Don't be surprised if Ballard trades down in the first round

[NewColtsFan]

39 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

 No, I don't follow this as religiously as some of you obviously do, which is a major reason I love this site, keeps me informed. I kind of thought that was expected of guys, to continue to improve physically, especially at that age, both in terms of cardiovascular fitness and weight training. The question is can he maintain the explosiveness and mobility that got him into the 1st round to begin with? As a guy that weight trains consistently, I know it's hard to both grow and maintain high levels of mobility and cardio. It's game tape that I'd be interested in, and they elude to that in the 2nd part of the Colts Productions video, "if they don't have it on tape, we don't want em". I feel like Ferrell is a much better player on tape, but again I'm no expert and don't follow this stuff as intensely as some. 

 

If either of Burns of Ferrell fall to 26,  I'm popping a bottle of champagne and I don't even drink!

 

(But I'll make an exception!)

 

The chances of that happening (either one reacing us) would seem to be very poor.    So, the question then becomes,  who would we consider?     And the options are all over the map.   Too many to mention.

 

And the hot discussion point now is......    do we trade back?    And who wants to give us their 2 and 3 to trade up?     It takes two to tango, and we need someone who wants to move all the way up to 26.     There might not be one who wans to do that,  and pay the full asking price.

 

[chad72]

7 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

And the hot discussion point now is......    do we trade back?    And who wants to give us their 2 and 3 to trade up?     It takes two to tango, and we need someone who wants to love all the way up to 26.     There might not be one who wans to do that,  and pay the full asking price.

 

 

The only way it happens is if a QB drops and folks want to get ahead of the Chargers and Saints at the end of Round 1, IMO. I do not see it for any other position. 

 

I can see it for Josh Jacobs at No.34, not at No.26. For No.26, it has to be a QB that fetches us a trade down.

[horseshoecrabs]

15 minutes ago, Barry Sears said:

This is the only guy worth trading up for...he's a hitter!!!

 

Seriously, I agree there is not a player worth trading multiple picks, and even a 1st rounder next year in order to move up this time.  Trade down, collect more picks and draft for competition and depth.

I think the Saints have already tried and his momma did not approve of the bounty approach. 

[richard pallo]

I wonder if Ballard would entertain the thought of trading next years 1st for a spot in the low teens to get a ER he would really want.  Then he still has picks 26, 34 and 59 to have a chance at another great draft class.  Besides If there are really only 15 players worthy of a 1st. rd. grade this year why would a team trade up to get our pick 26?  Would it be worth it to them at that point in the draft?   But for us it might be worth it to get a player we really want with next years 1st. pick and keep our picks this year.  Three picks in the first 34 should get us some difference makers.  It's not easy finding ER's.  This might be the year to try and get one.  I'm not predicting Ballard will do it but I would have to think he has gone through the exercise. 

[Yoshinator]

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

[horseshoecrabs]

2 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

I'd think I would pass.

[NewColtsFan]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I wonder if Ballard would entertain the thought of trading next years 1st for a spot in the low teens to get a ER he would really want.  Then he still has picks 26, 34 and 59 to have a chance at another great draft class.  Besides If there are really only 15 players worthy of a 1st. rd. grade this year why would a team trade up to get our pick 26?  Would it be worth it to them at that point in the draft?   But for us it might be worth it to get a player we really want with next years 1st. pick and keep our picks this year.  Three picks in the first 34 should get us some difference makers.  It's not easy finding ER's.  This might be the year to try and get one.  I'm not predicting Ballard will do it but I would have to think he has gone through the exercise. 

 

Huh?

 

To move to the low teens,  it takes more than next year's 1st.    It would also take this year's first.

 

So,  26 + 2020 1st.      And even then,  it might take a little extra sweetner.

 

[chad72]

3 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

 

No, I would not. Pretty much any position in the NFL can be schemed and worked around, IMO. One thing you cannot get around is a TEAM that is good at all levels, O, D, and ST. Giving up that kind of draft capital compromises how complete a TEAM can be, IMO.

[horseshoecrabs]

I can't see Ballard doing that kind of reach,  It's not in his DNA.

[NewColtsFan]

4 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

 

Highly doubtful.     Not at this stage of the rebuild when we still have more to do.    Ballard isn't moving THREE Day 1 and 2 picks to move that far up.     To replace Anthony Walker?     

 

I don't see that happening at all....

 

[jskinnz]

56 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Burns, himself, stated in an interview that the Colts are the team that has shown the most interest in him so we have to assume he would be a legitimate target.  There was a concern about his playing weight but he said he has been working on getting it up. 

 

subterfuge

[jskinnz]

4 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Highly doubtful.     Not at this stage of the rebuild when we still have more to do.    Ballard isn't moving THREE Day 1 and 2 picks to move that far up.     To replace Anthony Walker?     

 

I don't see that happening at all....

 

 

I don't see it happening either from the other side.  No way Denver moves back 16 spots and does not come out of it with another 1st rounder.

[Yoshinator]

Devin White was my only realistic elite target that I thought might fall. Maybe Montez Sweat? We will probably stand pat or trade down with Ballard as GM, which is probably a good thing with 9 picks currently. I guess the Madden player in me would love Leonard and White together! 

[Matthew Gilbert]

40 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

That is because their talent level is about just a few notches apart that with good coaching, they could all produce similarly. That is why we need to get more darts for Day 2 of this draft where we could reproduce a Darius Leonard and Braden Smith like production for the equivalent positions we draft players for on Day 2 with good coaching.

I'm not against trading down, at all. I'm just saying the way the draft board looks and what draft capitol the Colts have, trading up for the right guy doesn't look like a bad idea. **And I don't mean trading future first round picks to move up. I don't know if I could ever do that!

[BProland85]

2 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Based on reports it seems like Abram, Burns, and Lawrence are targets at 26. If they’re all gone, I think there’s a good chance Ballard trades down.

 

It'd be a crime if DT Jeffery Simmons wasn't included on that list of targets at 26 in my opinion. 

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, BProland85 said:

 

It'd be a crime if DT Jeffery Simmons wasn't included on that list of targets at 26 in my opinion. 

I thought he wasn’t even on the board for Ballard for awhile but I know he was recently at the facility for a visit. Idk if Ballard takes him at 26 though. He may not play this season.

[krunk]

4 hours ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

I don't get the Burns hype lately, not long ago this guy was a fringe 1st rounder, and now he's borderline top 10, based on no new info/stats...just hype. I'd rather wait and get a guy of equal talent, that may be flying under the radar, avoiding media/draftnik hype. I mean, what measurables/stats/info separate him from say the Polite, Ferguson, Ximenes, or even Clelin Ferrell (who somehow seems to have fallen behind Burns, but I believe to be 2x the player)?

I like Burns quite a bit. However i will say ive been looking over Ben Banogu from TCU today and he seems to have a lot of the same athletic traits as Burns and Turay our pick from last year. Hes got better production than Burns in some areas to be honest and hes about the same size.  Runs 4.5 to 4.6, plays with very good energy and toughness. I believe Ballard could get him between round 2-3 and possibly be getting what you would have gotten from Burns. Im not sure you trade up in Rd 1 to get Burns. I think if Burns is available at our pick then fine, but im not sure id trade up and give up picks to get him. We could trade down i suppose even though we already have a nice number of picks.

[throwing BBZ]

17 minutes ago, krunk said:

I like Burns quite a bit. However i will say ive been looking over Ben Banogu from TCU today and he seems to have a lot of the same athletic traits as Burns and Turay our pick from last year. Hes got better production than Burns in some areas to be honest and hes about the same size.  Runs 4.5 to 4.6, plays with very good energy and toughness. I believe Ballard could get him between round 2-3 and possibly be getting what you would have gotten from Burns. Im not sure you trade up in Rd 1 to get Burns. I think if Burns is available at our pick then fine, but im not sure id trade up and give up picks to get him. We could trade down i suppose even though we already have a nice number of picks.

 

 I like the idea of getting one of the Raiders picks in the 20's. And i would prefer drafting before the Eagles.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I would think the raiders are going to trade one or two of those 1st on draft day. 

[krunk]

4 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

Based on reports it seems like Abram, Burns, and Lawrence are targets at 26. If they’re all gone, I think there’s a good chance Ballard trades down.

I dont see Ballard using #26 on Abram. Primarily because theres a bunch of really good safeties in this draft. #2 i know that Ballard values DBs who take the ball away.  I think if you take a DB that high that ought to be one of the traits that come with the package. That isnt what youre getting with Abram. Abram is primarily a tackler enforcer type. He might be a bit better than Geathers in coverage but not by much. I think hed be a good leader. I think the elite players in this draft are at WR, DT, and Edge as far as RD 1 goes. I think thats what he will select from at that pick.

[BProland85]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

I thought he wasn’t even on the board for Ballard for awhile but I know he was recently at the facility for a visit. Idk if Ballard takes him at 26 though. He may not play this season.

 

Ballard has the luxury of the 34th overall pick as well so he has the flexibility to take a chance on a massive upside player like Simmons. 

[krunk]

Also i think there are very good players at TE who could qualify for pick 26. Im not too keen on taking a DB there. I wouldnt flip out if we did but i dont think we will.

[wig]

4 hours ago, jskinnz said:

 

subterfuge

 

You think the staff is spending a ton of time on a guy in hopes that he comes out and says what he did, when the Colts won't even be in a position to get him unless they trade up? Quite the tinfoil hat. 

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, krunk said:

I dont see Ballard using #26 on Abram. Primarily because theres a bunch of really good safeties in this draft. #2 i know that Ballard values DBs who take the ball away.  I think if you take a DB that high that ought to be one of the traits that come with the package. That isnt what youre getting with Abram. Abram is primarily a tackler enforcer type. He might be a bit better than Geathers in coverage but not by much. I think hed be a good leader. I think the elite players in this draft are at WR, DT, and Edge as far as RD 1 goes. I think thats what he will select from at that pick.

They’ve shown a bunch of interests in him and he himself has said someone in the Colts organization said everyone in the building loves him. A lot of teams think he has real versatility because he can play free, strong, dime LB, and some nickel CB.

 

He didn’t take away the ball a ton in college because he had a late start. He was at Georgia his freshman year but left when the DC left. His sophomore year he played at a JUCO college. His junior year he transferred to MSU and didn’t have any INTs but did have 5 pass breakups. He then had 2 INTs his senior year.

 

I won’t deny that the strength of his game is his tackling but he’s better in coverage than most think. He just wasn’t asked to do it a bunch. If I’m not mistaken though, one of his INTs actually came when he was playing deep. I think he still has what Ballard likes to be picked at 26. Zerlein has him as the top safety in the draft with a grade of 6.02

[krunk]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

They’ve shown a bunch of interests in him and he himself has said someone in the Colts organization said everyone in the building loves him. A lot of teams think he has real versatility because he can play free, strong, dime LB, and some nickel CB.

 

He didn’t take away the ball a ton in college because he had a late start. He was at Georgia his freshman year but left when the DC left. His sophomore year he played at a JUCO college. His junior year he transferred to MSU and didn’t have any INTs but did have 5 pass breakups. He then had 2 INTs his senior year.

 

I won’t deny that the strength of his game is his tackling but he’s better in coverage than most think. He just wasn’t asked to do it a bunch. If I’m not mistaken though, one of his INTs actually came when he was playing deep. I think he still has what Ballard likes to be picked at 26. Zerlein has him as the top safety in the draft with a grade of 6.02

I dont think he could play FS. I think wed get just as much value if not more out of guys like Darnell Savage, or Chauncey Gardner between Rd 2-3. I think theres less value on a big time thumper if he doesnt make that many plays on the football in todays game because they pass the ball so much. I like guys who can thump but they are also athletic w very good awareness and vision in coverage w good hands. Honestly I dont even think you have to thump that hard if you just tackle well overall. A guy thats blasting everybody in todays game gets penalty flags. Im okay with Abram after rd 1.

[Moosejawcolt]

7 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

Nope

[NewEra]

I wouldn't be shocked if he went down. But honestly none of us can truly say what the heck Ballard would do lol

[Defjamz26]

On 4/11/2019 at 8:54 PM, krunk said:

I dont think he could play FS. I think wed get just as much value if not more out of guys like Darnell Savage, or Chauncey Gardner between Rd 2-3. I think theres less value on a big time thumper if he doesnt make that many plays on the football in todays game because they pass the ball so much. I like guys who can thump but they are also athletic w very good awareness and vision in coverage w good hands. Honestly I dont even think you have to thump that hard if you just tackle well overall. A guy thats blasting everybody in todays game gets penalty flags. Im okay with Abram after rd 1.

And I’m not mad at that. I definitely think he’s a target at 26. And that’s not just because I really like him. He’s done more press post combine than any other prospect because everyone loves him. He’s been on NFL network 3 times and basically took over the Lefkoe show. I just don’t think a guy with his combination of athleticism, character, and top tier football IQ can fail. 

 

Im also a fan of Wilkins, Lawrence , and Burns at that spot.

[throwing BBZ]

On 4/11/2019 at 2:47 PM, NewColtsFan said:

 

If either of Burns of Ferrell fall to 26,  I'm popping a bottle of champagne and I don't even drink!

 

(But I'll make an exception!)

 

The chances of that happening (either one reacing us) would seem to be very poor.    So, the question then becomes,  who would we consider?     And the options are all over the map.   Too many to mention.

 

And the hot discussion point now is......    do we trade back?    And who wants to give us their 2 and 3 to trade up?     It takes two to tango, and we need someone who wants to move all the way up to 26.     There might not be one who wans to do that,  and pay the full asking price.

 

 

 So what makes that asking price work is giving back one of our later picks to even it out.  It would sure be nice to poach another pick in the 40's and move our 3rd to much earlier.

[MikeCurtis]

On 4/11/2019 at 1:11 PM, NewColtsFan said:

Apparently, you don’t follow the draft very much....

 

No new info or stats?

 

Burns played this season at 230 pounds.    Then showed up at the Combine at 249 and aced it.   Wowed everyone.   Now weighs 252.    And as he’s traveling around doing private interviews people are saying he’s acing the interviews as well.

 

As for Polite?  Ha!   Showed up at the Combine fat and out of shape.   Gave terrible interviews to teams and media.   Did terribly in opening drills like the 40, then claimed he pulled a muscle to back out of other drills.   And did poorly on his pro day and in private interviews.  The buzz is he’s falling to the 2nd or maybe even the third round. 

 

I am a HUGE fan of Burns to the Colts. Unless we can package a 2nd, to move lower into the 1st,  I see no chance

 

He may go top 15.

 

If he somehow gets to 19-20, I would be on the line, seeing what is needed

 

In regards to Polite, You would think that an agent would have set this kid down, to tell him how important this process is.

 

If you watch Polites tape, the guy does have a burst that gets him into the backfield.

 

He would appear to be faster than his 40 time at the combine

 

He seemed to line up in a standing, OLB position when he plays much much more than a 3 point DE.

 

I think the kid can play though .... someone will take a 2-3rd round chance on him

[MikeCurtis]

On 4/11/2019 at 2:04 PM, Jared Cisneros said:

Question here? If Devin White falls to 10, would you trade picks 26, 59, and 89 to move up and take him from Denver? He's an elite culture guy that would give us the best ILB combo in the NFL.

Devin White is an AMAZING talent that would fit very well with the Colts

 

To me, I wouldnt do your trade though..... too much

[stitches]

At this point I kind of prefer that we trade back if Ballard doesn't love Tillery or one of the EDGE defenders don't drop(Burns, Ferrell?)...