The Indianapolis Colts began their selections on the final day of the 2019 NFL Draft with a pick of Michigan State safety Khari Willis.
Quick Hits
- The Colts moved up 20 spots and gave two fourth-round picks to grab Willis at No. 109 overall.
- Willis is thought to be more of a box safety working near the line of scrimmage with excellent tackling ability.
- From Jon Ledyard of The Draft Network: “A high-character safety who plays a physical brand of football, Willis is a limited deep safety who won’t create splash plays or erase vertical routes with his range and instincts. Instead, he’s at his best around the line of scrimmage against the run or as a big slot defender matching up with tight ends in man coverage. Willis can help an NFL team as a third safety and special teams star right away, but his upside is limited.”
Fit with the Colts
The Colts had a big need to address the safety position and with Malik Hooker’s ability to man centerfield, Willis could potentially be a solid fit next to him. He’s thought to be a physical safety with high character, which are two huge requirements for general manager Chris Ballard.
Some scouts believe he has the ability to match up with tight ends in the slot in man coverage, which would be a huge addition to the Colts defense.
Conclusion
The Colts needed to add some safety help at some point during the draft. Seeing as they moved up 20 spots and gave up two fourth-rounders in exchange to grab Willis, the Colts must have had an extremely high grade on the Michigan State product. It remains to be seen how quickly he can carve out a role, but he should be able to provide early depth and special teams help.
