1st-round picks (with Nelson being a top 10 pick), I'm just doing the math.

[zibby43]

7 hours ago, The Peytonator said:

 

 

Von Miller, Justin Houston, Cameron Wake, JJ Watt, and Cameron Jordan all line up almost exclusively on the left side of the defense. This notion that the defense’s best pass rusher is always on the right side is patently untrue. If everybody’s best OT is the LT, why would defenses want to match up their best guy against him? If I had Von Miller on my defense and you told me he could go against Tyron Smith or La’el Collins every snap who do you think I’m gonna match him up against? 

 

Definitely.  It's not a hard and fast rule either way. 

 

My point is that if you draft a franchise LT, which is sorely needed, who do you want on the blindside, irrespective of where the defense's best pass rusher lines up?

 

A: The best LT.  At least Luck can see the guys you mentioned coming if they're lined up to the left on defense (and on the right from the perspective of the offensive formation).

 

 

[Peterk2011]

I hope Ballard will trade back as much as he can. Trade out even of the top20 if there's a market. The reason? The reason is Ballard's approach of finding talents. He goes for rare abilities, let it be physical, mental - speed, strenght, football IQ, whatever. I like this approach because this is how you find rare talents everywhere from round1 down to round7. But this approach is kinda hit or miss, not every pick will pan out. There will be some early round busts, but those will be compensated (and more) by late round gems.

 

So stack in as many picks as we can, then look for players with rare abilities. There will be misses, but there will be some gems out there too, and the numbers will be on our side.

[aaron11]

10 hours ago, The Peytonator said:

 If everybody’s best OT is the LT, why would defenses want to match up their best guy against him? 

because its the QBs blindside if he is right handed, which the vast majority of QBs are.

[DaColts85]

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

7 hours ago, stitches said:

I was wondering - is there some data about O-linemen performance in their rookie years? What I'm thinking is - if we want to fix the O-line right away, can we really rely on a rookie, even though talented, to play great right from the start?

 

I'm sure there is data, but I suspect it's the NFL types that have it...

 

But I'd note this...

 

Castanzo, Mewhort and Kelly all started as rookies and all played acceptably well.

 

So a top tackle should -- in most cases -- be able to start as a rookie.    I think we can find him.

 

The stabilizing force should be the veteran  guard(s) we sign.    That should help firm things up.     I really do think we can fix this in the coming off-season.

Also, look at some solid lines.  Titans have Taylor Lewan and now Jack Conklin.  Both solid and have started from day 1.  Like NCF stated, if you get a true OT prospect he should be able to come in and start from day 1.  You just have to hope they progress to be solid, because that does not always happen.  But it is a draft, so nothing is a sure thing.

 

I still like to say, NCF, I would love to draft Nelson and still add another Guard in FA.  I just have a lot of love for Nelson though.  He played LT in college as well so he has great versatility.

[Colt.45]

Trade back if the offer's good enough. 

Stack up on ILs and Pass rushers. Maybe CBs (depending on free agency and whether Vontae and/or Melvin are retained).

Everything else including offensive line and running back should be treated like the non priorities that they are.

[dgambill]

15 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

If you scroll back up nearly 30 posts you'll see my first post on this thread where I advocate for a small trade back to collect picks.

 

I just wouldn't trade too far back,   

 

Don't want to lose out on a premium player..   those guys are too hard to come by..   

 

 

Yep if we are at 4 or 5 I don't mind moving back 4 or 5 picks and staying in the top 10. If we are around 10 I want to stay there. No matter what I'm looking for the best player we can get...preferably a franchise LT for the future. Can play him right away or move him over once Castanzo is gone. Also if there is a game wrecker OLB I would give him a go too. Either way I don't mind using rounds 2 and 3 on LBs if it works out. Things are so far off right now its hard to imagine what will happen. That said if Luck doesn't play I think a top 10 pick is all but certain sadly.

[TheMarine]

Id trade back just far enough that Im still in the top 15 picks for this next draft, unless its a bevy of future picks in other rounds 2 and 3. 

 

For example, last year the #5 overall pick was worth 1700 points. 

#1 of the 2nd round was worth 580 points. #1 of the 3rd round, 265 points. #1 round 4, 78 points. This will give you an idea of the scaling. Reference: https://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart.asp

[Defjamz26]

18 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Yep if we are at 4 or 5 I don't mind moving back 4 or 5 picks and staying in the top 10. If we are around 10 I want to stay there. No matter what I'm looking for the best player we can get...preferably a franchise LT for the future. Can play him right away or move him over once Castanzo is gone. Also if there is a game wrecker OLB I would give him a go too. Either way I don't mind using rounds 2 and 3 on LBs if it works out. Things are so far off right now its hard to imagine what will happen. That said if Luck doesn't play I think a top 10 pick is all but certain sadly.

Reading these comments, it's seeming like the Colts are almost going to have to trade back. Like I said, top 5 isn't just fan overreaction, it's a very real possibility. I've seen mocks with Cleveland and San Francisco taking Barkley. And if NY drafts before us it's a forgone conclusion that they'll take Barkley. Meaning if he's the only can't miss prospect and he's gone within the first 3-4 picks (guessing we'll draft 4 or 5) then they'd almost have to trade back. Especially if they want to have enough picks to hit on all the needs they have. If they want an elite OL prospect, the furthest down they could trade to would be 6-8.

[BProland85]

14 hours ago, JohnnyUnitas19 said:

EASY....A stud offensive lineman.......Connor Williams

 

I love Williams. Another stud OL option is OG Quenten Nelson after a trade down. 

[krunk]

5 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Reading these comments, it's seeming like the Colts are almost going to have to trade back. Like I said, top 5 isn't just fan overreaction, it's a very real possibility. I've seen mocks with Cleveland and San Francisco taking Barkley. And if NY drafts before us it's a forgone conclusion that they'll take Barkley. Meaning if he's the only can't miss prospect and he's gone within the first 3-4 picks (guessing we'll draft 4 or 5) then they'd almost have to trade back. Especially if they want to have enough picks to hit on all the needs they have. If they want an elite OL prospect, the furthest down they could trade to would be 6-8.

Yup it's a real possiblity especially with the way this offense is playing.   And the games only get harder.  Defense is up and down as well.  Thought they would gel some.

[DaColts85]

If each QB comes out this year, you will have 6 maybe 7 guys that will be sought after.  Not all these guys will be gone in the beginning on the first round though.  Depending on how these guys do during their workouts we could still have Barkley plus maybe 4 QB's go within the top 5 picks.  We can definitely trade back for some solid picks once the first QB is off the board.  

 

My guess is Darnold, Rudolph, Rosen, and Allen will be the top 4 QB's in the draft and not in that order.  If the 49'ers get someone like Cousins in FA then they can trade back.  The Browns might draft another QB, who really knows with them.  The Giants could grab Barkley or draft Manning's replacement (doubtful) or trade back as well, and then maybe us.  With possibly two or three QB's gone at this point I see teams wanting to jump on a QB.  I still hope for a team like Buffalo to trade with us because they have some good future picks we could use. 

[colts2dasuperbowl]

Trade down and get multiple picks. draft O-line, LB, O-line, O-line, O-line, O-line.

[dgambill]

3 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Reading these comments, it's seeming like the Colts are almost going to have to trade back. Like I said, top 5 isn't just fan overreaction, it's a very real possibility. I've seen mocks with Cleveland and San Francisco taking Barkley. And if NY drafts before us it's a forgone conclusion that they'll take Barkley. Meaning if he's the only can't miss prospect and he's gone within the first 3-4 picks (guessing we'll draft 4 or 5) then they'd almost have to trade back. Especially if they want to have enough picks to hit on all the needs they have. If they want an elite OL prospect, the furthest down they could trade to would be 6-8.

Barkley really isn't even on my radar...there are plenty of good backs out there that could fall to the 2nd round or later....Love, Chubb, Adams, Penny...plenty of good backs to go around. Just like Hunt and Mack last year there will be a good back available in the mid to early rounds. I do agree with OL being once again a weak spot in this draft I'm just hoping maybe some of other players get pushed up and we can still land a good tackle around the 9-10 spot. I think there are positions we can make some hay on in free agency...the wr class looks pretty decent with guys like Adams, Landry, Watkins, Lee, and Matthews just a few headliners. I don't think we will have to spend picks early there..but certainly OL and LB look to be pretty weak FA classes with the good lineman likely to be re-signed. Personally I'd wait on the rb and draft lineman and backers early...we can even find a decent back in FA maybe...Carlos Hyde, Jeremy Hill, Isaiah Crowell, Oleans Darkwa and of course Levon Bell could be available...and there is always RBs getting waived that might hold us over. I just don't like spending big money or investing high picks on a guy that's not likely to really perform much better than his replacement.

[a06cc]

On 10/24/2017 at 4:24 PM, dw49 said:

 

We will for sure , 100% be picking top 5. Take an old man's word for it . Probably more likely 3rd than 5th. 

I don’t know man. Right although we’re bad there are 6 other teams worse off. Luck will return this season. He has to play if healthy. 

[gspdx]

I say we trade it for a running back that is a bust on his first team.  

[zibby43]

21 hours ago, zibby43 said:

 

If I could like this 100 times, I would.

 

Q. Nelson is an absolute stud.

 

How great would it be to be able to get him AND Mike McGlinchey (LT) and have them play next to one another on the left side of the line?  Would allow AC to go to RT.

 

Mike, Q., Ryan, and AC would be an incredibly solid foundation to build on.

 

Well, at least I'm not the only one that has this on my wish list . . .

 

https://fansided.com/2017/10/25/nfl-mock-draft-browns-sam-darnold/4/

 

They have us picking 4 and taking LT, Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame).  "McGlinchey stands out as the best offensive tackle this draft class has to offer."

 

I like Nelson even more, but guards are a bit easier to come by, so I can understand going with the franchise LT of the future.

 

McGlinchey is a captain, leader, and physical athlete.

 

He's number 68, at LT (obviously):