Interior D Linemen

[Hark]

One of the things I have been thinking about this off-season is the possibility that the Colts don't re-sign Big Grove. Since I am not someone who understands the intricacies of IDL play, who would be the some of the potential replacements in the draft? Is it guys the really big guys like like Sweat from Texas or Jackson from A&M, or is it more like Murphy from Texas or one of the other smaller more athletic guys?

[DaColts85]

Sweat from Texas would fit more as the 1 tech to replace grove. Run stopper but can still shoot the gap to disrupt the pocket. 

[MikeCurtis]

I think we need Grove AND another draftee to fill the spot

 

For a position that needs a heavy guy, we are very thin

 

Pun intended

[Hark]

Seems like Sweat is there for the taking with our 2nd. Wonder if Ballard would consider pulling the trigger on that?

[Solid84]

T’Vondre Sweat and McKinnley Jackson are a couple of prime targets in the 2nd round.
 

Alternatively you can get a guy like Evan Anderson in the backend of the draft an develop him while keeping Stewart. 

 

I’d like any of those solutions really. 
 

Guess it’ll be another month before we start hearing about who the Colts are looking at

[Hark]

1 hour ago, Solid84 said:

T’Vondre Sweat and McKinnley Jackson are a couple of prime targets in the 2nd round.
 

Alternatively you can get a guy like Evan Anderson in the backend of the draft an develop him while keeping Stewart. 

 

I’d like any of those solutions really. 
 

Guess it’ll be another month before we start hearing about who the Colts are looking at

Sounds like I need to check out Evan Anderson.

[Hoose]

4 hours ago, MikeCurtis said:

I think we need Grove AND another draftee to fill the spot

 

For a position that needs a heavy guy, we are very thin

 

Pun intended

Yup. Keep your excellent, and only,  run stopper while drafting his next backup and eventual replacement. The Colts need another big and talented body on that D line. 

[Archer]

7 hours ago, MikeCurtis said:

I think we need Grove AND another draftee to fill the spot

 

For a position that needs a heavy guy, we are very thin

 

Pun intended

I agree.  I think we definitely need a back-up NT for Grover.  When he was out on his suspension, we suddenly couldn’t stop the run to save our lives.  I also thought that all the DT depth kinda stunk - I think we could draft a back-up 3T also.  Don’t want to give up on Adetomewa this quick, but aside from a few sacks he didn’t have a good rookie season.  
 

I’ve got my eyes on Mason Smith of LSU (former 5-star recruit) or EWS game star Khristian Boyd of Northern Iowa for the back-up NT spot…

[OhioColt]

6 hours ago, Archer said:I’ve got my eyes on Mason Smith of LSU (former 5-star recruit) or EWS game star Khristian Boyd of Northern Iowa for the back-up NT spot…

Agree Maason Smith (LSU) seems like a NT that would fit in nicely here.  Grover is good but DJ Reader would be an upgrade in FA.  Would trust Bill’s DaQuan Jones to be a better backup before he retires than Taven.  Maason Smith does seem like Grover Stewart with a mixture of Reader/Jones and have a strong feeling he would do well and have a solid NFL future as a starter.

[Shive]

12 hours ago, OhioColt said:

Agree Maason Smith (LSU) seems like a NT that would fit in nicely here.  Grover is good but DJ Reader would be an upgrade in FA.  Would trust Bill’s DaQuan Jones to be a better backup before he retires than Taven.  Maason Smith does seem like Grover Stewart with a mixture of Reader/Jones and have a strong feeling he would do well and have a solid NFL future as a starter.

I dont see Maason Smith as a NT at all. He's very much a 3T/4i and is built more like Buckner than Grover. That said, I think if he can stay healthy, he'll be really good in the NFL.

 

I think draft-wise Sweat would be be a perfect fit in the lower 1st/upper 2nd. I also like Nazir Stackhouse from Georgia as a pure 1T on day 3. He's limited to a 2 down DT, but he's really good against the run.

[Solid84]

To be fair, we need depth behind BOTH Stewart and Buckner. There are some guys in the late 1st and 2nd round who could step right in and produce I think.

[Defjamz26]

The issue with Sweat is that he didn’t weigh in a the Senior Bowl. That lead a lot of people to believe he’s probably close to 400 lbs. At that point, he’s probably a 2-down player at best. 

[KB]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

The issue with Sweat is that he didn’t weigh in a the Senior Bowl. That lead a lot of people to believe he’s probably close to 400 lbs. At that point, he’s probably a 2-down player at best. 

Hopefully that helps him fall. We only need him to backup Grover. If he had to start I'm sure we would swap him out with Dayo on passing downs. He could still provide something on passing downs. At the senior bowl the commentator was saying that all a guard can do is hope to slow him down. You can't stop him but you can slow the collapse of the pocket. I want to say the only rep I saw lost was a rip and pull move that wasn't timed well.

Saying that, we don't utilize 350 lb NTs. Grover is 310. I think the best backup or replacement in this draft is Kristian Boyd. Now that's a 3 down lineman.

[Defjamz26]

3 hours ago, KB said:

Hopefully that helps him fall. We only need him to backup Grover. If he had to start I'm sure we would swap him out with Dayo on passing downs. He could still provide something on passing downs. At the senior bowl the commentator was saying that all a guard can do is hope to slow him down. You can't stop him but you can slow the collapse of the pocket. I want to say the only rep I saw lost was a rip and pull move that wasn't timed well.

Saying that, we don't utilize 350 lb NTs. Grover is 310. I think the best backup or replacement in this draft is Kristian Boyd. Now that's a 3 down lineman.

Funny you mention Boyd. I’ve just gotten around to doing research on him. I’d take him over Sweat. Sweat may give you 10 snaps a game.

[Solid84]

6 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

The issue with Sweat is that he didn’t weigh in a the Senior Bowl. That lead a lot of people to believe he’s probably close to 400 lbs. At that point, he’s probably a 2-down player at best. 

True, but Vita Vea is a 2-down NT and he's still a beast.

[Solid84]

4 hours ago, KB said:

Hopefully that helps him fall. We only need him to backup Grover. If he had to start I'm sure we would swap him out with Dayo on passing downs. He could still provide something on passing downs. At the senior bowl the commentator was saying that all a guard can do is hope to slow him down. You can't stop him but you can slow the collapse of the pocket. I want to say the only rep I saw lost was a rip and pull move that wasn't timed well.

Saying that, we don't utilize 350 lb NTs. Grover is 310. I think the best backup or replacement in this draft is Kristian Boyd. Now that's a 3 down lineman.

 

47 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Funny you mention Boyd. I’ve just gotten around to doing research on him. I’d take him over Sweat. Sweat may give you 10 snaps a game.

Kris Jenkins Jr. is also a possiblity. Not as heavy as some of the other guys, but a 3-down NT and he's an excellent run defender.

[OhioColt]

On 2/11/2024 at 2:39 PM, Solid84 said:

 

Kris Jenkins Jr. is also a possiblity. Not as heavy as some of the other guys, but a 3-down NT and he's an excellent run defender.

How do you justify picking a second-round pick that high to play sparingly roughly 25-35% of the defensive snaps each season?  Stewart's replacement will either be from free agency or a Day 3 pick.  

[KB]

1 hour ago, OhioColt said:

How do you justify picking a second-round pick that high to play sparingly roughly 25-35% of the defensive snaps each season?  Stewart's replacement will either be from free agency or a Day 3 pick.  

I for one, am perfectly fine having a high draft pick starting a rotational piece on the D line. You want your backup d line to be as good as your starting line. Ravens and Eagles do it. I do agree that Stewart's backup will be a day 3 pick. If it's his replacement then round 2 is about right.

[Solid84]

7 hours ago, OhioColt said:

How do you justify picking a second-round pick that high to play sparingly roughly 25-35% of the defensive snaps each season?  Stewart's replacement will either be from free agency or a Day 3 pick.  

Almost all Dline players take time to develop and no matter who (if any) we pick this season they'll probably be rotational pieces to begin with.

 

I think we sign Stewart to a 3 year deal. He'll be 33 after that and anyone we pick can be a rotational piece until that point unless they out play Stewart.

[MikeCurtis]

On 2/9/2024 at 11:07 AM, Solid84 said:

T’Vondre Sweat and McKinnley Jackson are a couple of prime targets in the 2nd round.
 

Alternatively you can get a guy like Evan Anderson in the backend of the draft an develop him while keeping Stewart. 

 

I’d like any of those solutions really. 
 

Guess it’ll be another month before we start hearing about who the Colts are looking at

When I originally looked at this, I thought Sweat was more of a NT than anything else, but Texas played him at 1 tech about 50% of the time (Grovers spot)

 

McKinnley may still be there in round 3

 

There are some decent prospects that are in round 2, that could start for the Colts

 

I really think that CB will trade back in the 1st one or even two times

 

I could get behind a late first round pick of WR AD Mitchell or FS Kitchens or Tyler Nubins 

 

and two (or three) 2nd rounders

 

There are at least 3 CBs that are tall and play zone  (TJ Tampa) that should be there in round 2

 

 

 

 

 

[MikeCurtis]

On 2/11/2024 at 1:39 PM, Solid84 said:

 

Kris Jenkins Jr. is also a possiblity. Not as heavy as some of the other guys, but a 3-down NT and he's an excellent run defender.

He is a bit light to be the 1 tech on the colts IMHO

 

I think he lined up much more often at 3 tech

 

Great player though, and I would love for the Colts to get him

[Defjamz26]

Evan Anderson from FAU is another possibility for a backup to Grover. 6’3” 250 lbs

 

Edit: Shrine bowl measurement was actually 6’0” and 319.

[Solid84]

27 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Evan Anderson from FAU is another possibility for a backup to Grover. 6’3” 250 lbs

 

Edit: Shrine bowl measurement was actually 6’0” and 319.

Yeah, if they don't want to look to the future yet, I can see us taking a guy like Anderson and let him sit behind Grover.

[Solid84]

Evan Anderson from the Shrine Bowl.

 

This is a run defense drill. He holds off the Center with one hand lol and is ready for that RB.

 

 

[Solid84]

I think he has been mentioned but a guy like Khristian Boyd could be an option too.

 

Measured at 6'2" 320 lbs at the Shrine Bowl and he dominated there.

[OhioColt]

14 hours ago, Solid84 said:

Almost all Dline players take time to develop and no matter who (if any) we pick this season they'll probably be rotational pieces to begin with.

Exactly that's why preference to ignore the draft on IDLs and get a proven veteran player.  At least know what to expect.  Hopefully we can bring in a couple of names that I have mentioned recently in other threads.  

 

More curious what our new DL coach Charlie Partridge brings to the table.  Can he bring LCB Dane Jackson (Bills) who played for Pittsburgh when Patridge coach during the 2018-2020 season.  At least three Bills players would love to acquire in free agency (Dodson, Jackson, Jones).