Since taking over as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts in 2017, Chris Ballard made it clear he is going to move around the draft board by trading picks both up and down throughout the process.
He typically prefers adding more picks, but he also isn’t against moving up or trading a pick for a player when the opportunity presents itself. The Colts initially had eight picks in the 2020 draft before trading for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Let’s take a look at which players were selected with the draft picks the Colts traded away in 2020:
Round 1 | No. 13 | OT Tristan Wirfs | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Colts made their first big splash of the offseason just before free agency by trading their first-round pick (No. 13 overall) to the San Francisco 49ers for the elite talents of Buckner. We’ve gone on record saying how much of a steal that was for Indy.
The 49ers were on the clock with their new pick but looking to add some later selections, they traded back one spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Bucs now on the clock, they did the sensible thing by adding protection for their new quarterback in Tom Brady.
Depending on who you ask, Wirfs could be considered the top offensive tackle in the draft. It was a surprise to see him fall so far in the first round when most analysts had him pegged for a top-10 pick.
Round 2 | No. 44 | S Grant Delpit | Cleveland Browns
When Day 2 of the draft began, the Colts had their eyes on a pair of prospects and initially thought they would have to choose between the two. That would be wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts took the former at No. 34 and then had another selection 10 picks later.
But as the picks were coming in, the Colts grew in excitement as they wondered if Taylor would fall to them. It got to the point where Jim Irsay sparked encouragement to trade up for Taylor, which the Colts wound up doing—moving up three spots with the Browns while also giving away their fifth-round pick (No. 160).
The Browns took the safety out of LSU in Delpit. He’s a versatile prospect with range and a high ceiling if he can shore up his tackling technique.
Round 3 | No. 75 | OL Jonah Jackson | Detriot Lions
After giving away a fifth-rounder to move up for Jonathan Taylor, the Colts knew they had to move back at some point to get some picks back. They did so by moving back 10 spots to No. 85 in a trade with the Lions. They added a fifth (No. 149) and a sixth (No. 182) while also giving up a later sixth (No. 197).
With the Lions on the clock they added the Ohio State guard in Jackson, who shows plenty of promise. The Lions drafted D’Andre Swift earlier in the second round and now added some protection on the interior. He’s a nice fit for the Lions and should compete for a role on the interior.
Round 5 | No. 160 | Nick Harris | Cleveland Browns
The Colts got their man in Jonathan Taylor when they traded the Nos. 41 and 160 picks to move up three spots in the second round. With that new pick, the Browns added more insurance to their interior offensive line by taking center out of Washington.
This wound up working perfectly for the Colts. Though they gave up the No. 160 pick, Ballard actually was able to move up 11 spots after his trade with the Lions. Seeing how much they wanted to draft Danny Pinter, this wound up working perfectly in the favor of Indy.
Round 6 | No. 182 | OL Michael Onwenu | New England Patriots
With one of their new picks from the third-round trade with the Lions, the Colts were on the clock but Ballard still had that itch to move back. They found a trade partner in the Patriots, giving up this No. 182 pick for the two late sixth-rounders (No. 212, 213).
Onwenu is a massive interior lineman prospect who works best in a power blocking scheme. He’s certainly a developmental piece, but his strength and mauler’s attitude is interesting on Day 3. The Colts didn’t see any prospects they particularly liked here and found an opportunity to grab two more picks later.
Round 6 | No. 197 | DT John Penisini | Detriot Lions
With the final pick that the Colts traded away, this one came as a part of the deal with the Lions. The Colts gave up Nos. 75 and 197 for those three picks from Detroit. They used this pick to add to their interior defensive line with the prospect from Utah.
Potentially better off as a nose tackle in even front, Penisini has the mentality and motor to work well against the run. The Lions are hoping he turns into a rotational piece on the defensive line even if he is limited as a pass rusher.
