I haven’t always been great about predicting who the Colts will draft. I got four of seven in 1999 (and if you say you did better than me, I will call you a liar – nobody, but nobody saw Edgerrin James over Ricky Williams), but since then have been pretty hit and miss. I got Rob Morris and Jerry Hughes – but so did everybody else.
But the thing is that every player that I have predicted that the Colts would draft in the first round who they did not select – from Hakeem Nicks to Maurice Jones-Drew – has been a very good player. So I guess that’s good news for the guy I’m projecting the Colts grab in 2011.
Here’s why the Colts will select Derek Sherrod, offensive tackle, Mississippi State:
1. There’s a crying need at the position. At present, the best left tackle on the Colts’ roster is Jeff Linkenbach, who is not very good. Even if they sign all their free agents, the best left tackle they would have would be incumbent Charlie Johnson, who is also not very good (although certainly a starting quality guard).
2. Sherrod is the best pure pass blocker in the draft. He’s built for the job with long arms and big hands, and knows what he’s doing. He has great initial pop, sorts out assignments quickly and understands blitzes.
3. He has outstanding athleticism, running the three-cone in 7.43 seconds,
4. Sherrod is an upstanding young man who has earned a business degree with a 3.54 GPA, was voted captain of his team and is very active in his community.
5. He has the frame to get stronger.
Although if I was in Polian’s position (and that’s was this blog is basically about), I would draft nothing but linemen, it won’t go that way.
Instead, let’s take a look at how it might go down. Keep in mind that the Colts are likely to receive no compensatory picks and that they traded their seventh-rounder to Washington for CB Justin Tryon.
1/22 Derek Sherrod T Mississippi State
For reasons listed above
2/21 Kendall Hunter HB Oklahoma State
Even if Addai returns, the Colts look to go halfback-by-committee; Hunter adds the magic and wow factor none of the guys current on the roster supplies (and he can actually pass block)
3/23 Tyler Sash SS Iowa
This seems like a fait accompli (and could even happen a round earlier): 1. The Colts love Hawkeyes, 2. The Colts need a strong safety, 3. Sash is a very good strong safety who’s also a Hawkeye, 4. Sash excels at exactly what the Colts demand a strong safety do.
4/22 Kyle Hix T Texas
Very similar player and person to Sherrod, but replace “left tackle” with “right tackle” and “great initial pop” with “incredible leg drive”
5/21 Ibrahim Abdulai DT Arkansas-Pine Bluff
A Polian pick – Abdulai is a super-productive (18 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles as a senior), small-college penetrator who’s a very powerful 305-pounder and another solid citizen-type
6/23 Jason Kelce C/G Cincinnati
More help for the line comes from this dramatically undersized but very athletic former linebacker.
1 comment:
Really like this draft. When I saw Kelce on the combine coverage I said that looks like a Bill Polian draft pick. Didn't realize he was as strong a pass protector as you said.
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