The Indianapolis Colts are one of the teams most liable to use their first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to add some youthful talent to the interior defensive line.
Despite Denico Autry leading the team with 9.0 sacks during the 2018 season, the Colts will need to add some talent behind him and Margus Hunt. Fortunately, this draft is littered with talent.
As a bit of a reference guide, Luke Easterling of Draft Wire released his final rankings for interior defensive linemen. Here’s a look at the top 10:
- Quinnen Williams, Alabama
- Ed Oliver, Houston
- Christian Wilkins, Clemson
- Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
- Rashan Gary, Michigan
- Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
- Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
- Charles Omenihu, Texas
- Zach Allen, Boston College
- Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
There is a very high chance the Colts use an early pick on one of these players. Wilkins appears to be the perfect fit for the Colts both on the field and in the locker room, but it remains to be seen if he will be available at No. 26.
Simmons is an interesting case as he’s immensely talented and will come at a discount after tearing his ACL. Omenihu is a perfect fit for the Colts as a player that can work both the edge and the interior.
How the Colts will go about the draft is anyone’s guess, but they should be active in adding a penetrating defensive tackle with some versatility.
