The Indianapolis Colts continued to address the front seven with their sixth-round pick of former Mississippi State edge rusher Gerri Green.
It is clear that Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard wanted to improve the front seven and specifically the linebacker corps. Green is a versatile athlete that will provide depth both on the defensive line and linebacker corps.
Here are three things to know about Green:
Played both DE and LB at Mississippi State
Versatility is a big part of the plan for Ballard and head coach Frank Reich. Green has that secured as he played the first three years of his collegiate career at linebacker and then finished his career playing defensive end in 2018.
It remains to be seen where the Colts want him to work most, but having that versatility should help him compete for a roster spot in the front seven or, at the least, grab a practice squad spot following roster cuts.
During his career at Mississippi State, Green recorded 20.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
High character prospect
The continued theme of adding high-character players in draft took another step with Green in the sixth round. During his time in college, Green served as a team captain and prominent figure in the community.
It has been a point of emphasis for Ballard to add high-character players to the locker room as the foundation of the roster gets built. This allows for players to be unselfish when working toward the singular goal of winning a championship.
Fit with the Colts
With a high motor and some athleticism, the Colts are going to try to find a spot for Green in the front seven. It isn’t clear where his primary position will be, but he did say in his post-draft press conference that the Colts worked him out at linebacker.
If the Colts move him to outside linebacker, that will mean seven of their selections over the past two drafts. It wasn’t thought to be a need, but there is a chance Matt Ebeflus needed an influx of athleticism in the middle of his defense.
