With the 34th pick, the Colts select ...

Earlier, I pointed out that the Colts have seven starting spots open. And, almost certainly, you can bet that the Colts will expect to fill one of those holes with the second pick in the draft. I think we can safely assume that the team will select a quarterback in the first round, filling that spot. And we should take GM Ryan Grigson at his word when he says the starting flanker job is Donnie Avery’s to lose. That brings the choices down to five. There’s no way the Colts will draft a fullback that high, so the choices are (In order of how desperate I think they are): Nose tackle, cornerback, tight end and right inside linebacker.

I think there’s only one tight end who merits being picked that high, and that’s Stanford’s Colby Fleener (6060/247/4.51). Pairing his with potential first-round pick and college teammate Andrew Luck would go a long way to kick-starting the new offense. Unfortunately, I also think Fleener’s postseason workouts and interviews (not to mention the current fever for pass-catching tight ends) have vaulted him into the first round. Grabbing Fleener in the second round should be a no-brainer for the Colts, but he probably won’t be there.

Likewise, the only linebacker prospect I like high is Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower (6022/265/4.68). And, as with Fleener, I doubt he will escape the first round.

At corner, there are several prospects, but none who really stands out.  I like both Central Florida’s Josh Robinson (5101/199/4.52) and Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard (5100/204/4.55), but neither has the skills to be a real shut down guy. Don’t get me wrong, I think either could be long-time NFL starters, but just not elite guys. If South Carolina’s Stephon Gilmore (6004/190/4.40) somehow falls out of the first round, I’d grab him without a thought.

There is a nose tackle prospect who fits in Clemson’s Brandon Thompson (6020/314/4.96). Despite the usual dearth of legitimate nose tackle prospects these days, Thompson could easily survive the first round because of his liabilities as a pass rusher. That doesn’t bother me, though. I picture him as a two-down guy, manning the middle on first and second down, and coming out on third when the Colts would presumably line up Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney as ends and Cory Redding and Drake Nevis or Fili Moala inside. The other question about Thompson has been conditioning (as it always is with nose men), but any pro prospect who also made his college’s honor roll gets my approval for his work ethic. The only things that could get in the way of the Colts picking Thompson are: a) if a Fleener or Gilmore drops into their laps, b) if they think they can get a quality nose man later on and c) if they sign a free agent nose tackle like Antonio Garay.

The Colts have plenty of options with their second round pick, essentially because they have so many holes to fill. While Fleener and Gilmore are the guys I like the best, realistically, I think the pick is Thompson.