Part 1 covered the top 19 prospects for the Colts in my eyes plus 12 other players who are definitely worth a first round pick, but not to Indy. Here we’ll dig a bit deeper into the draft.
Tier 4: Trade Up/Down Targets
20. Rodney Hudson, G/C, Florida St.
Dominant guard at the college level, with loads of experience and plenty of athleticism to play on the inside. Holding him back is that Hudson played at under 300lbs and even adding weight for the combine was only up to 299lbs (at 6’2″). While it mostly didn’t show up in his game at the college level, against NFL DTs he won’t have great power.
21. Danny Watkins, T/G, Baylor
Played left tackle for Baylor, but was moved to guard for the Senior Bowl due to his size (6’3″ 310lbs) and lack of elite quickness. He took to the position change extremely well becoming one of the top interior line prospects in the draft. Holding back his stock is that he played just two years above the junior college level, four years total and turns 27 this November.
22. Stefen Wiesniewski, G/C, Penn St.
Quick lineman with 3 years of starting experience between the center and guard position. Not a mauler in the run game and played at about 300lbs, though he was up to 313 at the combine. A versatile Big10 lineman with more quickness than power is right in the Colts wheelhouse.
23. Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
Very good zone coverage guy with solid size at 6’1″ 208lbs and good run support skills. Like pretty much the entire 2010 class of safeties, he didn’t run that well at the combine. This safety class is considered quite weak, but Carter is one of the, if not the, top player in it. High character guy who started a non-profit to help kids in his hometown of Las Vegas while still in college.
24. Ben Ijalana, T/G, Villanova
Dominated at the FCS level, but most want to move him inside to guard citing sub 6’4″ height and struggles pass protecting against very athletic defenders. Has significant technique issues that need to be corrected, but if they are he looks to be an excellent guard and might even be able to stay at tackle. Probably starting out as a guard then he might kick outside once he’s had some quality time with a NFL line coach.
25. Christian Ballard, DT/DE, Iowa
TE turned DE, turned DT, turned pretty much everything on the DL, Ballard is a very athletic lineman who was a strong run stopper at LE and very disruptive on the inside. Getting some attention as a 3-4 DE as high as the late 1st but if he slides into the 2nd due to a lack of ideal 3-4 DE size at 283lbs he could be worth a pick filling Raheem Brock’s old role providing good run D and spells for Freeney/Mathis at DE as well as bringing some heat from the inside on 3rd down.
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