The staff at Horseshoe Huddle gives their predictions as to what will happen for the Indianapolis Colts tonight in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
fans, this year's selection process is a true mystery. Last year, everyone knew that a quarterback would be the pick in the first round, which ultimately became Anthony Richardson. This year, who knows? The positions that the Colts need most are rich in talent in the first round, so anything could happen.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The cornerback room on this team isn’t deep enough to not take one in the first round. If GM Chris Ballard doesn’t want to sign a corner in free agency, then drafting Quinyon Mitchell is the next best option. Mitchell scored a 9.75 out of 10 on the RAS test during the Combine, placing himself in the top 3% of all corners since 1987. Not only is he an incredible athlete, the corner won back-to-back MAC championships while earning places on multiple All-American teams. Ballard could have a no-brainer if the team opts to improve their defense.The Colts could have a golden opportunity at No. 15 if Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is still on the board. He’s close to being the consensus top cornerback in the draft class. The Colts could simply run their card up for Mitchell, which would add more youth to the team’s developing secondary. Or, trading back to gain more draft capital is another option because other teams could overpay for the right to draft Mitchell. Both choices are appealing. The potential offers could sway Indianapolis in one direction. How far the Colts will have to fall back in a trade will likely be another factor.Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports I think the Colts would feel entirely comfortable picking up an extra pick or two in a trade-down, but in my mind, it comes down to two players who have a chance to be available and could convince them to reject any pending trade offers, stay at 15, and make a selection. I think these two players are Dallas Turner and Brock Bowers. Both players are ranked in the top 10 of consensus big boards, but the number of quarterbacks, offensive linemen, and wide receivers projected to be taken before the Colts' selection could see at least one of them slide out of the top 10 and be there for the taking at 15. With Bowers playing a non-premium position and his lack of athletic testing in the pre-draft process, I believe he is the one more likely to fall into the Colts' lap.The smart money prediction for the Colts tonight would be on a trade-back, but I’m going to be bold and predict the team to stay put. This draft class is stacked with talent at the top, and it only takes 1-2 reaches for a blue-chip player to fall into the Colts’ lap. I predict the team has a legit talent like Brock Bowers or Dallas Turner slip to them, forcing them to stay put and take their guy.sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!While I think the Colts will be enticed to move up if one of the top three receivers falls to the 8-10 range, ultimately, they stick and pick at 15. The pick is Brian Thomas Jr., the big deep threat out of LSU. While early on, I think his role will be similar to what Alec Pierce does, Thomas has the potential to be so much more. With some development, Thomas may eventually develop into a true number-one in the NFL. A more explosive Tee Higgins is certainly in his realm of outcomes.Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports I've been pretty tortured over this one due to the likelihood that someone like Brock Bowers or Dallas Turner falls to 15, but ultimately I think the Colts value their draft picks . With that being the case, the Colts should have a group of players they like at 15, so they trade back just far enough here so they can still take someone from the group while also getting a couple of extra picks. Brian Thomas Jr. is the perfect weapon for the Colts, essentially giving them a more explosive version of what they wanted in Alec Pierce with the addition of YAC ability. Thomas pulling defenses vertically, which opens up space underneath for Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, is a deadly tool for Shane Steichen to have.Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports The dream for the Colts would be for Brock Bowers to fall to 15, where Indy would run up the card to add him to Shane Steichen’s offense as a weapon for Anthony Richardson. While the dream is not dead, the more realistic option is the Colts trading back to the early 20s and grabbing a wide receiver. Ultimately, I see thetrading up with the Colts to grab a cornerback and Indy selecting Xavier Worthy, the speedster out of Texas, at No.22. Worthy gives the Colts a burner that would take the vertical passing game to a completely new level.The Colts need receiver and cornerback badly. Luckily, they can trade back and still land one, while getting the other in Round 2. I believe the Colts trade back with the
NFL Draft Mock Draft Quinyon Mitchell Brian Thomas Jr. Brock Bowers Xavier Worthy Chris Ballard
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