The Colts selected RB Marlon Mack with the 143rd pick and then DT Grover Stewart with the 144th. Each player will add depth at a thin position.
Mack averaged over 100 yards rushing in each of his three seasons with the University of South Florida, according to his draft profile. Here is their assessment of him:
STRENGTHS
Looks like he has ball bearings in his hips. Able to swivel in multiple directions. Can tilt and slalom around defenders on the second and third level and is able to string moves together. Has slippery feet and is hard to pin down when bouncing laterally. Runs with knee bend and his pad level is low at contact. Explosive burst carries him into his getaway gear. Able to run away from tacklers. Six of his fifteen touchdowns this year went for 43-plus yards. Always plays fast. Contain buster to the outside. Finds ways to slither out of tackles. Hands showed improvement as pass catcher.
WEAKNESSES
Runs with inconsistent power through contact. Will need to accelerate through contact on next level. Serial run bouncer. Too willing to make wild bounces to the furthest reaches of the perimeter if interior lanes are gummed up. Lacks a committed approach between the tackles. Feet start dancing if he doesn’t see an early point of entry. On jet sweeps, he rarely looked to cut it downhill in space and defaulted to the wide track. Has a very poor fumble rate over this three years and has put the ball on the ground twelve times. Ducks head into traffic to finish rather than keeping eyes scanning.
Quick Take:
Don’t take a running back early, especially when your defense is frighteningly bereft of talent. Mack looks like a good value at the end of the 4th round, and running backs taken late in the draft can blossom into full time starters. They tend to have a higher ceiling than the average late round pick.
Highlight video of Mack:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX5voGRRlT0]
Stewart (6′ 5″ 295) is a strong (30 bench press reps), versatile run stuffer that some describe a a “sleeper” because of his raw skills and potential. We will have to wait and see. For now, here is the take from his draft profile:
STRENGTHS
Powerful, NFL-ready frame with thick lower half and evenly displaced weight throughout. Jolts opponents with good initial pop that can knock blockers off their spots. Carries brute force in upper body with natural anchor to fight back against double teams. Showed off impressive straight line speed at his pro day. Athletic big man who will coast on blocks before flashing eye-opening reactive quickness disengaging and making tackles when runners try to race through his gaps. Bull-rush specialist able to create some pocket cave once he starts rolling downhill.
WEAKNESSES
Needs to play with better coordination between hands and feet. Lacks consistent feel for down blocks and double teams. Can be a little slow to set his anchor. Pad level is too tall. Improved bend and leverage would help generate more consistent results at point of attack. Rolls into initial contact rather than crowding and working with a quick punch-and-control technique. Raw and unskilled as a hand fighter. Slow to discard smaller blockers and allows them longer rides than they deserve. Face-up rusher lacking the upper body flexion and go-to move to slither into backfield.
Quick Take:
This guy looks downright violent as a defensive lineman. He has technique issues, but if he can work on some of those things, he can be a big part of the rotation for the Colts up front. And the Colts certainly could use help up front.
Scouting video of Stewart (not the same as a highlight video):
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdmoOI-7t9o]
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