The Indianapolis Colts might not be on the clock for the 2024 NFL draft yet, but that doesn’t mean that experts can’t think of the possibilities.
It’s mock draft season, Colts fans, and Pro Football Focus has prepared some scenarios in which the team drafts a cornerback with their first pick and a tight end with the following pick to give Anthony Richardson another target.
In PFF’s Post-Super Bowl 2024 NFL Mock Draft by Trevor Sikkema, the analyst has Indy drafting Terrion Arnold, a cornerback from Alabama, at pick No. 15 in the first round and Ja’Tavion Sanders, a tight end from Texas, at pick No. 46 during the second round.
Here’s what Sikkema said about the Colts selecting Arnold at No. 15 overall:
Cornerback is the biggest area of need for the Colts, and they’ll have a chance to get a good one here. Arnold has elite size, ball skills, and movement skills to be a potential Pro Bowler.
Corner is a position that the Colts certainly need. The Colts spent the better part of the 2023 season playing musical cornerbacks after unexpectedly losing Isaiah Rodgers and dealing with injuries from Dallis Flowers and JuJu Brents that impacted the lineup.
If they added someone like Arnold into the mix, it would add immediate depth to the secondary, but possibly someone who could be a starter down the road. Arnold is a fantastic athlete (Chris Ballard’s favorite kind of guy) and a known ballhawk with exceptional instincts that allow him to use his speed to react and change direction flawlessly.
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders
The Colts’ tight end room is in pretty decent shape, despite the lingering injury to Jelani Woods that kept him out during the 2023 season.
Kylen Granson grew as a trusty safety valve, and Will Mallory, when healthy, also added a little gusto. Where this gets interesting is understanding how much Indy still believes in veteran Mo Alie-Cox.
Alie-Cox has been underwhelming since Jack Doyle retired, and moving on from him wouldn’t be out of the question. If the Colts decide to part ways, it would not be shocking to see them add someone like Sanders from Texas.
Sanders was a very reliable target for Quinn Ewers and co. during the 2023 season and while he won’t wow anyone with elite speed, his ability to catch and separate or turn upfield quickly, creating explosive plays, is noteworthy. He’s also got a big frame, at 6’4 and 245 pounds, that makes him a nightmare matchup for secondaries.
