What position do we address with the First round pick

[ProblChld32]

As we all know we had some glaring needs to address with the retirement of both Rivers and Castanzo. But with the recent trade of Wentz what position do you think the front office will address with the first pick? Will it be Left Tackle? Will it be a Edge Rusher? Will it be a cornerback or will it be a Wide Receiver.  I know we must wait to see how free agency plays out. But I’m curious as to what folks think we will address in the upcoming draft. My guess is it will be Left Tackle. This draft is deep and full of good high quality prospects. There are some line man that are expected to slide  to the latter of the first round potentially being available even in the second round. I think we will grab a LT to sure up that offensive line for years to come.

[jvan1973]

LT or Edge

[Vader]

I say find the LT of the future in rd1 or even trade back to top of rd2.

[NewColtsFan]

It’s LT or DE, and we will likely have a clearer answer by the start of April at the latest.

 

Because we might elect to sign a FA LT in mid-March...    if we haven’t signed a LT or announced we’re moving Q to LT, then that will point to taking a LT with our first round pick. 
 

But if we do sign someone, or move Q, then it would point to DE. 
 

We still have lots of questions...  but the answers are going to start coming much, much faster now.   We are less than a month away from the start of free agency.  Answers coming soon!  

[Colts1324]

I think we pick one of: LT, Edge, WR, TE, or CB.

 

I think it is more likely that we draft a LT or Edge in the first round than anything else.

 

The fact that 4 QB's, possibly 5, are going before our pick helps a ton. 
 

A top 10-15 player should fall to us.

[Solid84]

LT in rnd 1. I think Ballard looks to free agency for DE. Rookie DEs usually need a season or two to get going and I think Ballard wants production from day one at that position.

[Superman]

Ballard is trading back, I'm 76% sure of it.

[buccolts]

3 minutes ago, Superman said:

Ballard is trading back, I'm 76% sure of it.

I agree. I may even go to 88%.

Gotta find the 3rd we just gave to Philly.

And, he loves his 2nds

[chad72]

Rookie tackles, I do not see Ballard taking a chance on, I have a feeling we go after Trent Williams or Alejandro Villaneuva for a couple of years. It does not mean he won't draft a tackle with his first pick but if we get our LT in free agency, there is a good chance our first pick is for pass defense, period, regardless of whether we stay put at No.21 or move back.

[Colts1324]

7 minutes ago, chad72 said:

Rookie tackles, I do not see Ballard taking a chance on, I have a feeling we go after Trent Williams or Alejandro Villaneuva for a couple of years. It does not mean he won't draft a tackle with his first pick but if we get our LT in free agency, there is a good chance our first pick is for pass defense, period, regardless of whether we stay put at No.21 or move back.

I think I agree with this. Ballard is smart. He knows that the teams to beat are KC, Buffalo, CLE, and Baltimore. 
 

In order to do that, we need an improved pass rush and CB room, as well as offensive playmakers. 
 

This off-season should be INTERESTING

[DattMavis]

With the way I believe the draft will fall, I’m expecting LT in round 1 and EDGE in round 2. That’s where I see the most value. Beyond that, I expect us to go CB in round 3, and WR or EDGE again in round 4. The later rounds will see us drafting oline depth.

[jvan1973]

Just now, DattMavis said:

With the way I believe the draft will fall, I’m expecting LT in round 1 and EDGE in round 2. That’s where I see the most value. Beyond that, I expect us to go CB in round 3, and WR or EDGE again in round 4. The later rounds will see us drafting oline depth.

They no longer have a 3rd

[DattMavis]

1 minute ago, jvan1973 said:

They no longer have a 3rd

Ahh, you are correct. My bad. It completely slipped my mind. I could see Ballard trading back into the 2nd to secure a 3rd. The depth for LT in this draft is impressive, and the gap between a late 1st and an early 2nd LT won’t be wide. 

[BlackTiger]

I'm not sure if DE is very likely, the players just are not there in this draft.  High chance of being a LT if we dont get one in free agency. 

 

Could be BPA if we dont get a tackle

[Mackrel829]

My ideal off-season from here would be signing Allen Robinson and an edge rusher in FA, then trading back a little from #21, and taking an LT and a CB (or possibly a WR) with the first two picks in the draft.

[Orioles22]

I still wonder if we trade one pick for Lattimore and solve cornerback. If not, we draft a corner and offensive tackle. We need to sign Lawson at defensive end. We don't draft defensive ends well, so we need to sign one.

[BProland85]

Hopefully they can land LT Christian Darrisaw. If not, I would be good with a slight trade down to recoup on some draft picks, and still getting their guy.

[BProland85]

2 minutes ago, Orioles22 said:

I still wonder if we trade one pick for Lattimore and solve cornerback. If not, we draft a corner and offensive tackle. We need to sign Lawson at defensive end. We don't draft defensive ends well, so we need to sign one.

 

I would be totally on board with that. There are some good DEs available in free agency this offseason so hopefully that is Ballard's plan. 

[BProland85]

1 hour ago, DattMavis said:

Ahh, you are correct. My bad. It completely slipped my mind. I could see Ballard trading back into the 2nd to secure a 3rd. The depth for LT in this draft is impressive, and the gap between a late 1st and an early 2nd LT won’t be wide. 

 

They won't have to trade into the 2nd just to pick up a 3rd. They could slightly trade down a few spots, and add a 3rd rounder that way. 

[BProland85]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

Ballard is trading back, I'm 76% sure of it.

 

Agreed, unless a top player he covets is available at 21. 

[Valpo2004]

Left Tackle

[Gigc]

Either the best OT, WR, CB or TE

[coltsfanatic24]

This is a great Offensive Tackle class. Teams drafting a QB in the top 15 will push some Blue chip prospects to us at 21. 
 

I actually think Ballard will stay put at 21 and draft an OT. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas and Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech are two names that we will hear a lot about near the draft. 
 

Penei Sewell is regarded as the best OT prospect ever and he’s projected to go 5th because teams will reach for QB’s. An elite prospect should fall to us at 21. 

[BluesGirl]

If CB doesn't see a player he has ranked on his board falling I also believe he will trade back .   In either situation he will take BPA  (on his big board)   

 

I know he will take BPA because he says it every yr and every yr he does it.   

[AZColt11]

The easy answer is BPA.  But I would be very surprised if they didn't get the best LT available, likely one of the top 3 guys.

[richard pallo]

I can see this years draft strategy being similar to last years.  Same circumstances.  Last year and this year we acquired a QB that we thought we could win a SB with.  Rivers and now Wentz.  The team is still in a win now mode with a very strong roster that just made the playoffs.  After signing Rivers last year what did Ballard do with our 1st pick?  He traded it for Buckner and filled an immediate hole.  Then he used our 2nd rd picks to fill skill position needs in Taylor and Pittman. I think we will follow the same blueprint.  I can see Ballard trading our 1st pick for a CB like Lattimore and solidifying a need.  No need to trade it for an ER or WR because FA will have many good players available there.  So I think he will sign an ER and WR in FA and use our 2nd. rd pick to get a LT or G and move Q to LT if the top LT's are gone.  Regardless I can see us trading our 1st for an impact starter again.  

[krunk]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/02/18/joe-thomas-says-moving-quenton-nelson-to-tackle-would-be-tough-for-colts/amp/#aoh=16136873462310&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From %1%24s

[EastStreet]

IMO, we either take a DE or trade back. T is a deep position this year, and I doubt Ballard would use a first on CB unless one of the top/elite guys fail (which they likely won't). 

 

My guess though is they trade back, because they'll keep Houston and Autry, or one and sign another FA...

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Colts end up with 3x 2R picks, or 2x 2R, and 2x 3Rers. 

[chad72]

1 hour ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

This is a great Offensive Tackle class. Teams drafting a QB in the top 15 will push some Blue chip prospects to us at 21. 
 

I actually think Ballard will stay put at 21 and draft an OT. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas and Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech are two names that we will hear a lot about near the draft. 
 

Penei Sewell is regarded as the best OT prospect ever and he’s projected to go 5th because teams will reach for QB’s. An elite prospect should fall to us at 21. 

 

Yes, even if we sign a LT in free agency, I can see Ballard doubling down on a strength for the future. Tomorrow is never assured and we saw what happened when we did not plan for a post-Castanzo plan in the draft, even after he waffled about retirement last off season. However, this draft is deep in tackle that we can drop to the top of the 2nd round to get a good one, IMO.

[IndyEric07]

Gotta go LT 1st round! I dont see them getting a FA WR which most of them may be too expensive, so they need to draft an early WR! Im not sure of the Harris situation(if hes still under contract or not) and I dont see Dulin doing anything other than ST! I am not trusting the Suckeye until he proves he can stay healthy and hopefully Patmon can show something, but after Pittman, Maybe TY, and Pascal, depth kind of falls off at WR! 

[Zoltan]

3 hours ago, Superman said:

Ballard is trading back, I'm 76% sure of it.

That's what I was gonna say, this is a great year for trading back since there won't be a combine and overall less information about players.

 

Now if we are gonna select someone in the 1st I expect it to be a LT, but I would say I'm 85% sure it will be a trade back.

[Dingus McGirt]

3 hours ago, jvan1973 said:

They no longer have a 3rd

Give Ballard time...

[Shive]

1 hour ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

This is a great Offensive Tackle class. Teams drafting a QB in the top 15 will push some Blue chip prospects to us at 21. 
 

I actually think Ballard will stay put at 21 and draft an OT. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas and Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech are two names that we will hear a lot about near the draft. 
 

Penei Sewell is regarded as the best OT prospect ever and he’s projected to go 5th because teams will reach for QB’s. An elite prospect should fall to us at 21. 

- Darrisaw is my pipedream pick, but I don't see him falling to 21.

- Comsi I don't see being a good fit. He'll most likely need to start at RT and eventually make the move to LT. He needs more development and to get stronger before he can start at LT.

- Eichenberg is one that I like, but I'm not sure if I'd take him at 21 or look to trade back a bit to get him.

- Walker Little is really interesting since he was thought of as a potential top 5 pick before getting injured and missing last season. If he can get back to his prior elite level, he's a steal regardless of which pick we use to get him. A lot will be riding on his medicals and his private workouts.

[jvan1973]

5 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Give Ballard time...

Ok,   if they get a third,  they won't have a first

[Stephen]

4 hours ago, buccolts said:

I agree. I may even go to 88%.

Gotta find the 3rd we just gave to Philly.

And, he loves his 2nds

I think we trade back for a second  this year and a second next

[jvan1973]

Just now, Stephen said:

I think we trade back for a second  this year and a second next

What are you basing that on?  Also,  how would that work compensation wise?

[TheNextGM]

I would love for CB to move up and get Pitts (TE) but I’m guessing we stay at 21 and take Paye, edge out of Michigan 

[Stephen]

Just now, jvan1973 said:

What are you basing that on?  Also,  how would that work compensation wise?

Ballard  loves  to trade back so if alot of prospects  he likes are there at 21 he'll  trade out the first or to the back of the first  to get extra picks

[jvan1973]

1 minute ago, Stephen said:

Ballard  loves  to trade back so if alot of prospects  he likes are there at 21 he'll  trade out the first or to the back of the first  to get extra picks

I understand that.   How does he end up with 2 seconds?

[holeymoley99]

I expect even Edge or corner depending how the board falls and other round 2.......Nelson is shifting to LT and Pinter LG I do believe.