With the NFL Scouting Combine officially behind us, the Indianapolis Colts will continue to work on their big board ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.
Even with all this new information from the combine, it’s still a mystery which direction the Colts will go when April 25 arrives. One thing is clear, however. Explosiveness will be the key trait the Colts are looking for on both sides of the ball.
Though it wouldn’t be a Chris Ballard draft without trading back one or five times, we opted against doing so in this iteration. We’ll have plenty of mock drafts that feature trades coming up but until the compensatory picks are set, we’re going with a straight-up prediction.
Without further ado, here’s our post-NFL combine mock draft for the Colts:
Round 1 | No. 15 overall
The Pick: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
Will Bowers make it to the Colts at No. 15? That’s the question. Right now, it’s more up in the air so we’ll lean towards the more optimistic view. Bowers immediately makes the Colts offense more explosive with his short-area quickness, impressive route running and elite YAC ability. Positional value is real, but Bowers is more of an offensive weapon than a traditional tight end. Cornerbacks like Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold also are in play here.
Round 2 | No. 46 overall
The Pick: S Jaden Hicks, Washington State
Adding to the secondary is crucial, and Hicks fits the mold of a versatile safety with the ability to play as a deep zone safety or near the line of scrimmage. He’s an explosive athlete with impressive ball skills and is a physical force against the run from various alignments.
Jaden Hicks is a FS prospect in the 2024 draft class. He does not qualify for a #RAS due to a lack of measurements. https://t.co/GLbu5GL6Fo pic.twitter.com/n3AQ48ZFVU
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 2, 2024
Round 3 | No. 82 overall
The Pick: CB Max Melton, Rutgers
The Colts should invest heavily in the cornerback room this offseason, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if they used one of their first two picks in the draft at the position. In this scenario, they don’t. However, they still land an intriguing talent in Melton. An elite athlete, Melton profiles best as a boundary cornerback to work in off coverage. He has a lot of experience in press man, which helps, and he’s a willing defender against the run.
Max Melton is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.65 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 79 out of 2222 CB from 1987 to 2024.
Splits Projectedhttps://t.co/fj1y7BiChA pic.twitter.com/ujzYFK7IVk
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2024
Round 4 | No. 118 overall
The Pick: WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida
There is a very good chance Pearsall improved his stock into the Day 2 tier of players, and I won’t argue with anyone who says that. Pearsall is a fluid mover with an easy ability to sink his hips without losing too much speed out of his breaks. Pearsall is one of the best trackers on vertical concepts, making him an intriguing threat at all levels of the field. He has exceptional hands to go along with prior experience working with Anthony Richardson. He profiles more as a Z-receiver who also can play in the slot.
Ricky Pearsall is a WR prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.78 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 70 out of 3090 WR from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/wx75bRlzRq pic.twitter.com/AIE0FmEwwO
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 3, 2024
Round 5 | No. 150 overall
The Pick: iOL Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
One of my favorite picks for the Colts on Day 3 is Bortolini, and it’s not just because he’s a paisan. An extremely fluid mover who can get out and work in space easily, Bortolini has experience lining up at all three interior positions. He worked out as a center at the NFL combine and posted one of the best workouts. His 4.28 in the short shuttle is an absolutely bonkers time at 303 pounds. He could compete with Will Fries at right guard while serving as athletic depth behind Ryan Kelly while he improves his play strength.
Tanor Bortolini is a OG prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.97 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 6 out of 1445 OG from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/PcsS2Kzfn4 pic.twitter.com/0qUNmhAezK
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 4, 2024
Round 6 | No. 193 overall
The Pick: RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
Likely to rise after an impressive showing at the combine, Guerendo is an intriguing size/speed prospect. At 6-foot and 221 pounds, Guerendo posted a ridiculous 4.33 in the 40-yard dash to go along with a 41.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-9-inch broad jump. He would be an intriguing depth addition to the backfield behind his former teammate Jonathan Taylor (Guerendo transferred from Wisconsin) with the upside to be a home run hitter as a change-of-pace back.
Isaac Guerendo is a RB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.98 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 5 out of 1765 RB from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/K4OFfjGj1g pic.twitter.com/cmBvJotVRd
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 3, 2024
Round 7 | No. 232 overall
The Pick: WR Ryan Flournoy, Southeast Missouri State
Flournoy seems like a clear Chris Ballard pick. He’s an impressive athlete with elite explosiveness. He comes from a smaller school in the FCS but he shined at the Senior Bowl, and he’s an exceptional leader and teammate by all accounts. Flournoy will work on improving the details of his route running at the next level—another Ballard staple at wideout—but there’s a lot to like in his game as an intermediate threat with upside.
Ryan Flournoy is a WR prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.74 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 82 out of 3063 WR from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/uKWtuyD2bQ pic.twitter.com/o1cbTdB6ND
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 2, 2024
