The Indianapolis Colts will have their eyes glued to the field over the next week as the 2019 NFL Combine takes place at their own home at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Beginning Tuesday, the Colts will be evaluating and meeting with the top prospects in the NFL as they continue to shape their board for the 2019 NFL Draft.
With the Combine officially arriving, here’s a seven-round mock draft using Fanspeak’s mock draft simulator:
No. 26 overall | Jerry Tillery | DL | Notre Dame
The Colts have so many ways they can go with their first pick, but adding some help in the pass rush department is likely the way they will go, barring any changes to the defensive line in free agency.
>>> Jerry Tillery Draft Profile <<<
Tillery has immense upside from the interior but has also shown the versatility to work as an edge rusher at times. He’s got great size, quickness and power to win constantly from the three-technique position, which would greatly help the Colts’ pass rush.
Tillery is one of the best fits for the Colts in the first round. He’s an athletic interior defensive lineman that could fight for a starting role immediately while providing pressure from the top of the pocket from Day 1.
No. 34 overall | Deebo Samuel | WR | South Carolina
Adding to the wide receiver position is a necessity this offseason and with a thin crop in free agency, general manager Chris Ballard could turn his attention to the draft. Should he decide to use a heavy investment, Samuel seems like a wonderful fit.
With short area quickness at the line of scrimmage, reliable hands and the ability to create yards after the catch, Samuel would step in immediately to a significant role in the offense with his talent. He crushed the Senior Bowl and can improve his stock more with a solid Combine outing.
Some might want the Colts to wait for a wide receiver, but it is time to invest in the position. Samuel could be exactly what the Colts need given his skill set and versatility to work both on the outside and in the slot.
No. 59 overall | JoeJuan Williams | CB | Vanderbilt
Some might believe this is a little early for Williams, but he could be a strong fit for the Colts in their secondary. With most of the higher-end talent gone at the cornerback position in this draft, Williams was the best fit at the time.
With elite size and physicality, Williams would be able to push for a starting spot immediately. He’s willing to do the dirty work against the run, and his size and length would immediately appeal to Ballard. Likely best suited for a Cover-2 defense, Williams is an intriguing fit for Matt Eberflus’ defense.
The Colts need some depth and talent at the cornerback position, and Williams gives Indy some upside at the position with elite size and ability to press with success.
No. 90 overall | Jalen Jelks | EDGE | Oregon
By the time the third round came along, there was extremely thin talent at the edge position. Jelks might be a slight reach this early, but he’s a great fit athletically on the defensive line as a potential starter down the road.
Jelks is very athletic and has immense upside to work in the Colts’ attacking defensive front, which would allow him to simply pin his ears back and get upfield. His size might keep him from kicking inside on sub-packages, but he’s got solid burst off the edge.
The Colts should be expected to address the pass rush situation in free agency as well, which would give Jelks more time to develop while starting out as a rotational pass rusher.
No. 129 overall | Chuma Edoga | OT | USC
The last time the Colts took a USC offensive tackle in the fourth round, it didn’t go so well (see: Banner, Zach). However, Edoga is an intriguing mid-round pick for the Colts given his athleticism and size working on the edge.
The Colts must begin thinking about what they are going to do when Anthony Castonzo is no longer the option at left tackle. Edoga isn’t ready to step into that role just yet, but he does have athletic traits and enough size to grab in the fourth round as a project during his first season.
He’s raw when it comes to pass protection, but he’s an athletic run blocker, which should appeal to Ballard.
No. 135 overall | Mike Edwards | S | Kentucky
With their compensatory pick now official, the Colts added a second pick in the fourth round. Having addressed most of the needs, it was time to find a safety. Edwards is an intriguing fit as a safety that can work as a slot defender.
The Colts must add some safety depth to the defensive backfield and while Edwards also appears to have the abilities to play in the box as a big nickel in three-safety packages, which the Colts like to run when they can.
Indy could very well address this position earlier given some of the top end talent on the board, but should they look toward the middle round, Edwards is a guy that could be intriguing given his toughness and motor.
No. 164 overall | Isaiah Johnson | CB | Houston
Going back to the corner position, Johnson is an intriguing fit for the two-high safety scheme the Colts like to run. Another corner with rare size for the position, Johnson is still raw learning the nuances as he transferred from wide receiver not too long ago.
His size and physicality make him an option worth betting on in the fourth round. He has incredible upside given his athleticism and size to work as a boundary corner. He needs to be coached up, but the upside is certainly there.
With a thin group of free-agent cornerbacks, the Colts should be able to find solid depth in the draft and could have two of their future boundary corners from this mock.
No. 199 overall | Malik Reed | EDGE | Nevada
It isn’t clear what role is best suited for Reed, but he might have the versatility to work both as a SAM linebacker while also kicking inside as a sub-package rusher.
Reed has upside given his burst and athleticism off the edge, which would give the Colts plenty of reason to take a flier on him in the sixth round. With the pass rushing corps likely taking shape, Reed would be a nice upside pick as the draft approaches its end.
No. 240 overall | Keelan Doss | WR | UC Davis
With his extreme athleticism, Doss might not be there in the seventh round. He could very well be gone at this point but if he’s there, he’s a very intriguing fit as a prospect that could eventually turn into a sleeper pick down the road.
Coming from a small school, Doss has excellent size and athleticism. His route tree is undeveloped but if the Colts play their cards right, he would be able to develop quickly on the practice squad.
Doss can work both in the slot and on the outside and should be a popular flier pick in the final rounds of the draft.
