Draft needs: Defense

Defensive end: The Colts are lucky enough to have three premier players at the position — Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and Raheem Brock — and two serviceable young prospects in Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson. That would be enough for most teams, but the Colts live by the rush, never blitz and really don’t have any push from the inside. Besides, Brock plays inside on third downs, and the Colts have not (and probably will not) re-signed veteran backup Josh Thomas. Bill Polian’s oldest adage is that you can never have enough pass rushers, but with other holes to fill, I think he may go elsewhere early and get his DE fix later on. If they select an end, look for it to be a high-production, high-motor guy, probably from a small school. NFL equivalent: Trevor Scott

Defensive tackle: There have always been two schools of thought about DTs: a) bigger is better, and b) faster is better. Since the Tony Dungy/Ron Meeks regime began, the Colts have gone with Plan B. And they have traditionally been easy to run against, particularly up the middle. So with them gone, do the Colts go back to Plan A? Nobody but Polian knows. ColtPlay’s best guess is that they go somewhere in-between. Obviously every team wants a DT with size and speed, but unless you’re picking in the top 5, your chances of getting one are limited. The Colts will have to compromise, and will probably sacrifice size for speed again, although not as much as they have in the past. The need is acute, and they will almost certainly grab a defensive tackle in the first three rounds (and maybe another one later). NFL equivalent: Kevin Williams would be ideal, but there isn’t one in this draft, so a Rocky Bernard is probably more appropriate.

Outside linebacker: Traditionally, the Colts select an outside linebacker or linebackers in the middle of the draft and develop him over a year or two. Usually it works out (David Thornton) and sometimes it fails (Gilbert Gardner). This year is not likely to be much different. They look for fast guys with coverage skills and solid tackling technique. Don’t be surprised if they take a big college safety and move him to OLB. NFL equivalent: Justin Durant

Inside linebacker: The Colts prefer motor, intelligence and leadership to size and strength in the middle. They also highly prize zone-coverage skills. It’s getting to be about time to find Gary Brackett’s heir (unless the plan is to eventually move starting SLB Phillip Wheeler there). A middle- or late-round flier will probably net a prospect. NFL equivalent: London Fletcher

Cornerback: Polian loves to collect corners and will grab 5’6 munchkins and 225-pound behemoths with equal amounts of zeal. Generally, the teams looks for tackling ability and desire, leaping ability, quick transitions and good closing speed. As it stands, the team could use some new corners, but are not in need of an immediate starter. Look for them to target the position in the middle or late in the draft. Small school is not problem, and they could use a guy who can catch the ball. NFL equivalent: Cortland Finnegan

Safety: The Colts have some enviable talent at the safety position, but Bob Sanders’ status as an injury magnet causes some concern. The Colts are always looking to upgrade here and hunt out guys with great instincts, tackling skills and leadership ability, and could grab a safety late. NFL equivalent: Tanard Jackson