Pollak

It's hard not to like the Colts top pick. Mike Pollak C Arizona State (6034, 299, 4.99c) is a smart, athletic center who's a great pass blocker. And unlike so many at his position, he can read defenses and pick up blitzes with aplomb. He could use better conditioning and more strength, but is a player to be reckoned with and will be a solid NFL starter for many years.

I think they'll throw him right into the Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson competition at right guard, then have him take over for Jeff Saturday at center in 2009. Not the most exciting pick, but a damn good one.

Pre-draft roster run-down

Quarterback: Peyton Manning is the starter as long as he is ambulatory. Considering his conditioning and will, that could be another seven or even more seasons. Backup Jim Sorgi is signed through 2010, but the Colts would probably like to get some competition or an eventual replacement for him.
Runningback: Joseph Addai firmly is entrenched as the starter, but had major durability problems at LSU. Kenton Keith is an excellent runner, but so-so as a receiver and blocker, and he also has a history of behavioral problems and fumbles. Fullback Luke Lawton is a fan favorite, but far from irreplaceable.
Wide receiver: Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez are grade-A starters, as is Marvin Harrison, but Harrison was drafted when Bob Dole still thought he could be president. (1) Harrison missed a big part of last season and his frail frame may not be able to hold up much longer. Behind them are Devin Aromoshodu (career 7 catches) and Roy Hall (career 0 catches). Both of them look like NFL wide receivers, but have yet to play like them. (2)
Tight end: Dallas Clark is an awesome tight end if you like king-sized wideouts at the position. Bryan Fletcher is Clark-lite, and an unrestricted free agent next season.
Tackle: Tony Ugoh has Pro Bowl potential, but may have durability issues. Ryan Diem is not Pro Bowl material and definitely has durability issues. The top guys behind the starters are the oft-cut Daniel Federkeil and the even-more-oft-cut Michael Toudouze. (3) Keep in mind Diem makes a truckload of money.
Guard/center: Ryan Lilja and Jeff Saturday are very good, and whoever wins the epic Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson battle will probably be okay at the other guard spot. Saturday will be an old, highly paid unrestricted free agent after the season. There are other people there too.
Defensive end: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are huge pass-rushing stars who are signed for a long time. Josh Thomas is an okay No. 3 if he’s not out there for too long.
Defensive tackle: Undersized, under-rated and efficient. The trio of Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock get the job done, and are occasionally spelled by even smaller Keyunta Dawson.
Outside linebacker: I really like all four of the top guys — Freddie Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler, Clint Session and Ramon Guzman — but there are caveats. Both Keiaho and Hagler have had durability issues in the past and Guzman (who’s no whiz in coverage) could find himself playing more defensive end than linebacker. There’s a distinct possibility Rob Morris, who’s better than most think, could be back, but he's really more of a special-teams player.
Inside linebacker: Gary Brackett gets the job done and is an inspirational leader, but he’s the type of guy teams are always trying to replace — especially since he makes about $3 million a year and is an unrestricted free agent after the 2009 season. The depth here is such that Keiaho would probably replace him. And if he went down, Hagler would replace him.
Cornerback: Polian said yesterday you can always use another corner, but I see no fewer than seven players at the position who can play in the NFL. Starter Kelvin Hayden will be an unrestricted free agent next season, but I think the Colts will lock him up this year or plug Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes or even Michael Coe into his spot.
Safety: The starters (Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea) are awesome and the third guy (Matt Giordano) isn’t far behind. Sophs Brannon Condren and Melvin Bullitt provide enviable depth.
Special teams: Both Adam Vinatieri and Hunter Smith are fine, but elderly; and Polian will never give up on his quest for a kickoff specialist. Justin Snow is still a good long-snapper, but he’s getting up in years too. Polian gave TJ Rushing something of a half-assed vote of confidence yesterday — that should scare him a little.

Notes:
1. His next stop is Canton
2. Even if he never catches a pass, Hall has great special-teams value
3. I didn't mention Charlie Johnson because Polian said he'd be competeing for a job at guard. It's a move that lessens the talent at both positions.

In other news:
• Pay no attention to media tales of Colts interest in guys like Shaun Alexander, Jason Taylor and Rosevelt Colvin. It's hogwash. The Colts have signed two "name" free agents in the past few years — Corey Simon and Booger McFarland — and how'd that work out? Did you know that the Colts are the only team in the NFL with all 22 starters who have never played for another team? They really, really would prefer to build through the draft.
• Pat Sims DT Auburn (6021, 310, 5.06c) said on Siurius Radio that the Colts are interested in him. I'll bet $100 they don't draft him.

Updated mock*

2/59 Donnie Avery WR Houston (5110, 192, 4.43c/4.33pd) Marvin Harrison's heir and an explosive return specialist all in one player — a star in the making
3/93 Jo-Lonn Dunbar ILB Boston College (6004, 231, 4.79c/4.85pd) Something makes me think this under-rated tackling machine will be a great pro
4/127 Kerry Brown T Appalachian State (6053, 308, 5.38) Kid is already a polished pass-blocker, they'll teach him the rest
5/161 Thomas Brown HB Georgia (5083, 204, 4.51c/4.42pd) The team needs a No.2 halfback and this kid does everything well, except stay in one piece
6/196 Mackenzy Bernardeau G Bentley (6041, 306, 5.25pd) Small-school star could be an All-Pro with coaching; incredible potential if he works at it
6/201 Michael Peterson TE Northwest Missouri State (6021, 247, 4.59) I'd like a blocker, but after the Ben Hartsock debacle, I think they'll go with this small-school pass-catcher and try to teach him to block
6/202 Andy Studebaker DE Wheaton College (6030, 251, 4.61) This kid's quickness off the snap is something to behold; he's a lottery ticket — big win or small loss
6/205 Curtis Johnson DE Clark-Atlanta (6025, 242, 4.69c/4.60pd) Johnson's insurance in case Studebaker bombs, could also be given a shot at Sam (where he's played in the past), he has the wheels
7/236 Bernard Morris QB Marshall (6030, 223, 4.68c/4.61pd) The athletic quarterback I've been crying for since the Ricky Turner days; this probably won't happen, I just want it to

Also, keep an eye on:
QB Blake Mitchell
HB Jalen Parmele
HB Justin Beaver
WR Luke Swan
WR Pierre Garcon
TE Paul Cleaver
T Anthony Collins
T John Greco
C Mike Martinez
LB Joe Mays
LB Danny Lansanah
LB Weston Dacus
S Joe Fields
S Curtis Cutts
K Dan Ziedman (kickoff specialist)

*with some anonymous insider info

• I wouldn't put too much stock in ESPN's speculation that the Colts are interested in Shaun Alexander. Houston is a more likely spot.

• So Marcus Pollard's a Pat. They do have knack for getting the most out of players who are beyond their sell-by date, but I don't he'll be haunting the Colts or the Seahawks in the next few seasons.

More confusion, as usual

With tough draft-day decisions looming, the Colts re-signed all of their remaining restricted free agents. With guard Dylan Gandy, tight end Bryan Fletcher and defensive tackle Darrell Reid back in the fold, it changes the landscape — but not actually all that much.

Gandy’s the important one, because the Colts are expecting him to step in and take over Jake Scott’s old spot at right guard. (1) He’s not a great (or even passable) run blocker, but he’s a decent stop-gap starter for a team that is well known for developing mid-range draft choices into top-of-the-line starters. A better fit as a swing backup at guard and center, Gandy's probably just keeping the seat warm for a rookie.

Fletcher’s the No. 2 tight end for now, but wasn’t he No. 3 last year? I don’t want to dis Fletcher, but I really don’t think he’s what the team needs at the position right now. Kid can catch the ball — we all know that — but he’s not really the blocker required to complement Dallas Clark. He’ll fight a draft pick for playing time, trust me. Look for the Colts to grab a guy like Maryland's Joey Haynos who can help the running game and allow Clark (and/or Fletcher) go in motion or split wide.

Reid? I’ve never been as much of a fan as most followers of the Colts. Neither a run stopper nor a pass rusher (more of a spare part) as a defensive lineman, he’s made his name as a special teamer. But while his big hits on coverage teams often show up on ESPN, his whiffs don’t. I don’t resent Reid being on the team, but I don’t rejoice, either.

So how does this affect the draft? Gandy’s (expected) return makes the hole at guard less deep. I still think the need for a long-term starter is there, but they can get by with Gandy. Recent moves have led me to believe that the Colts will actually draft a slot receiver/return specialist first rather than an offensive lineman, so it looks like Gandy’s safe — for now. The same is true with Fletcher. He’s not really who you want there, but you can get by with him. As far as Reid is concerned, I think his re-signing has very little affect on the draft as he doesn’t really figure much in the team’s plans on defense. The Colts’ defensive tackles are Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock. The fourth guy — somehow — is Keyunta Dawson. A rookie may change that, but Reid won’t.

• So Kenton Keith was arrested at a nightclub. From what I’ve learned it seems like a few youthful hi-jinks and some ego got in the way of law enforcement. At least that’s what I’d think if I wasn’t already aware of the shenanigans he’d gotten up to in Nebraska and Saskatchewan. Keith showed some flash as a rusher last season, but did nothing as a blocker and receiver. If he wanted to keep his hold on the No. 2 halfback position, co-operating with the cops probably would have been a good place to start. I was pretty sure the Colts were going to spend a mid-range pick on a halfback — now I have no doubt.

• Gino, one of the most informed of all Colts fans I have ever spoken with, asked me what I thought of the idea of the Colts trading up (perhaps using one of their four sixth rounders). Well, I gotta say that in his history of running drafts in Buffalo, Carolina and Indy, Bill Polian has very rarely traded up with his top pick and very frequently traded down. (2)

But take heart, Gino and others, since Polian and the Colts generally target players other teams are not as high on — like Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis — trading down makes perfect sense.

• One more hat thrown into the Colts' ring. The team flew Allen Ervin HB Lambuth (5106, 226, e4.55) in for a private workout. A huge part of the Eagles' offense (104-1,033-14 rushing as a senior), Ervin uses his superior quickness and vision to break free. Although he's big, he tends to like to take everything outside, but he may not be able to in the pros. (3) Although not especially fast, he has good playing speed and is very elsuive in the open field. He hasn't been used much as a receiver and is not a factor as a blocker, especially when it comes to blitz pickup. The Colts' interest in him more likely stems from his ability as a kick returner (25-685-1 as a senior).

Notes:
1. At this point, he has to be considered the only viable in-house option.
2. Before you mention Tony Ugoh, keep in mind he was a second round pick traded for the next year’s first, so that’s technically a trade-down.
3. I'm always wary of big backs in college, especially in smaller schools. It's just a fact that college players are not as big and strong as the pros and a big back who makes his bread'n'butter mowing 'em down is often stood up and pushed back once he reaches the NFL. Case in point? Ron Dayne. Ervin relies much less on his size than many backs of similar stature do, though.

One more into the fray for the top pick

Now there’s another competitor for the Colts’ top pick and he’s no offensive lineman — not by at least 100 pounds. Donnie Avery WR Houston (5110, 192, 4.43c/4.33pd) is considered by many the most explosive and perhaps the fastest player in the entire draft. Seriously, pay no attention to his combine 40 — although 4.43 isn’t bad, he ran it with a pulled hamstring. Take a look at his other workout numbers. I like his 37.5-inch vertical and his 1.45 ten-yard split, but I am totally wowed by his 6.30 three-cone (the next best was Harry Douglas’ 6.57) and his 16 reps in the bench. But he is no workout warrior. In four years as a Cougar, he recorded 210-3,289-19 receiving (91-1,456-7 as a senior), 40-896-1 kick returns and 3-28-0 punt returns. (1) I’ve seen the guy play plenty of times and he’s pretty much everything you want in a wide receiver — great routes, hands, vision courage etc — except those things that require size — getting of the line and blocking. I think he’ll be a great pro, especially if the team that gets him knows to keep him moving and away from big, bad corners. The Colts are that kind of team, and they are looking for a return specialist …

Oh, and remember Mike Czerwien, the super-productive defensive end whose college claimed he was just 5-foot-8 and 225 pounds? Well, I called the school to find out how big he really is. The AD was away on business, and the woman who answered his phone didn’t know exactly how big Czerwien was. She paused; I pressed on. (2) So she asked around and everyone in the athletic department agreed — yup, Czerwien is 5’8, 225 but a hell of a player. Hmmm, I would expect that would limit his professional prospects just a little. While I have no doubt that he could earn a paycheck on an NFL special-teams crew, I have some trepidations about lining him up across from Joe Thomas. Maybe he could play outside linebacker or safety. Maybe, It’ll be interesting to see.

Notes
1. He even recorded a TFL
2. I’ve been writing for a very, very long time and was an editor in New York, I won’t be stalled, baby

Small man, small school, huge production

Okay, I know the Colts have a reputation for giving chances to undersized players, but this is just ridiculous. They held a private workout with Mike Czerwien DE Waynesburg (5080, 225, e4.55). Yup, 5'8. Yeah, and Waynesburg.

When a player is either small or went to a small school (Wayneburg is D3), he had better produce. Let's take a look at Czerwien's stats to see if he did:

2007: 61 tackles, 29 assists, 34.5-199 TFL, 23-173 sacks, 5 PBU, 1 forced fumble
2006: 43 tackles, 25 assists, 18.5-74 TFL, 11-62 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1-0-0 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick
2005: 34 tackles, 29 assists, 17-76 TFL, 9.5-55 sacks, 1 forced fumble 1-6-0 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick
2004: 33 tackles, 19 assists, 17-96 TFL, 10-76 sacks, 2 PBU

Okay, the guy is a man among boys. Speed and power (despite his size) off the edge and just an ability to play football.

To tell you the truth, I have seen almost nothing of this kid. I'll call his AD tomorrow to find out a little more about him. Stay tuned.

Manning to Manningham?

A new hat’s been thrown into the Colts’ top pick ring. Of all people, Mario Manningham WR Michigan (5116, 181, 4.59c/4.42pd) told Sirius Radio that he enjoyed some time with the Colts representatives. The reasons that’s surprising is that it would be a shock if Manningham was still available when the Colts’ first pick arrives at No. 59, and that few observers would agree that wideout is the Colts’ most pressing need.

But there are a few mitigating factors involved here. The first is that the Colts actually do need another wide receiver. The team plays three-wide more often than any team in the league. And while they have three awesome receivers in Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez, (1) Harrison is on his last legs. Gonzalez appears good enough to fill his shoes, but that leaves an open spot that has been a sore point for the team since Brandon Stokely broke down. (2) Roy Hall is on the roster, but any contributions from him other than special-teams tackles would surprise me; he’s certainly not ready to play a starter’s number of snaps in the NFL.

And Manningham, who some rated as the top wide receiver in this draft some months ago, has fallen on some hard times. Or at least has done some things that have affected his draft status negatively. The first was when he ran a 4.59 forty at the combine. Manningham’s a small guy whose specialty in college was running away from people — it was important that he recorded a good time and he didn’t. Of course, he later ran a 4.42 at his pro day, but scouts won’t forget his combine times and the discrepancy begs the question: If he can’t get it up for the combine, what does he need to be motivated?

Then he admitted to failing at least two marijuana tests in college. Now it’s not Coltplay’s place (or desire) to start a debate on marijuana use or legality, but in pure football terms, it doesn’t seem to be a huge deal. Marijuana is common to the point of ubiquity on college campuses and the overwhelming majority of players associated with its use have shown no ill effects. (3) Look at Warren Sapp. He was considered if not the first pick in the 1995 draft, then no worse than third. A rumor — just a rumor, mind you — connected him to weed and he fell to No. 12 and a Hall of Fame-worthy career. Some of the “clean” players drafted before him? Ki-Jana Carter, Michael (not Brian) Westbrook, Mike Mamula and JJ Stokes. To put it in purely pragmatic terms, his admission of a few puffs doesn’t worry me as much as his combine 40.

As a player, there’s a lot to like about Manningham. He runs excellent, precise routes, has superb hands and rare concentration. He played much bigger than his size in college, but some scouts believe he won’t be able to muscle his way around the pros like he did in college. Still, it’s hard to argue with his 72-1,174-12 receiving as a senior.

I don’t think the Colts will have to worry about whether to pick Manningham or not, because it’s very unlikely he’ll be available when they’re up. But if he is still around, he may just be too hard to pass up.

Of course, the team looked at some other guys as well:

Joe Mays ILB North Dakota State (5110, 245, 4.87) is constantly compared to London Fletcher-Baker, the Redskins’ outstanding middle linebacker who is about the same size as Mays, has a similar playing style and also attended a small school. Like Fletcher-Baker, Mays pursues from sideline-to-sideline, is an effective wrap-up tackler and a pretty good blitzer. In the Texas vs. the Nation game, he always appeared to be around the ball, and showed how effective he is at shedding blocks and distributing jarring hits. His feet always seem to be moving and he’s almost impossible to knock down. But Mays is not Fletcher-Baker’s equal in pass coverage and would be unlikely to compete for a starting job in the NFL unless he improves in that area. Even if he doesn’t, he would probably stick as a spot starter, key backup and special-teams contributor. Most wil disagree, but I think it’ll take a sixth- maybe even a fifth-round pick to get him.

Shawn McMakin G Hofstra (6030, 287, e5.25) is yet another Hofstra player they like. This one is a greatly undersized, but smart and athletic lineman. He played left tackle as a senior simply because he was the team’s best pass-protecter, but would shift back to his more natural guard position in the pros. An all-around good kid, McMakin plans to be a lawyer if the NFL doesn’t pan out.

In other news, the Seahawks signed former Colts punter Reggie Hodges. I always thought Hodges was NFL quality and am glad he’s getting a chance to compete against someone other than Hunter Smith.

Notes:
1. All first-round picks, too.
2. Yes, yes, Dallas Clark has been very effective in his spot — and he was split wide or in the slot on far more plays last year than he played tight end — but then who would play tight end now that Ben Utecht is gone?
3. Before you bring up Ricky Williams, I’d posit that smoking weed is among the least of his mental/emotional/character problems.