Carter, Rucker and the whole thing

As delighted as I was with the first three Colts picks, I’m a little less so with the other two.

While they definitely needed a halfback, I’m pretty sure Delone Carter is the wrong one. Not that he’s a bad back, not at all – he runs tough, has a low center of gravity, can catch and block. But he’s one of those one-speed guys who lack an extra gear. Okay, enough with the hoary football clichés, my problem with Carter is that he’s just more of the same. All the backs the Colts have had since Edgerrin James’ ACL injury have all been the same guy with varying degrees of this or that quality. But all of them have lacked that kind of spark, the magic that stops defenders in their cleats and gives defensive coordinators nightmares. Wait, more clichés? Yes, but they are apt. Carter will help carry the load, but he won’t be special, he won’t return kicks with great aplomb and he won’t make the Colts’ offense any more exciting – more efficient, perhaps, but not more exciting. Polian has got to realize that the model for the perfect halfback is not James Mungro.

I’m being unduly harsh, of course, but what bothers me is that there were so many speed/moves backs available, and now they have jobs elsewhere. I’m sure Carter will have a long and productive career in Indy, and he does have a rep as a strong between-the-tackles runner – they could definitely use that. Critics have pointed out that he holds the ball in a strange way, but it didn’t lead to fumbling at Syracuse, so I doubt it will in the NFL.

The numbers:

Height: 5085, Weight: 222, 10-yard dash: 1.54 (1.51 at pro day), 20-yard dash: 2.58 (2.53 at pro day), 40-yard dash: 4.54 (4.46 at pro day), Bench press: 27, Vertical jump: 37, Long jump: 10’0 (10’1 at pro day), Shuttle: 4.07, Three-cone: 6.92, Arm length: 31, Hand length: 9.5

The final pick was another good player who might get lost in the shuffle for the Colts, although there is an outside chance he could change positions. And – in a rarity for the Colts – he has serious character questions.

Chris L Rucker is a Michigan State cornerback who was once thought so highly of, he was projected by some as a second rounder. He certainly has the size and strength. He’s not quite smooth enough in coverage to be considered elite, but should be better than average in most situations, especially in the zone-friendly Colts defense. His real skills are in the initial jam, knocking receivers off their routes and tackling. Those abilities could translate well to safety, where the Colts needs are far more pressing than cornerback. More likely, though, Rucker will not play much on defense, at least at first, concentrating instead on special teams and getting better at whichever position they put him at.

I have seen Rucker a few time on tape and was impressed. Check out the Capital One Bowl, in which he spent much of his time isolated one-on-one against Julio Jones (the guy the Falcons traded two firsts, a second and two fourths to pick). Although Rucker was playing hurt, he limited Jones to three catches for 49 yards (only really getting beat once) in an incredibly lopsided affair in which the Tide rolled all over the Spartans.

Rucker’s problems with the law stem from a 2009 brawl that involved several Spartans’ players. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation with the proviso that he not consume alcohol. Less than a year later, he was arrested for DUI, and spent eight days in jail. If you read the official details of his arrest here and here, you get an idea of what happened that night, and Rucker comes off as not that bad a person. I’ve seen some people call him things like a “thug” online, but I’m not sure those two incidents indicate that he’s a bad guy. Of course, they don’t indicate he’s squeaky clean, either. I think he’s a pretty ordinary young man who made a couple of mistakes and is unlikely to repeat them. History shows us that neither Polian nor the Colts are at all interested in problem children, and I’m sure they did much more homework on him than most blog posters and forum commentators. Late note: I also find it interesting that, although Carter was charged with assault after punching out a student at an on-campus snowball fight, nobody called him a "thug" or "character risk."

Is Rucker a terrible pick? Certainly not. He’s a very talented player who can help on specials right away, and perhaps grow into a starting-quality defender. That’s not bad for a sixth rounder. But he’s not a true safety, certainly not the big bopper the Colts could use there, and he’s not a returner, which is a position they could also stand to upgrade.

The numbers:

Height: 6004, Weight: 195, 10-yard dash: 1.65, 20-yard dash: 2.68, 40-yard dash: 4.54, Bench press: 13, Vertical jump: 33.5, Long jump: 9’11, Shuttle: 4.35, Three-cone: 6.87, Arm length: 33, Hand length: 9

To sum it all up, I would have to say that I am more satisfied with this draft than any the Colts have had since 1999. Anthony Castonzo looks like a bastion of solidity at left tackle, Ben Ijalana should join him and start from Day 1 elsewhere on the line, while Drake Nevis should get some quality reps on the defensive line and contribute right away. There’s no question that the Colts needed all three of those guys. Carter is not my favorite halfback, but should help carry the load and get those tough yards. Rucker is a bit of a risk, but it’s hard not to like his upside.

Some things on my wish list did not get fulfilled – most notably, a starting quality strong safety, a young quarterback and a return specialist who can also make plays on offense – but it’s really hard to complain when you look at the Colts’ first three picks.