The Indianapolis Colts continue to add depth to their young roster by grabbing offensive lineman Danny Pinter out of Ball State with the 149th pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman is a great addition to one of the best offensive lines in the league and will be able to fill in at multiple positions.
The selection of Pinter shows that Chris Ballard is not done building a strong, deep roster in the trenches. Here are three things to know about Pinter:
1. The Indiana native comes home
Pinter returns home to the Hoosier state after being selected by the Colts in the fifth round. The South Bend native attended John Adams High School, but his hometown program Notre Dame did not recruit him. He ended up committing to Ball State in 2015 as a redshirt freshman.
Being an Indiana native isn’t something new for draft picks with the Colts. They keep plenty of tabs on the local prospects and the up-and-coming scene.
2. An interesting transition
Pinter was recruited to Ball State as a tight end originally and started there his first season in 2016. After limited production and injuries, Pinter gained 50 pounds and moved to right tackle before the 2018 season. In fact, Pinter started every game at right tackle in his two years at the position. He was awarded with an All-MAC First Team selection in 2019. His speed and ability to block down the line make him a unique prospect.
Pinter might be a bit undersized and his arm length might kick him inside, but he’s an elite athlete and those movement skills from his tight end days were not lost when he added all that weight to be the right tackle for Ball State.
3. Smart and always eager to learn
As a late bloomer on the field, Pinter waited for his time to shine and find his fit. Perhaps his best fit was in the classroom where he earned the Academic All-MAC award for four straight years from 2016-2019. He is a very intelligent player both on and off the field which should allow him to learn from guys like Anthony Castonzo and Quenton Nelson. Not every player can learn multiple positions in an offensive system.
However, the Colts see Pinter as a high football IQ player with versatility and elite athleticism. There isn’t much more to ask for in a Day 3 pick.
