Colts release first depth chart

You gotta feel sorry for Chris Rucker. After a pretty good career at Michigan State, he made a mistake by leaving a fender bender, which got him arrested. He was disappointed to see himself drafted in the sixth round. He was surely delighted, though, when he learned the team who called was the Colts, who everyone knew had major problems at cornerback, his position.

He gets a chance to play as a rookie, and, although he was not great, he played hard and showed some potential.

Then the management team changes and he finds himself listed as the eleventh of eleven corners on the Colts first unofficial camp depth chart. He probably wonders which Eagles' special teamer he'll be traded for this week.

Unlike minicamp depth charts, camp depth charts give a fairly strong idea of where the Colts expect a  player to play, and where they stand in the pecking order. There's no point this far along, in getting reps at a position you're not going to play.

Normally at this point, the rookies still take a backseat to veterans, but not so on this depth chart. In fact, any connection with the old regime looks like a black mark on your name.

Here are ColtPlay's observations and comments:

QB: Andrew Luck, Drew Stanton, Chandler Harnish
This has been pretty obvious since the last pick of the draft. Harnish is not ready for the No. 2 role, and his only problem making the team would be if the Colts think they can get by with two quarterbacks.  

RB: Donald Brown, Mewelde Moore, Vick Ballard, Delone Carter, Darren Evans, Deji Karim
Brown is the established starter (if not a star, by any means), and Moore is the third-down guy. Unlike many Colts fans, I'm not a big Carter guy, and am not surprised to see him looking up at Ballard. I would be surprised to see Evans or Karim knock him off the roster, though.

SE: Reggie Wayne, LaVon Brazill, Griff Whalen, Jeremy Ross, Quan Cosby
FL: Austin Collie, Donnie Avery, T.Y. Hilton, Jabin Sambrano, Kris Adams, Jarred Fayson
The top five have been pretty clear in camp, although Hilton's a bit farther back than Brazill due to injury. Avery could be in danger if the Colts think they have a younger option, and my eyes are on Sambrano and perhaps Adams. I was shocked to see Whalen listed so high, but I guess being Luck's friend has its benefits.
Note: The Colts list both positions as "WR." 

TE: Coby Fleener, Kyle Miller, Andre Smith
H-B/FB: Dwayne Allen, Dominique Jones
The surprise here is to see Miller listed ahead of Smith, who's much better known. In fact, many sites reported that Miller was in camp as a long-snapping prospect. Still, ColtPlay noticed he caught a lot of passes at Mount Union (including 62 as a senior), and has some speed. Allen should thrive in his new position, which will include a lot of time at fullback, blocking and even carrying the ball. Jones, who played all over the field in the Arena league, seems like an appropriate backup.
Note: The Colts list Allen's position as "F," as though they wanted to call him a fullback, but couldn't quite make the commitment.

LT: Anthony Castonzo, George Foster, Ty Nsekhe
LG: Jeff Linkenbach, Joe Reitz, Jason Foster
C: Samson Satele, A.Q. Shipley, Zane Taylor
RG: Mike McGlynn, Seth Olsen, Hayworth Hicks
RT: Winston Justice, Mike Tepper, Steven Baker, Justin Anderson
Let's go inside-out. The centers have aligned pretty much the way I expected, with Shipley likely to make Taylor expendable. I'm a little surprised at just how weak the guard position is. Grigson favorite McGlynn is nailed in at his spot, and it looks like Link will hold off Reitz on the other side. If Olsen makes the team, they are in serious trouble and neither Foster nor Hicks are that inspiring. Unless they move one of the tackle prospects over, they'll probably scan the waiver wires for prospects. The starting tackles are set and I think old George Foster makes the team as the swing backup. After that, it's a bit of a mess, but it was a mild surprise to see seventh-round pick Justin Anderson at the back of the pack. I'd love to see Baker make it, because I don't see him lasting on the practise squad.
 
LDE: Cory Redding, Ricardo Matthews, James Aiono
NT: Antonio Johnson, Brandon McKinney, Chigbo Anunoby, Josh Chapman
RDE/DT: Fili Moala, Drake Nevis, Jason Shirley
The big surprise here is to see Moala ahead of Nevis, but everything I've heard out of camp about him has been positive. Mookie's still the top nose, which I think is more of an indictmant of McKinney than an endorsement of him. Chapman makes the team, for sure, but he's still hurting.

SOLB: Robert Mathis, Jerry Hughes, Tim Fugger, Moise Fokou
SILB/MLB: Kavell Conner, Mario Harvey, Scott Lutrus, Greg Lloyd
WILB/WOLB: Pat Angerer, Jerrell Freeman, Larry Lumpkin
WOLB/RDE: Dwight Freeney, Justin Hickman, Mario Addison, Jerry Brown
No real surprises here, although both Fokou and Lloyd could move ahead soon. Keep your eyes on former CFL standouts Freeman and, especially, Hickman. Fugger's on the PUP, but should stick.
Note: The Colts list Freeney's position as "rush."

LCB: Cassius Vaughn, Justin King, Brandon King, Cameron Chism, Buddy Jackson
RCB: Jerraud Powers, Korey Lindsey, Terrence Johnson, D.J. Johnson, Antonio Fenelus, Chris Rucker
Ah, the much-debated position. It looks for now that the NFL veterans (at least those whose experience came with other teams), hold the upper hand. But word is that Lindsey is getting his butt handed to him deep regularly in camp, so who knows.

SS: Tom Zbikowski, Jermale Hines, David Caldwell, Latarrius Thomas
FS: Antoine Bethea, Joe Lefeged, Mike Newton, Matt Merletti
The only things I noticed here was that Hines moved ahead of Caldwell (which is good), and that Merletti has yet to make any kind of a splash (which is not).

K: Adam Vinatieri, Pat McAfee
P: Pat McAfee, Brain Stahovich
LS: Justin Snow, Matt Overton
No surprises here, although the long-snapper battle will be one to watch.

KR: LaVon Brazill, T.Y. Hilton, Joe Lefeged, Cassius Vaughn, Deji Karim, Mewelde Moore, Tom Zbikowski
PR: LaVon Brazill, T.Y. Hilton, Griff Whalen, Tom Zbikowski
Since all the top competitors here are likely to make the team, it makes sense to see the best guys at each spot rather than a single return specialist who does both.