After trading out of the first round to begin the NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Indianapolis Colts stood still when the second round began.
Despite the numerous reports of another trade back happening, the Colts kept the No. 34 pick and selected defensive back Rock Ya-Sin from Temple University.
When instantly looking at this selection, Ya-Sin’s arrival means the Colts invested more into their secondary. Amongst the many factors that propelled the Colts into the playoffs last season, it was the play of defensive backs such as Pierre Desir, Kenny Moore II and Malik Hooker, who created turnovers and limited opposing receivers, especially during the season’s final weeks.
Ya-Sin comes to the NFL as a very promising player, who only improved throughout his college career. Whether it was at Temple or his previous school Presbyterian College, the former two-time state wrestling champion displayed a unique blend of physicality, quickness and play-making at his position.
Those traits popped out on film when watching Ya-Sin intercepted seven passes and making 92 tackles between 2017-18. But besides his production and endless potential, many on Ya-Sin’s teams or in the draft world raved about his character, which fits into the requirements for the Colts.
The Georgia native has been called a “high character” person, very dependable and extremely tough. In fact, the reason Ya-Sin wore No. 6 last season is that at Temple, they only give single-digit numbers to the toughest players on their team.
With all of this considered, the Colts made a strong selection of a promising cornerback that can eventually turn into a solid starter.
Grade: B+
