The Indianapolis Colts are hard at work trying to figure out what might be their best plan to begin the 2019 NFL Draft, which starts exactly a month from now on April 25.
While the Colts are trying to find which prospects fit best in their schemes, they are also looking to find those that don’t fit their schemes, which is a part of the process to narrow down their targets at the end of April.
With a month to go until the draft, here are four prospects the Colts should avoid in the first round:
Jachai Polite | EDGE | Florida
There is no denying what Polite brings to the tape. His flexibility, burst and repertoire of pass rush moves make him a top-15 talent. For those reasons, there is a team that is going to take a chance on him likely early in the draft.
However, Polite had one of the worst combine experiences of the hundreds of prospects that were there. Not only did it seem like his interviews went extremely poorly, but he also didn’t test all that well and wound up suffering a hamstring injury.
The Colts will do their homework on Polite to ensure their opinion on him, but even if he’s available, he’s likely a prospect that should be left on the board at No. 26 overall.
Dexter Lawrence | DL | Clemson
The Colts will be entering the first round of the draft on April 25 looking to add depth and talent to the defensive line, but Lawrence shouldn’t be among the targets on Day 1.
Best suited as a nose tackle or shade, Lawrence brings incredible size, length and strength to the interior. However, he struggles to get after the quarterback with consistency as a pass rusher and is likely best suited for a two-gap front that allows him to read and react against the run.
This isn’t to say Lawrence is a bad talent, but he doesn’t exactly fit what the Colts are looking for in their interior defensive linemen and despite some of his measurables, he should be avoided in Round 1.
N’Keal Harry | WR | Arizona State
This really should go for all wide receivers in the draft for the Colts. Even if a guy like D.K. Metcalf is available at the back end of the first round, the Colts should pass.
This isn’t a knock on Harry’s game, which will likely lead to him being a playmaker at the next level, but the value isn’t there to be had in the first round. Harry would find himself in an immediate role in the offense, but Indy can find better value later in the draft.
The Colts also brought in Devin Funchess in free agency, and it sounds like they are intrigued to see if he can develop on a one-year contract. Avoiding a wide receiver in the first round is something the Colts should wholeheartedly do.
Jeffery Simmons | DL | Mississippi State
Like the aforementioned Polite, there are several reasons the Colts should avoid Simmons on the first day of the draft. But his tape on the field shows an intriguing player that would make an impact as soon as he’s recovered from his ACL surgery.
Simmons is a first-round talent, but he’s had trouble off of the field with violence and while the Colts make sure to do their own research, it remains to be seen if they feel he will fit in the locker room. The ACL tear also brings concerns as he’s likely to miss the majority of the 2019 season.
If Simmons is available later on Day 2, then it becomes interesting if the Colts feel his character issues are resolved. However, it is simply too big of a risk to take in the first round.
